Ari Emanuel, a prominent Hollywood talent agent known for his aggressive style and extensive influence in entertainment and sports, has released a memoir titled "Roll the Calls." The 413-page book, co-written with ghostwriter J.R. Moehringer, offers a wide-ranging look at Emanuel's career and personal life, detailing his rise to become a billionaire executive leading WME Group and TKO Group Holdings, as well as his involvement with entities such as World Wrestling Entertainment, Ultimate Fighting Championship, Broadway theaters, and the Frieze art fairs.
Contrary to expectations of a star-studded tell-all, the memoir focuses more on the business mechanics of the industry and Emanuel’s relentless work ethic than on celebrity anecdotes. The book’s title refers to the daily ritual among agents of calling a long list of contacts—clients, executives, bankers, and journalists—to pitch deals, gather information, and negotiate. Emanuel describes this practice as essential to maintaining power and influence in a competitive industry, at times making up to 300 calls a day.
Emanuel, whose brash personality inspired the character Ari Gold on HBO’s "Entourage," provides glimpses into his upbringing in Wilmette, Illinois, highlighting challenges such as dyslexia and ADHD, which shaped his combative approach to life and business. He recounts his defense of a bullied classmate at New Trier High School and reflects on lessons from his family about resilience and vigilance. However, the memoir offers limited detail about his formative years or early career path, quickly shifting to episodic accounts of his rise in Hollywood.
The memoir reveals Emanuel’s complex relationships within the industry, including a longstanding rivalry with former Disney and DreamWorks executive Jeffrey Katzenberg. Emanuel accuses Katzenberg of unpaid legal fees, interference over concert tickets, and political manipulation affecting both Donald Trump’s reelection and Joe Biden’s image. Despite his liberal leanings and criticisms of some conservative figures—including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he labels an “agent of chaos” and publicly condemned during a 2024 Simon Wiesenthal Center event—Emanuel expresses weariness over political disputes, stating that he “can’t have beef with half my friends” or hate “half my country.”
Emanuel also shares personal aspects, including his first marriage, his large family with three sons and an adopted daughter, and his 2022 marriage to fashion designer Sarah Staudinger in Saint-Tropez, with Larry David officiating. Physical and mental wellness play a significant role in his routine; he rises early for extensive workouts and recovery practices, including meditation, ice plunges, sauna sessions, breathwork, and unconventional health measures such as consuming live worms to improve gut health. These rituals are part of his ongoing effort to maintain longevity.
While the memoir sometimes reads as a corporate chronicle heavy with industry jargon and acronyms, it also captures Emanuel’s self-awareness about the personal costs of his success. He acknowledges leaving relationships behind to save time or protect himself and reflects on whether the fight that propelled his career has diminished with age.
"Roll the Calls" was published by Alfred A. Knopf and was accompanied by a high-profile promotional campaign, including an exclusive excerpt in a major financial newspaper and a televised interview. Despite the book’s candid tone and frequent profanity, some critics have noted its lack of detailed insider anecdotes or Hollywood gossip, identifying it more as a business manual for aspiring industry professionals than a traditional memoir of celebrity encounters.