Jennifer Lopez’s former publicist and Hollywood insider Rob Shuter has chronicled his experience working with major A-listers in his upcoming book, It started with a whisper.
The journalist, who has previously worked with Jessica Simpson, Jon Bon Jovi and Alicia Keys, is releasing his first book of fiction on April 21, and although it’s fiction, it’s based on his own experiences.
The fictional narrative is based on the lives of four gossip reporters who co-host a morning show that draws on his former show The Gossip Table, which ran for two years on VH1.
Working closely with big names in Hollywood, Shuter has seen Lopez and Ben Affleck’s historic on-and-off relationship as well as other scandals firsthand.
“While I was working on The gossip tableI kept a diary. I looked back at my journal, remembered all the funny, crazy, cruel, happy, disturbing things that happened, and I realized very quickly that this is a book, this is a potential TV show,” Shuter shared. Page six.
Shuter shared that despite his fond memories, he doesn’t miss being a publicist. “You’re a therapist, you’re a publicist, you’re a bag holder, you’re a best friend. When I look back on it, I have such good memories; when I was living it, it was pretty tough,” he said.
The writer teased, “You know it’s going to blow up, it’s going to make worldwide news, and so actually making this breakup statement can be pretty difficult,” adding that “asking for privacy is actually pretty weird because you’re making a statement. I love the dichotomy of that; it made me laugh.”
Shuter told the outlet that while he hasn’t named names, readers will recognize the real people behind the characters.
