Reese’s apology saves image in nick of time

LOS ANGELES: Her recent arrest and admission that she “clearly had one drink too many” could be more damaging to her brand than it might be for someone with a less-wholesome image, experts say, but because she apologised quickly and sincerely, her career is likely to fare just fine.

“Reese Witherspoon has become successful by positioning herself as America’s sweetheart – a friendly, non-threatening star – and this fundamentally disrupts that image,” said branding expert Dorie Clark, author of Reinventing You.

“It’s far worse for Reese Witherspoon to be arrested (image-wise) than it would be for Lindsay Lohan… I think (Witherspoon) understands the severity of the situation and that’s why she issued the apology so quickly.”

The 37-year-old Oscar winner was arrested in Atlanta after a state trooper said she wouldn’t stay in the car while her husband, Hollywood agent Jim Toth, was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

“Do you know my name?” Witherspoon is quoted as saying in the trooper’s report of Friday’s incident. According to Trooper First Class J Pyland, she also said, “You’re about to find out who I am” and “You’re about to be on national news”.

Witherspoon apologised shortly after news of the arrests broke on Sunday, and attended a New York screening of her new film, Mud, that night as scheduled.

“I clearly had one drink too many and I am deeply embarrassed about the things I said,” she said. “I was frightened for my husband, but that is no excuse. I was disrespectful to the officer who was just doing his job. The words I used that night do not reflect who I am. I have nothing but respect for the police and I’m very sorry for my behaviour.”

Hollywood publicist Michael Levine said Witherspoon’s timely apology helps mitigate any lasting damage to her image, saying she “quickly removed the poison from her system”.

Veteran publicist and vice chairman of Reputation.com Howard Bragman agreed. “This is a speed bump, not a sinkhole,” he said. “She made a mistake, she apologised…Is it embarrassing? Yeah, a little. But, it’s not a game changer in terms of her career.”

Bragman suspects the charges against the actress will be dropped. – Sapa-AP