Living: The Sherpas of the Subclause

Many a road to megabucks is paved with performance clauses, franchising agreements, copyrights, dramatic rights, first serial rights and other fine-print potholes. Thus prudent travelers have for years sought the guidance of an agent. Today the fast-talking cigar chomper of popular cliche has been replaced by a more sophisticated pathfinder, a Sherpa of the subclause who is a combination salesman, packager, legal scholar, investment counselor and spiritual adviser. The archetype is, of course, the legendary Irving ("Swifty") Lazar, still going strong at age 70, whose clients have ranged from Truman Capote to ex-President...

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