EXCLUSIVE: Top Talent Agent Recalls Signing Michael Moore for Deal Despite Branding Him an 'Antisemite' During Bar Fight — 'We Almost Came to Blows'
Michael Moore and Ari Emanuel allegedly nearly duked it out in a bar.
Sept. 23 2026, Published 2:00 p.m. ET
Talent agent Ari Emanuel's hardball attitude occasionally landed him in trouble – but in one instance it landed him a contract with Michael Moore, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
One of the top industry insiders in Hollywood, Emanuel published a memoir called Roll the Calls. In the book's pages, he described his hard-hitting negotiation techniques: securing Moore as a client, Emanuel recalled, came after a near bar bash.
Michael Moore Incorrectly Called 'Antisemite' by Industry Exec
Moore previously expressed criticisms of Israel.
Emanuel described a run-in with Moore at a "bar off the main drag" in Aspen. While he was having a quiet night with a drink, he watched Moore enter the establishment. Emanuel, known at this point for his easy rise to anger, called over to the filmmaker, wanting to call him out for recent comments about Israel.
"I knew Moore was blowing up, but I didn’t appreciate that he was a star," Emanuel writes. "My bad. Should've known. Moore recently wrote a mega-bestseller, promoted it with a fifty-city American tour, drew huge crowds at every stop, then did an equally sensational book tour across Europe."
Despite Moore's fame, Emanuel took the opportunity to heckle him.
"So I cup my hands to my mouth and shout across the barroom. Michael Moore! You f--king antisemite!" he recalled.
Ari Emanuel Settles Argument
Emanuel decided to smooth things over with Moore with a conversation.
Emanuel, who is Jewish, claimed his rage was the result of public comments made by Moore about Israel. The talent agent admitted he, too, was critical of the nation, but also felt the sentiments had gone too far.
"Record scratch. The bar falls silent. The bartender pauses in the middle of pouring a beer. Moore turns, squints down the bar. We lock eyes. Instead of shouting back, or giving me the finger, or ignoring me, he comes slouching toward me," Emanuel recalled.
Rather than throw fists, though, the two had a heated debate. Ultimately, they shook hands and shared stories, with Emanuel concluding the director was not an antisemite. Instead, Emanuel mused, they shared "Democratic leanings."
Michael Moore Signs With Ari Emanuel
People assumed the deal between the was due to similar political opinions.
The disagreement wasn't the end of their working relationship, though.
Emanuel called up Moore days later with a line that worked on many before. He asked if Moore was happy before prodding him to sign a professional agreement.
"People around town assume that Moore signed with me because of politics. Because I drive a Prius and think Al Gore would’ve been a sensational president. That had nothing to do with it," Emanuel writes.
Michael Moore Finds Success in 9/11 Documentary
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Moore ended up paving his way with the wildly successful documentary.
He called the signing a "formality" as they shared a common goal of "saving the world through film," with the agent providing the foundation to make it happen.
Emanuel added, "He instantly becomes my most visible client, and it would have never happened if not for my rage – something I spend hours pondering."
Moore ended up being a great catch for Emanuel, who called him his "most visible client." The director went on to release Fahrenheit 9/11, one of the most compelling and well-awarded documentaries.
