Leon Black - He Didn't Bother Getting Us to Like Him

 Bill Gates did a few rounds of "I regret" and his association with Jeffrey Epstein essentially went poof. That even happened despite his former wife's discussion in the media that she disapproved of that relationship. 

So here we are. Gates has moved on to dominating headlines with his observations on pandemics, the economy, and crypto. Not that he doesn't have his detractors. However, the stigma of having jaw-jawed with Epstein hadn't been sticky.

Bill Clinton also had been able to shake off traveling in Epstein circles. 

How could they do that and others can't?

Part of this has a simple explanation.

For instance, Ghislaine Maxwell's relationship with Epstein has resulted in being convicted of criminal activity. Insider updates us on all that. Her lawyers are requesting less than a 20-year sentence. Psychobabble such as she was co-dependent emotionally (and of course financially) on Epstein didn't elicit sympathy. Not in the court of law. Not in the court of public opinion. Set up by her brother the advocacy website - realghislaine.com - didn't move any dials.

Okay, Maxwell has been proven by the US legal system to have participated in the harm done by Epstein. 

But that leaves unexplained why someone like Leon Black continues to go through the wringer for having had Epstein on his network. That has hung on for a long time. It extends back to the financial firm he co-founded - Apollo - calling in law firm Dechert to investigate. He had paid millions to Epstein supposedly for estate-planning. Maybe it was all business. 

More recently, an amendment to the lawsuit filed against him by his former mistress Guzel Ganieva alleges, reports Dealbreaker, that Black tried to pimp her out to Epstein. 

Look under the hood of Black's whatever on The Epstein and what we notice is the oldest political, public relations, and Emotional Intelligence reality: The guy isn't likable. 

Gates does much good through his philanthrophy, research, and thinking. Incidentally, Mike Milken, after being released from prison, rebranded in the same way.

Clinton has always been a lovable rascal. 

Black never seemed to be able to get down here with the rest of us. Clinton felt our pain. We wanted to believe him and we did. Black didn't seem to want to connect with us. 

When off-duty the sandbox he played in was not pop culture with which we could relate. We couldn't imagine driving around with him belting out Beatles' songs. 

No, his sandbox had been the rarified circles of the art world. He owned "The Scream." He had chaired the Museum of Modern Art. But The Epstein ended that.  

Also, it was and is too obvious that he attempted to insulate himself with elite lawyers. They have ranged from Quinn Emanuel to Paul Weiss. Most of us can't afford to do that. And being fingered for wrongdoing in the legal system is plenty scary.

A few weeks ago I got nailed for speeding and had to go to court. I was terrified. Our assumption might be that Black doesn't have to be terrified. Had he been he might not have deepened his legal entanglements by filing a countersuit to Ganieva's.

In the classic on power - "The Power Game" - Hedrick Smith singles out the ability to be liked as one source of getting, holding, and growing power. Of course, it's not the only one. Another source is being an obstructionist. You have the ability to block. So folks have to come to you and horse-trade.  

Can Black change how he positions and packages himself? Rebranding is challenging. The unlikable Amber Heard might not be able to pull it off. Currently she is working with superimposing on her identity being a full-time mom. Yeah, Sheryl Sandberg is trying that too amid the growing hits to her image as a Saint.  And being a mom didn't get Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes off the hook for fraud. 

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Black is worth $8 billion. Sure money talks. But it is not necessarily the real-life currency which can purchase what is needed for a comeback - or to prevent a collapse of reputation. Even the wealthy would be wise about being liked. 

Connect with Editor-in-Chief Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com. Conjure up magical results in your communications.

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