Ari Emanuel’s memoir, Roll the Calls, spans 57 chapters and 413 pages, with an abundance of profanity. The book lacks photographs except for the cover shot of Emanuel. Expected celebrity anecdotes are scarce, despite Emanuel’s success as a talent agent representing stars like Oprah, Matt Damon, and Martin Scorsese. This memoir is more a business guide, focusing on the entertainment industry. Readers hoping for Hollywood gossip may be disappointed.
The book’s title reflects the practice among talent agents of calling a list of executives, clients, and others to network and negotiate. Emanuel isn’t the first of the brothers to publish a book. His brother Ezekiel, a noted oncologist, released Growing Up Emanuel in 2014, receiving positive reviews. Ari’s memoir follows the hype of promotional strategies with substantial prints and features like an Wall Street Journal excerpt.
The memoir reveals little about his early life, aside from his diagnosis with dyslexia and ADHD. Emanuel shares his rage-driven philosophy and provides glimpses into his childhood in affluent Wilmette, describing formative experiences like defending a classmate from a bully. Details on his college years or beginnings in New York are scant.
The episodic narrative jumps to Emanuel’s Hollywood start in a mailroom, leading to roles fetching coffee and delivering scripts. Fast-paced but insubstantial, most sections are snapshots of his personal life. He shares moments from his marriage, family life, routines, and character traits that inspired HBO’s Entourage character Ari Gold.
Despite not watching the show, Emanuel’s personality and career influenced its portrayal. He shares insights on self-belief, honesty, and ambition, with help from experienced ghostwriter J.R. Moehringer. Emanuel, now 65, is known for his corporate success and brutal business dealings.
Reflecting on his life, Emanuel shares personal stories, including a second marriage to Sarah Staudinger. Highlighting friendships with influential personalities like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, he muses on whether his aggressive nature has waned and considers need for peace.