tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post4850204124177390912..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Weekend PostBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-13965705715041854552020-02-24T01:21:35.616-08:002020-02-24T01:21:35.616-08:00Yep. When I was producing in the UK I had this ex...Yep. When I was producing in the UK I had this experience albeit more with directors. I recall passing on two directors, one reasonably experienced who went on to direct a major piece of TV drama and some Hollywood movies, another who went on to become a very famous movie director. In the latter case, I could see that he was very talented but it was at the start of his career and I felt that he'd struggle with our schedule and wasn't right for the show. You can't hire everyone and even when you pass on someone hugely talented it doesn't mean it was the wrong decision for your show.Honest Edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06314402185238687150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-21724695616058552792020-02-23T11:25:07.645-08:002020-02-23T11:25:07.645-08:00This inspires a Friday question: Do you know of wr...This inspires a Friday question: Do you know of writers or performers who may have suffered because they DIDN'T get rejected? I don't mean the usual too-much-too-soon flameout, but the promising talent who's not quite ready. What if you and your partner somehow landed one of your first efforts, then struggled because you didn't understand the process and/or simply hadn't written enough to recognize and fix problems? Does that close doors later, even if you become way better?DBensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01144515471557731622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-62609513253655536612020-02-23T10:19:54.367-08:002020-02-23T10:19:54.367-08:00Ken, I was Head Writer/producer on John Candy'...Ken, I was Head Writer/producer on John Candy's weekly radio show in 1989-1991 and when we were launching, John had his agency send over comedy writers to possibly hire, For the show (which also played music), we created parody promos, commercials, skits etc...very much like SCTV on radio. Had everyone from SCTV on doing guest bits, except for Rick Moranis (who lives in New York and we were based in LA). Joe Flaherty, Dave Thomas and Marty Short's brother Mike Short were regular writers. So this guy comes in with sample parody material prepared. It was not good. Didn't fit the show at all. <br /><br />I passed on him. But he certainly redeemed himself and went on to bigger and better things. His name....Lary Charles! Larry became a writer/producer/Executive Producer on "Seinfeld", "Entourage", "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and many other comedic gems including "Larry Charles Dangerous World Of Comedy". Doug Thompsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-75804780359459148572020-02-22T21:21:22.971-08:002020-02-22T21:21:22.971-08:00Maybe they shouldn't be let down easy, because...Maybe they shouldn't be let down easy, because encouraging them will cause them to waste more time on something they will never be good at. <br /><br />Norm MacDonald was on Last Comic Standing, and he told a contestant,<br />'You're incapable of telling a joke'.<br />"I'll work on that."<br />"No, you don't understand. I said you're INCAPABLE of telling a joke."MikeNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-33650492075800584342020-02-22T13:35:35.249-08:002020-02-22T13:35:35.249-08:00You just never know. Remember the Decca record exe...You just never know. Remember the Decca record executive who turned down The Beatles? His rationale: "Guitar groups are on the way out."Garynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-65395264492761213272020-02-22T11:16:26.151-08:002020-02-22T11:16:26.151-08:00Ha! That's a great line by Cukor. He could hav...Ha! That's a great line by Cukor. He could have been a comedy writer himself. Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02155991693956178030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-32952911922422244302020-02-22T11:02:16.844-08:002020-02-22T11:02:16.844-08:00As I follow writing blogs and similar musings, I f...As I follow writing blogs and similar musings, I frequently see the frequent roll-up of people who "blew it" in not choosing someone's book or hiring someone, blah blah blah. The storyline is usually that "even so and so didn't take JK Rowling's book" kind of message.<br /><br />Except there is no "universal" arbiter of what worked or not. In your example, the guy thought the submission was a PoS, and for him, it was. Doesn't mean somebody else wouldn't have loved it. Kind of like Coen brothers. Could have been equally a PoS from his perspective.<br /><br />In the writing world, the phrases they frequently seem to use are something that it doesn't fit their current needs or that they don't see how to market it. And then people twist that around to mean something else ... when in fact, it means exactly what they said. Not every rejection is a condemnation of your abilities. <br /><br />On behalf of writers everywhere, including the sensitive among them, thanks for letting them down easy. Even if we misconstrue the meaning anyway.<br /><br />P.PolyWogghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05239033481272527855noreply@blogger.com