Use of Media Staging to Influence Perception: .” In Maclean’s (Aug. 22, 2005), Cohen staged an “up close” profile with journalist Brian D. Johnson months after first alerting him that litigation was coming and that “it would get nasty.” He invited the journalist into his home for a Seder dinner with matzo ball soup, beef brisket, and Hebrew singing; showed him a modest duplex in Los Angeles and an unrenovated Montreal rowhouse; emphasized props like a broken toaster, popsicles, TV dinners, and a small portable CD player; and allowed small cues of refinement — three kinds of premium tequila in the freezer — to appear “innocent” rather than extravagant. This presentation was crafted to disarm the interviewer and reinforce the false impression of a man living simply, thereby insulating himself from accusations of excessive spending.
