PAs in the news

Personal assistants have once again been hitting the headlines, whether that’s because they’re being asked to do outrageous tasks by their celebrity bosses, or are suing them for loss of earnings.

First off, we report on the case of a high-net-worth individual who has been having a tough time finding a PA. New York business tycoon Philip Falcone spent weeks trying to find the perfect candidate because of his and wife Lisa’s reputation for being demanding.

According to one source, prospective applicants were put off by the wording of the job ad, which included such choice phrases as “Must have thick skin” and “Must be available 24/7, absolutely no exceptions” (apparently, a previous PA who worked with the couple for two years was quoted as saying that she frequently fielded calls at 3am). We wish the person who eventually landed the role the very best of luck – and have a sneaking suspicion they may need it.

Another high-profile character who has been making waves in the PA community recently is Jocelyne Wildenstein, nicknamed “Cat Woman” as a result of the copious amount of plastic surgery she has had done. Ms Wildenstein is being sued by her former assistant for unpaid wages totalling almost $35,000 (nearly £22,000). The reason she is withholding payment is unknown, but it certainly isn’t down to lack of cash, as the hugely rich socialite made a fortune when she divorced her billionaire art dealer husband Alec in the late 1990s following his infidelity with a young model.

Meanwhile, in the loony tunes world of celebrity, Bajan superstar Rihanna has apparently asked PA Melissa Forde, who is a childhood friend from Barbados, to help out with some eyebrow-raising tasks. These are said to include folding toilet paper for her to use, rolling her special herbal cigarettes and – look away now if you’re of a sensitive disposition – the distinctly “icky” job of cleaning up the hotel room if she’s spent the previous night with one of her paramours.

Another public figure whose name has been bandied about in PA circles of late is Terminator actor turned politician Arnold Schwarzenegger. Comedian Bill Hader revealed that back before his big break into showbiz, he worked as Arnie’s assistant on action blockbuster Collateral Damage. According to Bill, Arnold loved to snack on schnitzel, which he had specially flown in from Austria, and had some great chat-up lines for the ladies, which sadly are too rude to reproduce here.