SITCOM ROOM 7 is
in the books (as baseball announcers would say). Twenty scribes spent the last two days immersed in the world of TV comedy writing. They learned a lot about creating sitcoms, themselves, poor nutrition, story construction, the Tango, network notes, spec scripts, and sleep deprivation.
We had quite an international turnout this year. Three from Germany, one from Vienna, one from Norway, one from Peru, one from Canada, and one from Glendale. They learned the American way of sitcom writing and ordering Chinese food.
Thanks to everyone who attended. With a special thanks to our actors: Andy Goldberg, Harry Murphy, Wendy Cutler, and Ri Versteegh. And great actor/former President of SAG Barry Gordon who portrayed the part of the "network."
Every year we finish with a panel. Thanks to this year's members: David Isaacs (the man's been in my home), CHEERS showrunner Bill Steinkellner, and the hot young writing team from INSTANT MOM -- Annie Levine & Jon Emerson.
 |
| Me, David, Billy, Annie, Jon |
Here are some photos of the event.
 |
| Wendy, Harry, Andy, Ri |
 |
| One group's roadmap. Don't steal any of it. |
 |
| One team went the "Romy & Michele post-it" route. |
|
 |
| View from my hotel room window at the LAX Embassy Suites. Considering the frosted glass and instructions not to open the sliding door for fear of prosecution, I can only assume the view is not of the ocean. |
 |
| There's nothing like watching your words come to life! |
Hope to see YOU next year.
Barry Gordon? The Quik Bunny?? The Cheerios Bee?? DONATELLO?! It's like being in the presence of royalty!
ReplyDeleteThere's a sliding door that you'll get arrested if you open? Did Allen Funt build the hotel?
ReplyDeleteSo if Sitcom Room 7 is "in the books," I presume it was "a curly W," as Charlie Slowes would say.
ReplyDeleteBarry Gordon was the first celebrity I met when I moved to So Cal. SAG had an office in the Burbank building I worked in, and we shared an elevator. I knew him primarily from A THOUSAND CLOWNS, but I'd also just seen him on L.A. LAW or something. I never saw him again, but he was very nice!
ReplyDeleteAnd you didn't open the door?
ReplyDeleteIf you want to see an impressive Barry Gordon, get a copy of "The Contest for Aaron Gold". It's a 30 minute Alfred Hitchcock Show from 1960 with Barry in one of his first roles, quite impressive. The star of the show is Sydney Pollack, pre-director phase, quite good. The story was one of the first award winning efforts by a young Philip Roth, which Hitchcock adapted.
ReplyDeleteGreat. Now i desperately NEED to know what the hell is behind the door!!!
ReplyDelete