Two opposing voices — Michael Avenatti, the lawyer suing President Donald Trump on behalf of adult film star Stephanie Clifford (Stormy Daniels), and Anthony Scaramucci, former White House communications director — could become the dueling faces of a new cable news show. At least, that's what the New York Times reported: television agent Jay Sures has pitched a debate-like program featuring Avenatti and Scaramucci to CNN and MSNBC.
The Gray Lady is renowned for its solid reporting and sources. But both of the subjects of the story? They say it's fake news.
Avenatti denied the validity of the story on Twitter Thursday. "I have no interest in television right now," he wrote. "I’ll leave that to the experts. I enjoy practicing law and look forward to prevailing on behalf of my client Stormy Daniels. That’s where my focus is."
Scaramucci's response was more blunt. When CNN's Jake Tapper tried to crowdsource "Names for the @MichaelAvenatti/@Scaramucci show that UTA is pitching," Scaramucci offered one: "Not Happening."
But both Avenatti and Scaramucci frequent the cable news circuit as guests — the former serving up anti-Trump opinion and the latter a fervent supporter.
Avenatti has recently made the rounds at CNN and MSNBC, as he engages in an "aggressive public relations campaign [that] he has waged on behalf of Ms. Clifford, earning him criticism that he is leveraging his position to both undermine Mr. Trump and promote himself," as the Times wrote. Last month, Avenatti sent Clifford to the court proceedings where Trump's longtime lawyer, Michael Cohen was fighting the seizure of his documents from an FBI raid. Cohen paid Clifford $130,000 before the presidential election to stay quiet about what she says was an extramarital affair with Trump. The president denied her claim.
"I think most lawyers are rather inept at dealing with the press and the media when dealing with their cases," Avenatti told the New York Law Journal. "I think it’s a tool that can be used smartly, in connection with cases — not every case, certainly. I just think that’s an area that attorneys, if they utilized it more appropriately, or at all in some cases, would use for their clients."
Addressing critics directly, he added, "These people that are talking about, these are my '15 minutes' — my 15 minutes were up 12, 15 years ago. . . I’m well beyond 15 minutes at this point."
Jay Sures has worked with past television clients like Dr. Phil, NBC's Chuck Todd, and Norah O’Donnell from "CBS This Morning." According to the Times, Avenatti has not officially hired Sures, but some informal work on behalf of Hollywood agents is often a pretext to securing a potential client.
Scaramucci — whose stint at the White House lasted less than two weeks — was fired after John Kelly was appointed as White House chief of staff with promises to bring discipline to the West Wing. The termination did not curb Scaramucci's support of the president, however, and he continues to be one of Trump's most recognizable and vocal supporters on TV.
Aside from cable news appearances and daily Trump endorsements on Twitter, Scaramucci is writing a book, "The Blue Collar President: How Trump Is Reinventing the Aspirational Working Class."
MSNBC, CNN or Sures has yet to respond to the reports of this possible show.
Shares