Is Gary Spatz And The Playground a Huge Con?

We just went to their talent search and they want my son and $4000 for classes to get my child "prepared". What are some classes in LA that are not scams? Oh, bye the way here is what I found on Gary Spatz on another website called Backstage posted by someone who seems to really know what they are talking about. What do you think?


A little more info on Absolute Talent/Gary Spatz, so everyone can look things up and judge for themselves.

Please note:
1. This is HARDLY all of the information out there--just a little sampling. I suggest using google for starters, and use terms with "scam" at the end. For example, "Gary Spatz scam" or "Absolute Talent scam".

2. Most of these posts and articles were on the net before BizParentz existed. Just to clear up the idea that this is some kind of "campaign".

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Absolute Talent has been in trouble under various business names for years. They have done business in a few states including AZ and TX. If you want to do your own research, you might want to google names like
O'Brien Rottman
Eric Rottman
Eric Paul (his other identity)
Pat O'Brien (aka Patrick)
Artist Promotions
Commercial Scouts
Brooke Bishop (sometimes a boy, sometimes a girl)
Young Artist Talent
Gary Spatz (who works for them)
The Playground
Absolute Talent
Debonair Marketing

http://www.easybackgroundcheck.com/absol...
http://www.easybackgroundcheck.com/ortc....
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/28...
http://ripoffreport.com/reports/0/148/Ri...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...
http://forums.delphiforums.com/proactors...
(there are tons of posts on this board about Absolute...so ask if they aren't coming up. One of the moderators was even scammed by them many years ago)
http://forums.delphiforums.com/proactors...

Really good article all about them (D Magazine, Glam Scam), written way back in 2000--but still the same peeps, with the same MO:
http://www.dweddings.com/ME2/Audiences/d...

Texas, where they were fined for agenting without a license:
http://www.easybackgroundcheck.com/tdlrf...

San Francisco where they skipped town:
http://www.complaints.com/may2001/compla...

Better Business Bureau F rating
http://www.labbb.org/BBBWeb/Forms/Busine...

Their disappearing act in AZ, ripping off kids as they went:
http://www.angelfire.com/az/nativebob/dr...

In addition to that, BizParentz has recieved complaints including sexual advances by Eric Rottman toward girl students. We get complaints about Absolute and all their peeps at a rate of about one a month. It goes in waves though. We can always tell when the mall scouts have been out.

If I understand their current business model correctly, it is illegal in CA. It appears that they are offering classes and photographs and then also taking a percentage (perhaps via a different company name, but still owned by the same people) of an actors' income. This is a violation of the Advanced Fee Talent Service Law
http://www.bizparentz.org/entertainmentl...

In relation to Gary, and the Playground, it makes NO DIFFERENCE that they put Gary's name on the "school" end of things. You can't escape the law by using two different business names. If they have any financial interest, it is illegal.

Here's an article about common talent scams, with lots of links at the bottom:
http://www.bizparentz.org/gettingstarted...

They key to making good decisions in this industry is to recognize business models, red flags and common threads.

If you are just getting started in the biz, you might want to read all the articles under the Getting Started tab on our website. Also, check the next tab to the right, "The Biz"--first link is Agents and Managers 101--read that to see WHY Absolute Talent isn't the kind of "manager" that most parents would want to work with.

Happy researching, and cheers to parents who are trying to make good decisions for their kids! :-)

An excellent question! ;-) I checked the site you mentioned http://www.bizparetnz.org. it looks like an excellent resource for newcomers.

I especially like the statement:

"Parents new to the industry (affectionately called "newbies") are targeted by unscrupulous people who count on there being a lack of knowledge and an abundance of trust, very similar to the tragic cons often directed at elderly people. We urge you to educate yourself and carefully consider your choices and decisions."