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Book on Four Seasons' (Chicago) Star Guests is Shelved
Publishing giant Random House has pulled the plug on a gossipy tale of celebrity bad behavior penned by two former concierges at the tony Four Seasons Hotel Chicago.
"Great Reservations: Two Concierges Dish about Outrageous Requests, Celebrity Encounters and Guests Behaving Badly at a Luxury Hotel" was slated for publication April 22. Review copies already had been delivered to newspapers and magazines, and a publicity campaign comparing the book to "The Nanny Diaries" and "Kitchen Confidential" was in full swing. Then, on Wednesday, Three Rivers Press, an imprint of Random House, canceled plans to bring out the book.
The Four Seasons, a five-star hotel that prides itself on discretion about its rich and famous guests, complained to the publisher that the book violated confidentiality agreements signed by veteran concierges Abigail Hart and Nancy Joyce Callahan.
"We appreciate the prompt and responsible action taken by Three Rivers Press once the relevant facts were brought to their attention," said Four Seasons spokeswoman Terri Hickey. Hickey declined further comment on the hotel's actions to stop the book or on the nature of its confidentiality policies.
In their own statement, Hart and Callahan said they were forthright with their publisher all along.
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GreatReservations.com, the book's Web site, was shuttered by Thursday afternoon. But some of the book's juiciest anecdotes already have been published in gossip columns and blogs.
Although the authors drop lots of famous names in "Great Reservations," most of their comments were complimentary, or neutral at worst. Madonna is phobic about air-conditioning even on the hottest summer days. Demi Moore once fell for the "I just ran out of gas" scam on Rush Street, gave the con artist $20 and then sent someone from the hotel to check on his well-being.
Among those who fared poorly was popular Chicago actor John Cusack, who wasn't very popular with the Four Seasons staff, according to a review copy of the book received by the Tribune. Cusack once sent a "dishwasher-size cardboard box" full of dirty laundry to the concierge desk with instructions it was to be laundered, pressed and placed in the actor's room before his arrival. He also left his dirty clothes scattered around the room and had them shipped back to him. Cusack's behavior earned him the nickname "The Underwear Guy," Hart and Callahan wrote.
to FS, though it seems they were a bit slow..
