Spotify CEO, Bill Simmons, referred to Harry and Meghan as "effing grifters" when the streaming platform decided to pull the plug on their disastrous $20 million podcast venture. This verdict did not come as a shock to those acquainted with the inner workings of the Royal Family.
While the term "grifter" is uniquely American, its essence resonated as Harry and Meghan continuously found ways to blame others for their problems, without taking personal responsibility.
Members of the Sussex survivors Club often used phrases such as entitled, rude, lazy, and delusional when describing the couple's demeanor. It became a trend as they sought reasons to evade public service commitments that they deemed non-beneficial.
The infamous moment in Fiji during a royal tour highlighted their attitude towards work. Megan, during a walkabout, audaciously expressed her belief that she should be paid for such efforts.
Prior to her royal days, Megan had garnered a reputation for being a difficult diva, even among her peers. A director who had worked with her in the past shared their unpleasant experience, labeling her as the worst actress they had managed, recounting her unreasonable demands.
Initially, Spotify was willing to overlook such behavior when they signed Megan and Harry in 2020. As unproven broadcasters, their names alone held enough value to bolster Spotify's podcast business, which had received over a billion dollars in investments. The company made every effort to appease the couple, even capitulating to their complaints about Joe Rogan's podcast success by implementing a COVID-19 misinformation policy.
However, despite Spotify's attempts to please, the collapse of Megan and Harry's deal after a mere 12 lackluster episodes and a dull Christmas special raises eyebrows. The truth is, creating podcasts requires genuine effort and commitment—something that Harry and Meghan seem averse to. It's not just about physical labor but also about diligent research, planning, recording, and overseeing post-production, all of which contribute to building a loyal following.
For instance, Joe Rogan personally dedicates his time to multiple episodes per week, each lasting well over an hour. On the other hand, it was revealed last year that Megan was unwilling to even interview some of her guests directly.
A guest who appeared on the episode "To Be or Not to Be" admitted that she was interviewed by one of Megan's producers, Farah Safarfi, rather than Megan herself. The public revelation of the deal's failure suggests a tumultuous situation behind the scenes.
While it is not uncommon for Hollywood figures to backstab one another while simultaneously praising each other publicly, it is rare to witness such public attacks, equating departing colleagues to swindlers. This candid revelation speaks volumes about the true nature of the situation.
This Assertion, Straight from the Mouth of Bill Simmons, Renowned Podcaster and Spotify's Head of Podcast Innovation and Monetization
Bill Simmons, a well-known podcaster and the individual responsible for overseeing the commercial success of Harry and Meghan's podcast deal at Spotify, made a striking statement. What surprises me the most is Harry's apparent lack of motivation to produce even a single podcast episode or series in exchange for his substantial share of the millions being poured into his bank account. Let's not forget that Spotify wasn't expecting much in return.
Harry claims to possess a genuine desire to change the world, yet he couldn't conjure up a single idea for inspiring or entertaining content. Considering Harry's vast network of famous acquaintances, one would expect him to at least be open to featuring them on his show. However, as we witnessed during his recent cross-examination in his phone-hacking case against the Mirror, Harry couldn't produce a shred of evidence to support his costly claims. These days, his default setting appears to be that of Mr. Miserable.
Harry arrogantly stated that he would feel a sense of injustice if the verdict didn't favor him. But who is he to make such claims? This turn of events proves to be disastrous for Harry and Meghan's aspirations of living an A-list California lifestyle, akin to Oprah or Ellen, without putting in the hard work that both of those women dedicate themselves to on a daily basis. Hollywood initially embraced Harry, intrigued by the idea of a man willing to forsake his birthright for a life of privilege and establish a new path for his family, away from the clutches of the royal establishment and the relentless British tabloid media.
However, Harry failed to grasp the concept that he wouldn't be handed tens of millions of dollars simply because he is a prince. This goes against the very essence of the American dream. Harry's failure is significant, and now there are even rumors that Netflix might reconsider its deal with Meghan and Harry as well.
While there will likely always be a company foolish enough to invest millions into their bank accounts for the initial PR value, the opportunity to make a substantial difference as game-changing content creators, collaborating with industry giants capable of reaching billions of people worldwide, has slipped away. This serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the challenges spoiled and entitled royals face when striving for success in the real world.
Furthermore, it seems that Archewell, the couple's charitable organization, has suffered a fall from grace. Any funds held in its accounts should be frozen while the IRS conducts an investigation. Initially, when Meghan and Harry got married, the Queen held high hopes that they would uphold the impeccable reputation of the Windsor family by serving the people and making substantial charitable contributions.
That's precisely why she bestowed the HRH title and dukedom upon Harry. Disney executives genuinely believed Harry's claim that any money Meghan earned from her voice-over work would be immediately donated. They saw this arrangement as an act of humanitarianism. To honor their commitment, Disney even donated three million dollars to the elephant fund. However, Meghan failed to fulfill her end of the bargain, and the company ended up donating even more. It's unclear whether Meghan declared the three million dollars to the IRS as a charitable donation.
Furthermore, a mysterious ten million dollar donation suddenly appeared in Archewell's account shortly after the Oprah interview, despite Oprah's claim that Meghan and Harry would not receive any payment for the interview. Knowing that Meghan doesn't work for free, one can only speculate that she made a significant sum of money from that show, potentially around fifty million dollars. It came as no surprise when ten million dollars mysteriously showed up in Archewell's account. However, apart from substantial expenses, only around 1.5 million dollars has been donated to the Rockefeller Foundation, leaving us to question the purpose of these funds. It seems that Meghan might be hoping to earn herself an honorary doctorate.
As for the Invictus Games, the majority of the funds from the event in the Netherlands were spent on Megan's extravagant designer clothes, including expensive jewelry and private jets. Additionally, Harry transferred £200,000 from the Invictus Games into his self-funded enterprise, Travelist. Now that William has deposited one million pounds into Invictus, the fate of that money remains uncertain. Undoubtedly, William would want the funds to benefit disabled veterans, but whether that will actually happen is anyone's guess.
