Battling negative PR

Have been noticing the news today of some of our favorite starts. First, Robert Wagner, and the reopening of the case of Natalie Wood's death thirty years ago. Second, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutchner's divorce, after his scandalous affairs in their supposedly open marriage.

How do you react to that kind of news when it is about you? It would be nice to think you could just tell the truth and all would be well. In Robert Wagner's case, that would be nice. Unfortunately there are a lot of allegations coming forward that he will likely have to fight. How, after 30 years, do you do that? If I'm Robert Wagner's PR consultant, I advise him to stick to his story - that it was a tragic accident. He and Christopher were on the top deck and heard nothing - then discovered Natalie was missing. On the other hand, if you're on Natalie Wood's side (say - her sister), you want to get to the bottom of it, so you fight to uncover the truth, if need be. So I would advise her to keep the allegations in the news, ensure the investigation happens, and don't let it die until you're satisfied.

With Demi and Ashton - that is just a sorry state of "affairs." What a mess. I don't believe for a minute that they both agreed to an open marriage. But that's beside the point. If I were to advise Demi, I would keep her in the public eye in a positive way as much as possible, and advise her agent to find her a spectacular role to play - if she still wants to act. I would tell her to remain non-committal about her marriage. "It's over, and it's nobody's business," and to portray nothing but beauty and pride. You don't want to know what I'd advise Ashton. But to be fair, he should be positive about his relationship with Demi and speak nothing bad of her. The marriage didn't work. That's it, that's all, finito. And I would further advise him to lay low for a while - no naked hot tub parties for the time being - just out of respect.

There you have it - two very different public relations dilemmas facing some very different stars. But probably very similar ways of handling them. Pride, respect and honesty - as much as they can manage.