False Agent

[Evan Young]

I have a friend who owns a small retail costume/novelty buisness and does singing teligrams and magic shows.
He ocasionally tells people he's an agent, but he has no licence and has no clue about the legal stuff involved in talent representation. He does book other performers out for kids birthday parties and stuff like that. I told him I can't work for him anymore because he's not licenced, (making up an excuse), and he started making stuff up about how if he was licenced he wouldn't be able to represent me unless I was SAG or Equity. He really has no clue, and I told him he shouldn't make stuff up like that. I told him he should refer to himself as a party planner. I won't work for him regardless b/c he sucks and is developing a bad reputation as a performer, and he takes like 30%, and I know he lies constantly.
What should he call himself to protect himself legally? It would be nice to know about the laws governing agents and party planners and stuff.
Thanks

[ 01-08-2003: Message edited by: Evan Young ]</p>

[Doctor Eric]

[quote]Originally posted by Evan Young:
<strong>
What should he call himself to protect himself legally?</strong><hr></blockquote>

How about "Dishwasher."
Does he have a car? How about "Pizza-Delivery Boy, Esq."

[Stretch]

Laws? news to me.

[Evan Young]

I was under the impression that they had to be licenced. I know that they are for TV/Movies/modeling stuff. Same with comdey agents.

[Stretch]

A business may need a business liscence from the local jurisdiction. That usually amounts to paying $10 and filing out paperwork. We're not talking medical doctors, attorneys or plumbers here. Call your city clerk or state bar (attorney) or state Attorney General's office.

Walking tall and stretching imaginations!

[Evan Young]

I talked to more than one commercial/modeling/mass media agent when I was in LA and they were all licensed under federal law. They also had rules they had to follow, like an agent himself ins't allowed to make the first contact with a potential talent, but he can send one of his employees after him/her, they arn't allowed to require you to go to specific photographers for your head shots, and more. And I was looking at web sites of other agencies and a some of them had their licenence number displayed, but those were all for the mass media stuff.
Perhaps there are no rules for small time variety stuff. In the mass media world you pretty much have to be represented, but that's not the case with us so much.