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Real-life ‘gladiator’ salutes ‘Scandal,’ show she inspired

In this Jan. 10, 2012 file photo, Kerry Washington, left, from the ABC series "Scandal," points to a questioner alongside the show's co-executive producer Judy Smith, a crisis management consultant, at the Disney ABC Television Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif. Olivia Pope's journey comes to an end Thursday.
Chris Pizzello / AP
In this Jan. 10, 2012 file photo, Kerry Washington, left, from the ABC series “Scandal,” points to a questioner alongside the show’s co-executive producer Judy Smith, a crisis management consultant, at the Disney ABC Television Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif. Olivia Pope’s journey comes to an end Thursday.
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Olivia Pope’s journey comes to an end Thursday on “Scandal,” but real-life Washington power players and others remain in need of a determined “gladiator” to rescue them from crises. Enter Judy Smith, who inspired the ABC drama and remains in the thick of politics and Hollywood.

Smith, a co-executive producer for “Scandal,” has a deal with Hallmark for a mystery movie and is a producer for a Fox drama pilot starring Katie Holmes as a disgraced FBI agent. The affable but discreet crisis manager and lawyer isn’t forthcoming about her Smith & Co. clients, but the varied alumni are said to include Monica Lewinsky, Wesley Snipes and Walmart.

She’s familiar with Washington from the inside out: Smith served as deputy press secretary to President George H.W. Bush before founding her firm. She’s also been a presence on TV, weighing in on issues for news shows, although she’s kept a noticeably lower media profile during the Trump administration.

Her personal life contrasts sharply with that of Olivia (Kerry Washington), who boasts a president among her lovers. But both Smith and her TV counterpart have been embraced as symbols of female African-American strength and professional success. On the eve of the “Scandal” finale (10 p.m. EDT, ABC), Smith talked about the show’s impact, what it means to be a “fixer” and what she wants for Olivia.

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The Associated Press: How does it feel seeing the series, which you inspired Shonda Rhimes to create, wrap up?

Smith: It’s been an amazing journey, and I’m so grateful and excited about it. . … I think it’s really nice to end on a high note.

AP: You’ve got high-profile clients but tend to remain behind the scenes. Do you get recognized because of “Scandal”?

Smith: One time I was in a cab and the driver said, “How you doing? I really think about you and what your father does, running the secret (CIA) operation.” I said, “So you know it’s a TV show, don’t you?” I explained that to him and he said, “All right, since you’re the fixer, while I have you in the cab I’ve got a few issues that you could help me out with.” So that was the rest of the cab ride, sorting out problems, which I didn’t mind.

AP: The word “fixer” also has been used to describe Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s longtime attorney, among others. What does that term mean to you?

Smith: We provide strategic advice when a company or individual comes to us with a problem. … The goal is to help navigate through it, and to protect the organization’s brand and reputation and their valuation in the process. And I think that people have different names for that.

AP: Does ‘fixer’ have a negative connotation?

Smith: I don’t want people to get the impression that there’s a problem and somehow we magically make it go away. Issues often have a level of complexity that needs to be worked through.

AP: How different is Washington now?

Smith: It’s not just Washington. I think the entire country has changed in so many ways. I think the political landscape is different. I think the cultural landscape has changed a lot. … Things are just very different from even two or three years ago.

AP: What’s surprised you about “Scandal”?

Smith: That it helped to change the landscape of television. I had a meeting with a network executive, and one of the things that he did was say “thank you,” because the show opened doors and proved the point that a strong African-American woman, a woman of color, could lead a network show. … It was important to me when we first started that the character is a strong woman who is good at what she does, and doesn’t walk away from that. She’s compassionate about her clients and she is passionate about the work that she does. … When women find out there is a person in real life behind the character and that all of these possibilities exist, they tell me they feel inspired and motivated.

AP: What do you count as Olivia’s biggest mistakes?

Smith: Oh, my gosh, where do you start? It could be going with the president. It could be moving bodies from a crime scene, which would cause me to lose my bar license. Or planning a murder. I could go on.

AP: You’re known for being well-dressed, but any envy of Olivia’s impressive wardrobe?

Smith: I sort of teased on the set when the show first started, “You guys know I don’t look that good every single day.” I don’t go to work like that every single day.

AP: Should Olivia end up back with her original squeeze, Tony Goldwyn’s now-former President Fitzgerald Grant?

Smith: I might have a little more information than you. I just want her to be happy. I think wherever her heart leads, that’s where she finds true happiness. That’s what I want for Olivia.