Modeling Agency News: American Modeling Industry Headlines

"Firms such as Kids.com--which is following in National Talent's footsteps and defends the services it provides--suggest, but do not usually guarantee, there is work for your child in modeling and acting. Dorothy Ikeemeka of Deptford, a single mother living on disability payments, got her family to chip in to pay Kids.com so her daughter, Layla Christian, then 3, would have a shot at the big time. "They make it sound so real, so good," Ikeemeka said. "You don't know how stupid I feel." Unhappy clients who were interviewed, none of whose children got work, complained that the "screening" of talent was just a way to separate them from their money. Phillips, who also signed on with Kids.com, and others said they had suspected something was wrong but paid to please a spouse or to grasp at success for their child.... Lois Miller, who runs Star Talent Management in Allentown and is on the board of the National Conference of Personal Managers, said it is unethical to take payment before a client gets work.... Kids.com's Bagwell, before he cut short an interview and asked that all further questions be put in writing, which he then did not answer, said his business provided a service. Kids.com also takes commissions when its clients work."¹

1. Mitch Lipka, "Talent agency cast as profiteer," Philadelphia Inquirer, Feb. 10, 2004.

Kids.com Follow-up

"It's amazing how much having a kid can change your life. No one knows that better than Kurt Radke. He's learned more than most in his first year as a dad. Kurt's one of more than 250 parents who contacted the I-TEAM after our first story about Kids.com. He received a letter from the company shortly after his daughter Delaney was born. Excited about the prospect, he paid $595 dollars and signed his daughter up when she was just 7 months old. "It was like buying a car," said Radke. "They were telling you everything you wanted to hear, about how cute your kids is, we can't guarantee work, but we think that she will get work, we can see her making a living at this." Now, a year later, Kurt's signing on with an attorney in hopes of helping others avoid this parent trap. "We're investigating to determine if there were any consumer fraud claims against this company and to determine if there's a potential class action based on those claims," said attorney Howard Bolter."¹

"The overwhelming majority of parents who contacted the I-TEAM aren't happy with Kids.com. About a dozen say their kids did get jobs. Those jobs were not directly through Kids.com, but indirectly through a company called Caryn's Model and Talent Agency. In a phone interview, that agency's director said Kids.com was a great source of talent for Caryn's, but she couldn't tell WCCO how many Kids.com clients had actually gotten jobs through them. Those kids who have gotten work are paying a lot in commissions. The modeling industry standard is 20%. But some parents tell us they're paying more because Caryn's and Kids.com both take cuts. Moore Creative, one of the top agencies in town, says models don't have to get hit twice. "It's excessive if they're doing it to two different organizations and it's an agency's responsibility to find the work for the client," said Moore Creative President Andrea Hjelm. Kids.com says parents are aware that they are a "personal management company," and not a modeling agency...even though that's exactly how they're listed in the Minneapolis Yellow Pages."²

I-TEAM Investigates Kids.com

"Another family, the Goux's, thought their daughter Kyla might have the same opportunity when they got a letter from Kids.com. The letter said, "Your child has recently been brought to our attention." After meeting with the company and hearing all it had to offer, the Goux's signed a contract and paid Kids.com $600. In all, the WCCO-TV I-Team talked to four families who all paid $600 to Kids.com. For that, the company promised to make a photo of the child available on their website, and deal with anyone who contacted them wanting to give one of the kids work. Their kids' pictures went on the Kids.com site, along with thousands of others. But years later, they still have nothing for the money they spent."¹

"WCCO wanted to hear the pitch from Kids.com, so the I-TEAM sent an undercover team, including a producer who recently received a Kids.com letter, to the company’s office in Edina. "They make good money doing this," said an employee at Kids.com. "They make a minimum of $55 to a $155 an hour. Television pays a minimum of $478 a day."²

"The I-TEAM repeatedly tried to contact the company’s CEO, Larry Bagwell, to answer some questions, even offering to meet him in New York. Finally, the I-TEAM tracked Bagwell down in Chicago, where he has two offices. When asked about Kids.com, Bagwell said, "I'm busy now, in interviews, if you'd like to talk, I do have your number and when I'm ready, I'll call you." When pressed to give a number of kids who have gotten jobs through Kids.com, Bagwell said, "I'm busy now." Kids.com has been busy, collecting an estimated $1.6 million from Minnesota parents. While ownership has changed, the I-TEAM found out that Kids.com is connected to a company the Federal Trade Commission put out of business in 1999, National Talent Associates."³

1. "I-TEAM Investigates Kids.com," I-TEAM, WCCO, Feb. 16, 2004.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.

Child star management and modeling agency

"More families are coming forward with allegations against Monmouth-based child star management agency, "D-M Kids." Since the I-Team first investigated D-M Kids, seven families filed reports with Shrewsbury police, claiming agency owner Donna Kalakowski either kept more than her 15 percent share of the earnings, or that she completely failed to pay her clients."¹

"Kalakowski, who abruptly shut down D-M Kids, still won't speak to the I-Team. Police want to hear from anyone who thinks "D-M Kids," "Special Artists," or Donna Kalakowski owes them money. They are asked to call Shrewsbury police at (732) 741-2500."²

1. "Child star management and modeling agency," I-Team Investigates, News 12 New Jersey, Mar. 31, 2004.
2. Ibid.

Monmouth-based child star management agency

"Dozens of parents are accusing a Monmouth-based child star management agency of cheating kids out of their earnings. Parents say "D-M Kids" helped place their children in commercials, movies and magazines. While adults are not complaining about the jobs, they are raising questions about D-M Kids' billing practices. Parents say D-M Kids owner Donna Kalakowski often kept more than her 15 percent share of the earnings, and sometimes completely failed to pay her clients. When one mother tried to talk to Kalakowski about finances, she found that D-M Kids shut down without providing a forwarding address."¹

"Parents looking to recoup some of their children's earnings have filed police reports against Kalakowski and D-M Kids."²

1. "Monmouth-based child star management agency," I-Team Investigates, News 12 New Jersey, Mar. 18, 2004.
2. Ibid.

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