Power of Reputation Panel presented by Media.Com at the 40th Edition of The Sundance Film Festival

The Sundance Film Festival is the place to be, in which creatives can receive an all-inclusive and fully immersive feel of all things related to film and television. Never forget that reputation is a massive part of the entertainment industry, and one must protect it by any means necessary.

Sheen Magazine was on the scene at The Caspian Agency’s Impact Lounge Power of Reputation Panel at The Sundance Film Festivals 40th Edition in snow covered Park City, Utah. The lounge was presented by Media.com, the latest social media platform whose mission is to help its members take back the power to control and monitor their reputations. The platform provides a comment free, safe place with only verified profiles, in which people can create their own narrative. Once a profile is created, members can generate and distribute press releases, respond to misinformation, correct inaccuracies, boost credibility, tell their story, and protect their reputation. Media.com was created by founder and CEO, James Mawhinney, who was a victim of the dark side of the media and misinformation for nearly a decade at the hands of unclean journalists. After James recovered, he was inspired to challenge misinformation and empower the truth through the development of Media.com.

Former entertainment journalist and public relations maven, Adriane Schwartz, attorney and Bravo-lebrity, Phaedra Parks, former reality star and current DJ, Jon Gosselin, and Salt Lake City’s very own championship winning off-road racer and author, Justin Peck comprised the panel that was moderated by James Mawhinney. The panelists conversed about their experiences with low vibrating bloggers and opinionists disguised as journalists, hellbent on raising hell in the lives of people they barely know for content and compensation.

Attorney Phaedra Parks, the latest unfaithful on Peacock’s Emmy winning show—Traitors, mentioned how the network contracts disallow the reality stars from speaking against the editing or they risk being sued. The mother of two young boys, says these quick little stories are a detriment due to the long-term effects on your family and loved ones, especially the children. The southern belle handled gossip, by allowing her good name to speak for itself. “Outside of having a great reputation, the only thing better would be a great credit store. Those things speak volumes…outside of your outfit.”

Jon Gosselin, of the TLC hit reality show, Jon & Kate Plus 8 told his story of what succeeded once he refused to film. When the divorce between him and Kate Gosselin was filed in 2009, the network [TLC], began to spin their own narrative after enforcing a 10-year gag order, preventing Jon from speaking his truth. He simply did not want his children on TV anymore and the network commenced with their assault of his reputation. During this primitive social media era, Jon lost access to PR agents and the network chose the side of his ex-wife and she obliged. He recalled how journalists went to his high-schools and purchased all of his year books and interviewed all of his high school ex-girlfriends. Paparazzi would follow his family, chase him from state to state and even bombarded him in Paris as soon as he disembarked the plane. Jon says he felt like he regained the power of his reputation around 2015, several years after the documentary commenced filming.

Justin Peck shared his shocking story of how 25 years ago, he found himself in the midst of a mental health crisis. He drove himself to the top of a canyon and in one brief moment, a burst of soul wrenching despair consumed him, to the point of him grabbing his firearm, putting it to his head, pulling the trigger and discovering he was still alive. Justin unchambered the bullet, watched it fall to his lap and after further examination, he saw that the firing pin had stopped the bullet. He delved into how mental health and perception are massive components of reputation. The former racing villain and author of his memoir entitled, Bulletproof, described how being the villain went from the racetrack to his children’s DM’s, affecting everything across the board.

Adriane Schwartz suggests that if there are disparaging stories floating around, to not necessarily go out and defend yourself, but to do a positive story about what is actually going on. “Take the high road,” says the publicist, “You can go to Media.com where you don’t have to give attention to a negative article but do a positive one that tells the truth from your own voice.”