Meet Dan Harary | Publicist & Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dan Harary and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dan, what do you attribute your success to?
Between 1984 and 1996, I worked as an Hollywood Publicist for several major entertainment industry companies, including The Playboy Channel, Columbia Pictures Television, and two very large PR agencies, before launching my own company, The Asbury PR Agency, on October 1, 1996. Since that time, I have been remarkably fortunate to have represented many hundreds of clients working across every conceivable aspect of the entertainment and lifestyle industries. My clients have included films, TV shows, videogames, musicians, music production companies and music concerts, artists and art galleries, authors, actors/actresses/comedians/models/magicians, production and post production companies, advertising/marketing/branding agencies, theme park designers, lawyers/high profile lawsuits/law firms, new technologies. More recently, I began to represent restaurants, including the most famous one of them all – Musso & Frank in Hollywood!

I suppose the success of my “Asbury PR” brand is based on several factors: Before I opened my own agency, I had 12 solid years of experience handling publicity for major celebrities, events, black tie dinners, awards shows and the like, not to mention every conceivable kind of “content creator,” so on Day #1 at Asbury PR, I was ready to do battle! Also during those earlier 12 years, I had handled so many different kinds of projects and clients, that my versatility was already well-established, and I was able to expand upon that in the 26 years since I opened my doors. I would have to also include my creativity as a key factor behind my success: I have always been an extremely creative person – since childhood. I was a drummer for many years, later became a stand up comedian, and most recently an author. My creativity is organically blended into every new PR client and project I am fortunate enough to be signed to represent! Lastly, I suppose I should include basic intelligence. I was a straight “A” student all through grammar school, high school and college, so I would imagine that being a “smart guy” must have also played a critical role in launching – and sustaining – a very successful PR agency for 26 straight years!

What should our readers know about your business?
The Asbury PR Agency is a full-service, boutique, public relations and promotional agency that has strong, established media relations throughout the United States. We have a proven track record to get people to watch our clients’ films or shows, read their books, buy their tickets, and reach their potential clients to help ensure that they are able to expand their businesses successfully.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well this is an easy question for me! I represent the world famous Musso & Frank Grill on Hollywood Blvd – Hollywood’s oldest and most famous restaurant! I always bring family, friends and “newbies” to dine there. It’s super fun every single time! Other places I enjoy in Los Angeles – The Improv, The Grove, Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Dan Tana’s, El Cholo, El Coyote, Factor’s Deli, Twin Dragon on Pico (which I once discussed with Billy Crystal!), Micheli’s in Hollywood, the Greek Theater, Century City Movie Theaters and Venice Beach!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
A few people truly helped me along my path to becoming a successful Hollywood publicist. In chronological order, I’d have to give shout-outs to: the late Paul Dorfman, who gave me my first job in New Jersey after I graduated from Boston University; Stu Zakim, a killer, NYC-based publicist who got me my first job in PR in 1980 at Columbia Pictures in Manhattan; Jean Firstenberg, the former head of the American Film Institute, who saved my life by hiring me for my first job in Los Angeles at age 25 when I was down to my last $ 6 in life!; Pam Scrape, who hired me to work at The Playboy Channel on my 27th birthday; Laurie Giddons, who helped me get a job as a Senior Publicist at Columbia Pictures Television; Eliot Sekuler, who got me hired with a major entertainment industry PR agency after my entire department at Columbia TV was eliminated; Mitch Zamarin, who helped me score my next Senior Publicist gig at a prominent agency; and Steven Weber, a successful businessman and friend who became my partner on day one of my Asbury PR Agency and held my hand through every step of setting up and operating a brand new corporation.

Website: www.asburypr.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daniel.harary.3

Other: www.danhararyauthor.com

Image Credits
All Photos Courtesy Dan Harary; Photo of Dan with Jason Alexander by Veronica Puleo