08.19.08

FORMER MANAGER SUING FATOR


It is awfully suspicious that one of his puppets told a joke that went “Breachofcontract who?” (Via myspace.com/terryfator)

According to court documents obtained by TMZ, former manager John Raymond is suing Terry Fator for breach of contract and wants a 20 percent piece of Fator’s $100 million pie — plus damages. Fator has a five-year deal with The Mirage to replace Danny Gans. The case was filed Aug. 14 in the Eighth Judicial District Court.

Here’s how the suit breaks down: Raymond claims that Fator was struggling with his puppets and painting houses in the winter to make ends meet in 2003. He hired Raymond to be his manager and on Aug. 15, 2005 signed a five-year deal that called for Raymond to get 20 percent of Fator’s gross. Raymond was able to get Fator enough work that he could get out of the paint game and focus just on ventriloquism — in part by making the suggestion that Fator incorporate celeb impersonations in his act. Fator’s newfound success forced Raymond to drop any other clients, but it paid off because in Aug. 21, 2007, Fator won America’s Got Talent. Raymond and his wife moved from Montana to Vegas.

The suit goes on to say that on Nov. 27, 2007, Fator fired Raymond as his manager and demoted him to merchandise administrator and cut off the payments on the 20 percent gross because Raymond was “too nice” and Fator needed a “bastard” as a manager. Then on May 15, Fator signed his big deal with The Mirage. On June 6, Raymond was fired from the operation entirely. While all of this will be settled in the courts, it does kind of tempt us into getting into the management game where being a bastard isn’t just accepted, it’s encouraged.

By Jason Scavone

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05.13.08

MIRAGE FINDS GANS REPLACEMENT


The song he’s belting in this photo? Napalm Death’s “Inner Incineration.” (Via myspace.com/terryfator)

The Mirage has inked Terry Fator to a five-year deal with a five-year option to fill the Danny Gans-shaped hole in its heart. Fator, who wowed The Hoff and Sharon Osbourne enough to win a cool million on America’s Got Talent, does a ventriloquist act where the hook is a wide range of song impersonations with the dummies. He’s currently in the middle of a three-shows-per-month deal with the Hilton.

So, there you go. Jeff Dunham’s DVD has sold about 500,000 copies, and Terry Fator is headlining in the same town that Elvis used to rule. You’ve spoken loud and clear, America. We get it. You love puppets. Now settle down before Jeff Foxworthy steals Lambchop for “You might be a redneck” jokes and ushers in the Apocalypse.

By Jason Scavone

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