While former mayor Rahm Emanuel was known for his colorful language, his younger brother Ari Emanuel takes things a step further in his memoir, “Roll the Calls.” Spanning 413 pages and divided into 57 chapters, the book is filled with expletives, often appearing even in the final lines of chapters. The cover displays the only photograph within, showing the author himself. Notably, the memoir lacks stories involving his famous clients like Oprah, Matt Damon, and Larry David. Despite being a highly successful talent agent, Emanuel’s book contains few celebrity anecdotes, instead focusing more on the business of show business.
For those seeking glamorous Hollywood tales, this memoir may not satisfy. At its core, it resembles a business book about the entertainment industry. The title, “Roll the Calls,” refers to an agent’s routine of contacting a list of industry figures, from clients to journalists, for various forms of communication. The book follows in the footsteps of his older brother Ezekiel Emanuel’s 2014 memoir “Growing Up Emanuel,” which received positive reviews.
Anticipation for “Roll the Calls” was high, with a first print run of 250,000 copies. Its promotion included an excerpt in the Wall Street Journal and an appearance on “CBS Sunday Morning,” where Emanuel’s language required censorship. The memoir provides little insight into Ari Emanuel’s secretive world. His opinion of Harvey Weinstein as “empty at his core” doesn’t come off as shocking. The book doesn’t delve deeply into his formative years, only revealing diagnoses of dyslexia and ADHD that fueled his anger, a central trait in his personality.
Raised in Wilmette, one of the wealthiest suburbs, Emanuel’s rough childhood stories, like defending a bullied classmate at New Trier High School, set the tone for his confrontational career. Details about his college years at Macalester or his work with agent Robert Lantz in New York City are missing. The narrative jumps quickly from his early days fetching coffee for senior agents to his Hollywood career.
The memoir offers glimpses into his personal life, recounting nearly being struck by a truck, his marriage in Chicago, and his family life, including adopting a daughter. His daily routine is intense, with early morning workouts and a focus on work calls. Often compared to the character Ari Gold from “Entourage,” Emanuel’s brazen personality is well-portrayed but lacks the depth expected in such a memoir.
Co-authored by J.R. Moehringer, the book attempts to maintain a fast pace but leans heavily on business jargon and industry acronyms like CAA and UFC. At 65, Ari Emanuel leads TKO Group Holdings and WME Group as a billionaire. He reflects on the many farewells of his life, owing his therapist’s descriptor of him as “the simplest and most complicated patient.”
The later chapters describe his courtship and marriage to fashion designer Sarah Staudinger. Their 2022 wedding in Saint-Tropez had Larry David officiating. Emanuel describes personal triumphs in garnering the likes of Elon Musk or Donald Trump for conversations. Despite further ambitions, Emanuel questions whether he retains the fight that drove his career.
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