Bobby Zarem: In His Own Words

October 5, 2015

Site Staff,

For six decades, Bobby Zarem, has redefined the art of public relations. He talks about relationships, movie stars, regret and justice. Even though his career took him to New York City for 50 years, he never forgot his Southern roots.

I went to the movies once a week on Fridays during the war at the Lucas.
The first movie I ever saw was a war movie called “So Proudly We Hail!” starring Claudette Colbert, Paulette Goddard and Veronica Lake.
My first foray into politics was walking up and down 45th Street as a five-year-old holding a sign supporting Roosevelt.
My father had cancer when I was 13, and they didn’t know what that was yet in Savannah so he had to go to New York. I would visit him and stay at The Waldorf Astoria and go see Broadway shows by myself.
I’m a regular at Tybee Fish Camp, Cotton & Rye, Johnny Harris, Circa 1875 and The Grey.
No one ever gave me any advice and it’s the reason why I love to give young people advice, because I learned everything on my own and I learned it the hard way.
Regret is counter-productive, you have to do things that don’t work out perfectly, you’ve got to try things when you don’t know what’s going to happen.
I grew up with ADD, and for me it was total anxiety; but I found that exercising made it easier for me to focus on reading.
I’ve only lied once in my life.
I was the first to announce Sean Penn and Madonna’s wedding . . . and their divorce.
I didn’t plan it, but I knew I couldn’t have a romantic relationship and work as much as I did.
The best thing I brought back with me to Savannah was the Film Festival.