Public Relations guru Max Clifford tells greatreporter.com how he became as knowledgeable as he is notorious in the British press…
Power-mongering
Clifford says his reputation as an all-powerful story-broker who governs the lives of the powerful through the press is largely unfounded.
"I wish I had half the control and power I keep being told I've got," he says.
"You do the best you can, and fortunately, we do very well. Obviously, you are aware of the game, and it is a game, and with me, it's like playing a dozen games of chess every day because of all the different clients and situations I'm in the middle of dealing with. But it beats working."
Far from his Fleet Street ‘bruiser’ image, Clifford spends a proportion of his working time and finances working with and supporting children's charities.
"I've spent enough time at children's hospices and when you see youngsters dying of leukaemia and all kinds of other things, it puts things in perspective, believe me,” he says.
“My work [with charities] seems to upset a lot of people. I was reading the review of my autobiography (‘Max Clifford: Read all about it’) in The Sunday Times recently where a critic said I obviously think I’m Jesus. I felt entitled to tell the whole story about Max Clifford Associates, not just the kiss-and-tell parts. Unfortunately it upsets some people. I can't complain though, it was in the bestseller list that week."
Clifford admits to having his house swept for bugs around election time because of the way his previous stories have affected key political figures. He admits, with some relish, how he damaged the last Tory government by dealing in information that suggested the cabinet was mired in sleaze…
"If you take on extremely powerful and wealthy people like I take on, whether it's the government or individuals, you must know what you’re doing. At the time in the run-up to the 1997 election, I was a real thorn in the side of the Conservative government. A lot of the party supporters are very powerful and were very keen for the Tories to stay in power. And I was becoming a constant source of annoyance to them.”
Some of the social stories Clifford has dealt in have been just as sensitive and wide-reaching as the political ones.
“I've been involved in some very controversial situations, like standing up for OJ Simpson,” he says.
“I gave free advice to the boys accused of murdering Stephen Lawrence and I gave free advice to some of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay, though I didn't represent them or the boys involved with Stephen Lawrence," he explains.
How then does Clifford choose what he will and won't get involved in from a moral perspective?
"I use common sense," he says. "You've got to feel comfortable. Would I represent the Stephen Lawrence boys? No, because I don't know if they are innocent or guilty. But I do know they were found guilty by the media, not by the courts.
“The same with the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. They had been incarcerated for over 18 months without any trial, advice or protection, and they had been tortured and interrogated and tortured and interrogated. So what I said was: ‘You are totally entitled to stand up and be counted and be interviewed and come out and talk to the media’. It upset a lot of people!"
Going it alone
Clifford says he was more or less pushed into the business world when, as a youngster, his mentor Syd Gillingham – the Chief Press Officer at EMI – left his position to return to writing.
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“I already had clients so I just went off on my own,” he recounts. “From the start there was Sinatra and then Mohammed Ali and Marlon Brando and all these people I worked with. And then the ‘Freddy Starr ate my hamster’ story came out, which got me massive publicity. (In 1986, Clifford's PR client, entertainer Freddie Starr, was claimed to have eaten a friend's hamster which got the attention of then Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie, leading to the infamous headline above).
And, then there were the heavyweight political stories Clifford brokered; of Pamela Bordes, the House of Commons researcher cum high-class escort and her liaisons, followed by the revelations involving Antonia de Sancha, an actress who had an affair with then-Heritage Minister David Mellor leading to his resignation in 1992.
“I became better and better known myself,” Clifford says. “Plus I was being asked by radio and TV to comment on different things to do with image. I've become increasingly better-known to the public in the last 15 years or so.”
Collaring the world of contacts and coverage mean a series of enviable boasts for Clifford and his company.
"I was in a very strong position behind the scenes for 20 years before I started to become known by the public,” he says.
“Consequently, I've never asked to do an interview. I don't phone people and say: ‘I will come on your programme’. I've never pitched for business and I've never, ever pitched for a story,” he adds.
“But, the whole thing is far more competitive and far more difficult now. You’ve got to deliver. You’ve got to get results. Most of my clients pay me £15,000-£20,000 a month, £200,000-plus a year. They only do that because of what you achieve for them.”
Clifford freely admits to enjoying the publicity his persona and work attract.
"Of course, I enjoy it," he says. "And provided when you go on television – and I did about 12 television shows last week – you don't make a fool of yourself, it's very good for business. It's the best form of advertising!"
Mutual relations
So what does Clifford like most about the press industry which he feeds, and which feeds off him?
"I love the triumph over tragedy stories, success stories and funny stories,” he says.
“I think that the British press is at its best when we’re covering human tragedies. What comes out in that coverage is a real quality of writing, particularly in some of the broadsheets,” he adds.
Clifford’s answer is cut short as he answers his phone. He joking asks the caller: ‘Are you saying I’m Jesus? It was more of an assassination!’
“One of my friends called to take the piss out of me after reading the Telegraph’s review of my book,” he explains after hanging up.
According to Clifford, an active lifestyle is key to keeping on fighting form.
"I’m a very competitive person. I've always played a lot of sport. I swim almost everyday. I play tennis. I used to play football and water polo. I hate losing. I suppose it's the same in any area. Whatever I get into, I want to be the best. That's my nature. That means being as successful as possible on your own terms. And of course, with a lot of good fortune and of being at the right place at the right time," he adds.
Retirement isn't a consideration.
"I enjoy the work too much. Absolutely love it. They say when you retire you do exactly what you want if you’re lucky. But I’m doing it anyway. I’m away a lot. I spend three months in Spain every year and when I’m not there, I’m living in a beautiful park in Surrey.
“I have a wonderful lifestyle. And I am very, very lucky. What's the point of retiring?”
