Media Mob Descends On Skating Benefit

In hopes of capturing an interview with tabloid queen and Olympic silver-medalist Nancy Kerrigan, unauthorized camera crews and reporters descended on Bright Hockey Center last night for the Eliot House ice skating charity An Evening With Champions.

But they were turned away by event staff, house volunteers and, when things promised to get ugly, Harvard police.

Like pigs to mud, the media came to Harvard after the Boston Herald reported that Kerrigan is involved an affair with her agent, Jerry Solomon, which allegedly led to the end of his marriage.

The National Enquirer also faxed media outlets last week to say it would run a story calling Kerrigan a "homewrecker."

At first, the event coordinators and staff said they didn't know what to make of the day-long media assault, which began at the skaters' private morning practice.

"We didn't expect anyone to show up on Friday morning," said entertainment manager Danielle J. Belanger '95, who was helping to set up for the performance.

"We were busy with the show when a Current Affair or Hard Copy--that type of show, I'm not sure which one--got into the rink and Joe, the full time rink manager, had to ask them to leave."

Like rink staff, event coordinators said they were unprepared for the tabloid press' aggressive interest in Kerrigan's personal life.

"We were too busy on Friday morning to read the newspaper," said Lee D. Sossen '95, a co-chair of the benefit. "We first found out about it at about one that afternoon when [co-chair Chelsea A. Morroni '95] got a phone call from Entertainment Tonight."

The harried coordinators said they were talking in Evening With Champions' office in the basement of Eliot House when the phone rang.

"She said she wanted to come over and talk to us about the show sometime that afternoon, so we scheduled an interview between 1:30 and 2 p.m.," Morroni said.

Morroni, Sossen and the third co-chair, Mark T. Rosen '95, said they were initially delighted at the prospect of national publicity for the fundraiser.

"We were psyched," said Rosen. "How great would a spot on Entertainment Tonight be for the show?"

Morroni said she excitedly agreed to the interview, and the three co-chairs headed to the Eliot House courtyard.

"I happened to ask if there would be a specific theme for the interview," Rosen said. "And that's when [the reporter] started asking about Nancy Kerrigan. What she was like, if she was actually having an affair, if they could talk to her."

The co-chairs said they were stunned by the reporter's intentions.

"We thought she wanted to talk about the show," Morroni said. "This is a fundraiser. We decided we wanted no part in that kind of story."

Tipped off by Entertainment Tonight's persistent inquiries, the co-chairs said they beefed up security, notified the box office and discussed a media strategy with Joe Wrinn, director of the Harvard News Office.

Apparently, their precautions were wise.

By the time the box office opened, 90 minutes before the 8 o'clock show began, Hard Copy was rolling tape.

Crews from Entertainment Tonight, People, LA Premiere and the Boston Herald paced outside the rink, some interviewing ticket holders, all insisting upon entrance to the show.

"When I went up the stairs, they were taping me and asking questions," Morroni said. "I told them to turn off the camera, that they couldn't come in without press credentials. They were being really obnoxious."

The co-chairs said press continued to haunt the front door.

"The Boston Herald guy was trying to barge through the door," Rosen said. "Finally the police came to get me to talk to him."

"The Herald reporter got kind of offensive then," Rosen added. "He said, 'It seems like pretty poor planning not to have press passes available.'"

In a telephone interview yesterday, Boston Herald editor Jack Sullivan upheld the reporter's challenge to the organizers. He said the Herald is accustomed to being admitted to local events on the sole basis of its press credentials.

"We were disappointed that, as a legitimate organization, as one of the major Boston newspapers, we didn't get access to the event," Sullivan said.

Sullivan said the Herald would have covered the event despite the Kerrigan scandal.

"In hindsight, we would have covered the event anyway," he said.

But Morroni said the Herald had never called for a press pass, despite repeated notifications and press releases, and had not covered the event previously.

As it became more apparent that they would not be permitted into the rink, the frenzied reporters became more desperate.

"One of them told me that he was going to lose his job if he didn't get into the rink," Rosen said.

In one tenacious attempt to gain entrance, another reporter tried every door in the building, including fire entrances, according to event officials.

A photographer who purchased standing room tickets was escorted from the rink after entering with conspicuous camera equipment.

Similar media shenanigans continued throughout the performance, Morroni said.

"We were worried about the open practice on Saturday, but it wasn't a problem, because Nancy decided that she wouldn't attend that particular practice," she said.

Although organizers said they were grateful that the press eventually left, most of the staff expressed anger at the reporters.

"We do this to help little kids with cancer," Morroni said. "Nancy Kerrigan is very good to our organization. She donates her time. Her personal life is her business."CrimsonSuresh N. MaggnoHoards of reporters and photographers decened on Bright Hockey Rink Friday intent on catching a glimpse of NANCY KERRIGAN. The skating star is the subject of media scrutiny after rumors of an affair with her agent.

"We were busy with the show when a Current Affair or Hard Copy--that type of show, I'm not sure which one--got into the rink and Joe, the full time rink manager, had to ask them to leave."

Like rink staff, event coordinators said they were unprepared for the tabloid press' aggressive interest in Kerrigan's personal life.

"We were too busy on Friday morning to read the newspaper," said Lee D. Sossen '95, a co-chair of the benefit. "We first found out about it at about one that afternoon when [co-chair Chelsea A. Morroni '95] got a phone call from Entertainment Tonight."

The harried coordinators said they were talking in Evening With Champions' office in the basement of Eliot House when the phone rang.

"She said she wanted to come over and talk to us about the show sometime that afternoon, so we scheduled an interview between 1:30 and 2 p.m.," Morroni said.

Morroni, Sossen and the third co-chair, Mark T. Rosen '95, said they were initially delighted at the prospect of national publicity for the fundraiser.

"We were psyched," said Rosen. "How great would a spot on Entertainment Tonight be for the show?"

Morroni said she excitedly agreed to the interview, and the three co-chairs headed to the Eliot House courtyard.

"I happened to ask if there would be a specific theme for the interview," Rosen said. "And that's when [the reporter] started asking about Nancy Kerrigan. What she was like, if she was actually having an affair, if they could talk to her."

The co-chairs said they were stunned by the reporter's intentions.

"We thought she wanted to talk about the show," Morroni said. "This is a fundraiser. We decided we wanted no part in that kind of story."

Tipped off by Entertainment Tonight's persistent inquiries, the co-chairs said they beefed up security, notified the box office and discussed a media strategy with Joe Wrinn, director of the Harvard News Office.

Apparently, their precautions were wise.

By the time the box office opened, 90 minutes before the 8 o'clock show began, Hard Copy was rolling tape.

Crews from Entertainment Tonight, People, LA Premiere and the Boston Herald paced outside the rink, some interviewing ticket holders, all insisting upon entrance to the show.

"When I went up the stairs, they were taping me and asking questions," Morroni said. "I told them to turn off the camera, that they couldn't come in without press credentials. They were being really obnoxious."

The co-chairs said press continued to haunt the front door.

"The Boston Herald guy was trying to barge through the door," Rosen said. "Finally the police came to get me to talk to him."

"The Herald reporter got kind of offensive then," Rosen added. "He said, 'It seems like pretty poor planning not to have press passes available.'"

In a telephone interview yesterday, Boston Herald editor Jack Sullivan upheld the reporter's challenge to the organizers. He said the Herald is accustomed to being admitted to local events on the sole basis of its press credentials.

"We were disappointed that, as a legitimate organization, as one of the major Boston newspapers, we didn't get access to the event," Sullivan said.

Sullivan said the Herald would have covered the event despite the Kerrigan scandal.

"In hindsight, we would have covered the event anyway," he said.

But Morroni said the Herald had never called for a press pass, despite repeated notifications and press releases, and had not covered the event previously.

As it became more apparent that they would not be permitted into the rink, the frenzied reporters became more desperate.

"One of them told me that he was going to lose his job if he didn't get into the rink," Rosen said.

In one tenacious attempt to gain entrance, another reporter tried every door in the building, including fire entrances, according to event officials.

A photographer who purchased standing room tickets was escorted from the rink after entering with conspicuous camera equipment.

Similar media shenanigans continued throughout the performance, Morroni said.

"We were worried about the open practice on Saturday, but it wasn't a problem, because Nancy decided that she wouldn't attend that particular practice," she said.

Although organizers said they were grateful that the press eventually left, most of the staff expressed anger at the reporters.

"We do this to help little kids with cancer," Morroni said. "Nancy Kerrigan is very good to our organization. She donates her time. Her personal life is her business."CrimsonSuresh N. MaggnoHoards of reporters and photographers decened on Bright Hockey Rink Friday intent on catching a glimpse of NANCY KERRIGAN. The skating star is the subject of media scrutiny after rumors of an affair with her agent.