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I'm told writers are miffed that Fox's new Wanda Sykes show coming Saturday nights is asking prospective scribes to do a lot of free writing in order to try out for a job there. It's a WGA show, which is not supposed to ask writers to create new material as part of a submission packet. Now, in truth, most shows do it, whether it's Letterman asking for a sample Top Ten list, Conan asking for some sample monologue jokes, etc. But writers tell me they've never seen one with the nerve to ask for this much for free. And, speaking of nerve, "How about their bombastic description of Wanda Sykes' talent and what this show is going to be? You'd think Nelson Mandela was getting his own talk show here," one scribe emailed me. Here's the submission packet:
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If Wanda Sykes finds anything remotely funny or interesting in going out to buy a new pet with Michael Vick, then she’s a low-class unsophisticated woman who has staffed herself with self-important idiots. Leave that alone. There are plenty of social issues she can tackle if she wants to look at all intelligent. What assholes running her show could come up with such a degrading and unnecessary idea.
Prediction; Wanda Sykes is not funny enough to carry a show by herself. Quirky, but not funny!
I have never ever thought Wanda Sykes was even remotely funny. This would explain why they don’t want to invest anything in the writers.
Judging by the ideas they’re tossing by the writers, it looks like they’re looking for some real crap.
The best part of this is that we’ll have another insanely liberal late-night show that no one is going to watch.
Sure, go after middle America … ha ha ha! they’ll watch because they’re boobs! ha ha ha! … we’re making fun of you and all the things you like (Sarah Palin, Adam Lambert, Christianity, etc. etc.) ha ha ha! … we’re showing you what REAL humor is: Perez Hilton and Will.i.am inteacting in ironic ways. ha ha ha! … because we’re sophisticated and intelligent and important and you can’t turn us off— oh wait, you just did and we’ve been… canceled? Well, THAT’s not funny!
If this is the kind of crap that Wanda’s looking for, she’s not going to last very long. But, then I’ve never found her very funny anyway. Her nonsense at the Obama dinner earlier this year was about as unfunny as one can get.
How is this harder than doing a top 10 list? It’s relatively basic, and most of the length is examples to help the candidate understand what approach is wanted, to avoid wasting both party’s time.
What? A prospective employer wants to see proof that an employee candidate would actually be a good fit? How insulting!
My god, unions have a warped sense of how the real world works.
The WGA lets latenight producers rip off the writers all the time. Look how Leno and others use freelancers. The guild knows about it and is scared of making Jay mad so the practice continues. Anyone who pays the WGA a penny of union dues is supporting the ripoff.
In other words, more hackneyed, ‘in-your-face’ studio-manufactured, quasi-left-wing ‘edginess’ covering the ground-breaking material of every existing comedy show and stand-up act in the universe. Could they have crammed any more insipid hypespeak into that abortion if they tried? I already hate this show.
Sykes is too grating to be able to carry a show.
I can think of perhaps 3 times she made me laugh, but I can recall quite a few where she caused me to cringe, mute the show, or change the channel though…
Wanda Sykes is SO hilarious and funny! I will be tuning in to her new show and I wish her all the best! She is just the greatest and it sounds like she is working hard to dot all I’s and cross all the T’s. Getting things in order and tweaking! Too soon to start in with the negative! You go Wanda! Hit a grand slam out of the ballpark!
“that uninterrupted block of white guy’s yattering”
So, like the Supreme Court, should no White men apply for the job of writing her show (for her)? Or just insecure liberal white men pandering to each other to show how hip they are? Please.
If Sykes is so amazing and original, why isn’t she writing this stuff on her own? This memo reveals she’ll be little more than a willing puppet, ready to attack Christians, conservative statesmen and Mormons for a quick, ready-made jump start. The usual suspects on the media hate list.
Glad this memo got leaked. It is another stale recipe for success within the industry, and failure with the viewers.
I love you, but is this legal to post such things? This is basically a development document of a show that is the property of a production company entity. It must be legal to post such things otherwise you wouldn’t have done it. Perhaps because it was released as an external document it becomes public? Curious.
How is this harder than doing a top 10 list? It’s relatively basic, and most of the length is examples to help the candidate understand what approach is wanted, to avoid wasting both party’s time.
Comment by Stephen — July 23, 2009 @ 4:58 am
What? A prospective employer wants to see proof that an employee candidate would actually be a good fit? How insulting!
My god, unions have a warped sense of how the real world works.
Comment by here in flyover — July 23, 2009 @ 5:19 am
Any questions? If so, there are plenty of unemployment lines w/ spots just for you ready to explain everything!
Shouldn’t “professional writers” have samples prepared so people can see their talent?
PS: crazyproducyguy– The world is not targeted to your sensibility, contrary to your obvious belief. Just keep watching Bill O’Reilly– I hear he’s hilarious!
Wanda Sykes has never, ever, not once made me laugh out loud.
This is going to be canceled quickly. How do you expect to judge prospective writers’ work when their own examples aren’t even funny?
I think Wanda Sykes is hysterically funny.
The secret to late night greatness lies in a combination of talent in the host and the ability of the producer to tailor the vision of the show to the host’s strengths.
It seems Wanda’s producers want her show to be I’m fucking Ben Affleck meets The Chappelle Show.
The “bits” they list that “work for them” are lame.
Instead of being just timely with your comedy show Wanda, aim for Timeless.
That is what still carries SNL today. The fact they can run those old 70’s clips that are still funny but not dated like anything Michael Jackson related.
Example: Are Elvis is dead jokes still funny?
Look we know Wanda is funny and good so the producers are on the hook for this show not Wanda.
If I recall, the Man Show was fined for the same exact thing. WGA will let them get away with it until somebody cries foul to them.
This from a friend: Jimmy Kimmel forces his writers to write his outside the show gig material (Roasts, Espy’s, AMA’s, even his Upfront jokes) for free. That’s a fact.
They’re all blatant scumbags.
everyone wants to be a liberal until they have to pay for it.
So they’re looking for monologue samples, field pieces ideas, and produced pieces ideas. And in return the applicant gets a high paying job in a terrible economy. Seems completely fair.
And seems very close to what Daily Show or Colbert ask for.
Suck it up.
Thanks for publishing this. Now I know I don’t have to waste even thirty seconds watching the show to see it I like it. Yawn.
How is this a “rip-off” of writers? So tired of how entitled people behave. If you want a job, you need to apply; if they want you to do a sample, you do it. And they have the right to ask for anything they want, even if unreasonable, just as you have the right not to apply!!!!
Clearly, many of you are talented comedy writers.
From the requirements list: “Flight of the Conchords bring it every episode…”
Clearly whoever wrote that never got around to seeing the Conchords’ flat, virtually laugh-free second season.
@here in flyover:
There is a big difference between “give us your samples already created” and “create samples specifically for us.” Would it be okay for computer jobs to ask you to write specific code they can use on their company product? Would it be okay for finance jobs to ask you to create reports specific to that company’s needs?
The employer should ask for general samples of writing ability and then make their own determination of who is the best fit. Otherwise it becomes a full time job just to apply to places.
Jake, what a putz you are. I know you hate unions so much you’re about to have an aneurysm, but try to understand this for a second if you’re capable:
The networks and the WGA have an agreement, a contract. The contract says they can’t ask for this. Don’t you think people should honor their contracts, Jake? These shows hire maybe 8 to 10 writers. This is a way to get free work from hundreds of writers, then they take the best stuff they receive and use it without ever hiring the writers who sent it. Instead they hire their friends and steal the ideas they like outright or change them just a little to justify their consciences (ha ha) or their lawyers’ notes.
What do you do for a living, Jake? You sound like you’re a roofer. What if I say, hey, put on half my roof for free so I can see if I like the way you do it. Then i say the same thing to someone else and now I have a free roof.
Maybe you should think twice before going with your knee-jerk reaction, Jake. Because you have no idea what you’re talking about. None. You know, like always.
wow that last sentence is just a bit homophobic no. come on wanda don’t hate on your people
Wanda Sykes is smart?
writermonkey,
Yes and yes.
In the overwhelming majority of jobs, you do what your prospective employer tells you to do if you want the job.
Wow, a lot of hate out there for Wanda today. Sorry your projects got passed on, it’s not her fault.
Call me crazy, I could see Wanda going pet shopping with Michael Vick being not only funny, but taking on a new life on youtube.
I for one think she IS funny and she has the stand up career to prove it. I hope the show works.
Here’s my pitch:
Wanda is so desperate to get noticed, she tries to make her own I’m Fucking Ben Affleck video only to discover Ben and Matt are totally brokeback.
– - – -
Not sure this is quite strained and unfunny enough, judging by the memo?
When I was in college I got a call to try out for a gig writing comedy sketches for a TV pilot. What they did was bring in all the writer candidates, hand us the front pages from various newspapers and told us to come up with something topical in 90 minutes.
Since all the papers were carrying stories that day about girls in street gangs, I wrote a skit called “Gang Violence Barbie.”
I got tapped to work on the pilot with about 5 other writers, and a team of 6 performers.
That 90 minute session was our tryout, to see if we could work under pressure. If they were going to use your material, they’d have hired you, that was the deal. It was a reasonable test of our abilities, so I didn’t mind the doing it.
My problem with this Sykes show is that it wants to be topical, but they’re actually terrified to be really topical, because they might offend someone who actually lives in their neighborhood. The material they seem to be looking for is either dated, or already done to death by others, but because it’s what they think is “edgy.”
This type of humorless pomposity shouldn’t be surprising, coming from an exec-producer and head “writer” John Ridley, a conservative sheep who voted twice for Bush, went anti-union during the writers’ strike and scabbed.
Hollywood is just plain stupid sometimes. Doesn’t the employer get it that this type of application process opens them up for liability? Unless, of course, they make you sign a waiver of rights to your material created in the application process. Did you miss that page Nikki? Hmmm. Sounds like Hollywood to me.
They do have the right to ask for samples. But so many original samples seems strange. I wouldn’t doubt if they already have writers in mind for the gigs available and most of these applicants are just providing those writers and producers with ideas to work from. That’s the cynic in me. The realist in me says they don’t know if their vision can work and they are using the samples to see if that vision can really be actualized.
“With Wanda we want to be color blind, but race, gender, and orientation aware”
If that doesn’t say edgy, I don’t know what does!
This is so liberal and politically correct it almost seems like a joke.
I agree with “writermonkey.” Why do writers and actors – especially those who have created a body of work – give these producers work for free? They will steal ideas, use interpretations, imitate concepts and expect job seekers to do their job for them. Hollywood has created a monster with these practices.
I’m not familiar with what these packets should look like, but this just strikes me as unprofessional all around. “Bring it like Dave Chapelle?” And that unnecessarily verbose opening paragraph? It speaks down to the perspective writers and sounds more like a 17-year-old’s Sykes fan site than a serious job application.
I enjoy reading these comments. Most of us in this business are self-absorbed, entitled, nut jobs. Seriously! So easy to criticize, experts at what’s funny and what’s not, assuming you don’t have to work to get a job, AND sneaky sly sellouts who can’t be trusted as one of you leaked this document and many other confidential docs and info that Nikki posts…
Poof, be gone!
“that uninterrupted block of WHITE guy’s yattering”
I wonder what would happen if a different new show made their own a-hole, derogatory (and in reality, incorrect) stated about “black men.”
Racists. If was a writer (WGA or not) and read that, I’d toss it in their garage can and walk out.
Good luck!
Wait, when I purchased my Obama bumper sticker there was nothing on there that said I would have to prove myself to a black woman. That’s against the rules. I mean come on buying a pet with michael Vick, totally classless. But I’m sure Seth McFarlane will love my Michael Vick and Brian go to a strip club Family Guy spec I just wrote. I mean that’s just funny.
We’re all colorblind as long as we’re in Power!
It’ll be funny to watch this show fall on its ass, but I’ll probably blink and miss it.
If they have to issue a memo like this to build a show, the enterprise is already in deep creative trouble.
Can you imagine Colbert issuing something like this when he was starting up his series? No chance.
Thanks, Nikki! You’ve just reinforced the reason people should never email sensitive and confidential material, especially creative material. People who are too lazy/established to write on spec submissions, are also probably too lazy to retype/scan/photocopy hard copies of material, so they can forward it to folks like you.
This just shows the short-sightedness of the WGA.
Under their own union rules, once a writer like “Wanda” showrunner John Ridley goes “FiCore,” there is no effective mechanism to inform him that “yattering” is not an actual word.
But since this looks to be a posted image vs. type, guess not even hard copies are safe from prying eyes. This makes sense since base intentions transcend all.
Hmmm, folks who are interested in keeping a lid on top secret formulas might have to perform an entire team’s worth of work on a project, themselves.
This packet is no worse than others. FYI- Sarah was fucking Matt Damon, not Ben Affleck.
The only thing new here is the quantity. Shows always ask for new material even though they know they’re not supposed. I’m pretty sure the Kimmel show got fined by the Guild over this when it started production and wound up cutting checks to writers who had submitted. A friend of mine who didn’t get hired got a check for like five hundred bucks. So maybe the Sykes show will have to pay out, too. But that won’t stop the process. It’s widespread. There’s so few jobs now that writers have to bend over and take it. They work hard to craft a good submission, then the showrunners steal their ideas and hire their own friends. It sucks, but in a way, yawn.
It appears there are a lot of haters out there. As a young writer, I would happily create this app packet (as long as I retain rights to the material) for a staff job on a new show. The ideas they gave are pretty solid (I actually think pet-shopping with Michael Vick would be hilarious and Chappele-ian). As a matter of fact — who do I submit to for consideration?
I submitted to this show. Honestly when I read the break down I rolled my eyes for several reasons. What seemed most apparent was, they don’t know what they want this show to be. The Wanda praise seemed ass kissy and absurd. To anyone who disagrees that this is a lot of work to get a job: What job have you ever gone out for were you worked for a day or two for free to prove you could do the job? I have been in this biz a long time. I have a great writing packet, a great deal of respect among the industry and am proven. It is absurd. I have written, I have worked. Isn’t that enough? A good comedy writer can adapt to any comedians voice. I have done so. So screw you. This is an one more example of industry taking advantage of people. It wouldn’t happen anywhere else.
Every time there is a new sit-com or one hour drama job should every writer have to write an entire episode to prove they can do the job? Perhaps producers should have to produce an entire season sans pay to prove they can handle the entire season and fit in with the staff. Directors, cinematographers have reels, why is not a writing packet good enough? To the people who side with the producers on this one. You truly don’t know what it means to be creative. thus why you produce. You can’t do anything else.
Does anyone actually think that Wanda Sykes got a show because she is the best comedian out there? Or the 100th best… or even the 500th best? No, I’m thinking there is another reason Wanda Sykes got a show. But clearly, comedy and talent did not enter the equation.
flyover and Jake, it’s one thing to make a writer produce some samples of their work that’s along the lines of the humor the show is looking for, but to be so specific and lengthy about it, I’d really question their motives.
On another note, this is embarrassing to read. That whole “I’m fucking Ben Affleck was pure gold” part was totally cringe worthy…
Reminds me of all the times I was given in-development scripts to write sample coverage when interviewing for D jobs. Yeah, like NONE of my suggestions ever ended up in the films. Nope. Studios are WAY to honest for that.
wow, that mandate seems way too targeted. half the of “submissions letter” was devoted to singing the praises of Wanda. yes we know she’s funny, she got the job.
can I submit a routine about what is funny about that note?
trust me, if you pitched them the stuff they claim to like, they would have rejected that. All they know is that wanda is funny, past that, they seem clueless to what the show is… Oh yeah, they want funny stuff.
I’ll do it! For free! Anything! Please hire me! My children need prozac!
This is silly, and I suspect that it’s motivated by anger at John Ridley more than anything.
I write for late night television, and before I did, I wrote lots of packets. It’s what you do, and this one isn’t really especially long or challenging.
If you’re an aspiring comedy writer and you’re NOT writing packets specifically for Conan, Letterman, SNL, and everybody else (and hoping to get ‘em read), you’re an idiot. If you are surprised by this packet request in any way, you don’t know late night television.
Frequently, veteran writers can get hired without submitting a packet like this. But not always. And every time a new show is created, a few vets get super pissed-off that they’re being asked to do what the kids have to do. And this is what’s happening here.
“WGA writer,” if you don’t like what they ask for, don’t apply!! If all WGA writers object, then no will will apply. But the reason most comedy shows SUCK is that their writers are terrible – either terrible as writers OR good writers but not on the right show. Clearly – something’s not working. If I am hiring someone, I fully expect that person to do whatever I want in order to determine if they’re right for the job. If I’m unreasonable, or people don’t want to do the work, they need not apply. It’s simple. The idea that you should have rights before you even apply is ludicrous – and only goes to protect mediocre writers as they keep getting jobs they fail at.
Dear Another Writer 2:49PM:
What they are asking for is a violation of the MBA. I suppose it would be fine with you if they also decided to stop contributing to the health plan on your behalf. You know, just because they don’t feel like honoring the contract. Idiot.
Jake, I’m sick of your right-wing AMPTP posts. Like it’d be fine with you if your employer decided they were only going to pay you for every other day you worked, and the rest were on you. (Okay, I’m assuming your employed. Big assumption. Even before the recession.)
And again Jake, when you say “the idea that you should have rights before you even apply is ludicrous” well, again, you’re just an idiot, because as a WGA member we do have rights — we have a contract that the studios and networks agreed do.
I know this is hard for you to understand so I’ll try to type slowly, but this is a violation of the WGA agreement. Does a surgeon applying for a work at a hospital have to do a few surgeries for free to show them that he or she has the hang of it?
Now are you starting to see what stupid person you are?
Jake said,
“WGA writer,” if you don’t like what they ask for, don’t apply!!
I love this right-wing moron mentality. If you don’t like it that they don’t want to hire black people, then don’t apply for the job! Who cares if what they’re doing is illegal.
You must have been tired when you wrote that Jake because you forgot to say, “And if you don’t like it, move to Russia.”
I have forwarded this to the Justice Department and the EEOC. Let’s see what happens. I’m sorry, but you can’t flippantly make comments about race in what is a de facto Help Wanted ad.
Wanda takes Michael Vicks to buy a pet.
That’s hysterical. F**king brilliant.
Next, Wanda takes a pedophile to a play ground.
More entertainment gold.
Then Wanda takes a murder and barges into his victim’s family on Christmas dinner.
Wow. Do you feel the thrill rolling down your spine?
How can the audience not love her? Oprah is history!
Signed,
The Show Runners of the Wanda Sykes show.
And no, we’re not retarded, we’re simply inspired to make a show that nobody wants to watch.
Just like Ben Silverman.
Dear Cameron Johnson @12:05 pm,
I realize you are just starting out as a writer, so as one with twenty years experience, let me explain to you how this works.
They ask the entire writing community for submissions of original work, casting as broad a net as possible. They read all these submissions and it gives them a blueprint for how to do their show, a blueprint they didn’t have before they cast the net. Then they take the ideas they want and either tweak them a bit for legal reasons or steal them outright. Then they hire their friends.
Ask any writer in this business, any, and they will tell you stories of thefts that occurred this way. It is commonplace. As for “as long as I retain my rights” well, you retain those rights about as much as you retain the rights to your iPod that someone has stolen from your car at the mall.
The Michael Vick thing is not about whether it’s funny or not. That’s a matter of opinion. But what does matter is that it is not something that he would ever in a million years do. An idea like that is the mark of an amateur. And when you see that the next idea they’re offering as an example of what they think is good and want is featuring a Republican Congressman weeping about Michael Jackson, well, that’s not going to happen either. Again, the mark of an amateur.
Whoever composed these “Packet Requirements” is amateurish, arrogant, and way in over their head. This bodes poorly for the show, to the point where I have no doubt it has raised the concerns of Fox execs as well.
I wish you much success as you embark on your writing career, but please don’t expect the people in this business to be honorable. Very few are.
The word is yammering not yattering. Yammering. You idiom.
The sad fact is, Wanda Sykes jumped the shark years ago. She stopped being funny after the Dave Chappelle show. Not funny on Curb Your Enthusiasm. And sadly, not funny whatsoever at nerdprom (though I agreed with her sentiment.)
When the powers that be in Hollywood stop endlessly recycling the same tired people, perhaps we’ll get better entertainment.
Til then, I guess we gotta watch some lame-ass shark-jumped comedian do played out bits.
Cameron Johnson you clearly didn’t pay attention the the Chapelle Show. That idea his horrid and not funny. I am no animal rights guy either. it’s just not funny. I’ll be surprised if Wanda’s show one airing and if it does it’ll be gone by it’s 6th.
I have some suggestions: maybe Sykes can visit one of the 57 states that Barack Obama talked about traveling to, or she could interview one or two of the dead war veterans that Obama saw sitting before him at a Memorial Day ceremony in 2008. Perhaps she could go along with Biden and watch him spend all of his personal fortune to keep from going bankrupt. That would be a hoot, I’ll tell ya! With this administration, the possibilities are endless!
I am never reading these comments again because most of you are fucking idiots who have no idea what it takes to write something. Go ahead and try to write something funny, go up somewhere and perform it or read it to some people who aren’t your friends. Oh and writer six different full pieces. I dare you you know nothing sacks of shit.
What garbage. I wouldn’t mind writing samples to get a job but these late night hosts ask for the moon and give no jobs. How many stringers can Leno abuse before the WGA slams him down? Prolly millions of them.
Everyone knows flight of the concords is just a rip off of the british show -peep show – which is actually funny as !!- they even steal jokes directly from it and even share cast!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for posting this. I submitted and found it unwittingly amusing that the submission packet encourages writers to create material in the vein of Sarah Silverman’s popular video and The Chappelle Show.
What the producers are asking for is brand recognition and approval that Sarah Silverman and Dave Chappelle (much like The Simpsons, the Daily Show, Sasha Baron Cohen, Judd Apatow, and Seinfeld) built over time and with as little network interference as possible.
Since I, as a comedy writer, am being asked to take the time to craft all new material, perhaps the show runners could take the time to provide constructive feedback on the submission? Another suggestion, and, yes, Pollyanna knows it will be ignored, but why not read submissions blind? (You read that correctly, blind people should read submissions.) If the show runners (or interns) read the submissions without knowing who wrote them or who their agent was or wasn’t, it might provide a slightly more level playing field?
Signed,
A female writer who best not quit her day job as a (WAIT FOR IT. Okay don’t, really it’s not worth it)… a writer.
Not funny, not talented and infinitely annoying. FAIL
Suggestion to writers, copywrite your material before sending it to Wanda Sykes. If she commits plagiarism or infringement of copywrite, sue her.
so where do I send my packet?
“Gimme a break,” actually, yes, a surgeon does do more than a few surgeries before they are allowed to be official surgeons. They work up the ranks doing these surgeries at lower levels with supervision. The problem is–that analogy doesn’t even work for writers. Writing a Two & a Half Men doesn’t necessarily qualify you to write for a totally different pov. Whereas writing samples are sometimes relevant – one reason comedies STINK these days is because many of you writers aren’t capable of writing the kind of material you were hired for – even if you had a funny spec in your collection. A Two & Half Men writer might write a decent Big Bang Theory – but could be totally incapable of writing The Office. So if a show knows its pov and comedy bent, it has the right to ask someone to show they can write for that pov & bent. If they already have a perfect spec that the producers like (or in this case, it seems, someone who wrote Chappelle material), probably the producers will be less insistent on all this other stuff. But if not, you should be thankful they are asking for this material and making sure you are right for the job. (Clearly, given your idiotic analogy of surgeons, they would be right to ask for some samples from you.)
Keep speculating about writing, Jake. Tell us more about what makes for a good show. You have such interesting and profound things to say about it. And when you’re done, I’ll speculate about what it’s like to clean port-o-potties for a living.
Those of you who posted such vitriol, how many of you are:
1) unemployed
2) writers who submitted to this show and didn’t get picked ?
3) wannabe writers who haven’t been able to break into the entertainment industry
4) people who claim to hate Wanda but would kill to be given a job on this show, knowing that network jobs are scarce and pay well
5) veteran writers who think that their previous work “should speak for itself” but who don’t currently have a job
6) over 35 years old
7) Republican
Go ahead, be honest with yourselves. How many of you fit into two or more of these catagories ?
Any dimwit who has worked in this business knows that this is standard practice (yes, even for Colbert, Stewart, Letterman, Conan, Leno, Kimmel, Fallon, Lopez, Degeneres, Ferguson, et al).
Any dimwit knows that if you feel that your “idea” has been stolen, you have a dated copy, agency representation (if you’re a real writer) and lawyers to protect yourself.
Quit lying to yourselves: you’re mad that weren’t handed a job without having to prove yourself. Quit your whining and start writing funny material. Quality wins out everytime.
No speculation, “gimme a break”… Having created two series, one long-running, and written on several more, I’ll be sure to hire you to clean the port-o-potties on my next series… although I’ll probably have you do some tests to make sure you can do a good job first. Get out the toothbrush and start practicing!
I’d like to see a skit between Wanda and Bill Cosby where her opening line is, “what up, nigga?”
They received over 90 submissions I’ve been told and now they’ve rounded them down to around 10 or so. Imagine all that free material! Hire your friends Mr. Ridley! Or better yet, don’t. And take credit for everything. I’ve seen your right-wing commentaries on Morning Joe. You’re just hysterical! A true genius!
Jake, my analogy isn’t idiotic. What’s idiotic is your analysis of it. Surgeons with ten to twenty years of experience are asked to do a few surgeries for free before getting a job? Huh? You make no sense whatsoever.
And if you really are a writer, what’s with all the vitriol toward your fellow writers? Is it because you’re one of the scumbags who regularly asks for illegal sample material?
Look, it’s not my fault your parents didn’t love you. That’s between you and your shrink. But don’t take it out on your fellow writers.
Industry Vet,
Are you kidding me?
First of all, I’ve been doing this for a long time, with many credits, and this is the most egregious packet I’ve ever seen from a WGA show.
Now let me remind you, they are not supposed to ask for any new material AT ALL. Shows have paid out legal settlements in the past for this very kind of thing.
Most of the shows you list do NOT ask for this much material. Many of them are willing to look at material previously written for other shows.
As for your list, here’s my own:
I’m guessing you are at least two of the following:
1) A tool.
2) In an unhappy marriage.
3) The owner of a very expensive car to salve your inadequacies.
4) A douche.
5) Heartless.
6) The parent of two absolute brats.
7) Considering some plastic surgery.
From WGA to Industry Vet,
You wrote, “Those of you who posted such vitriol, how many of you are:
1) unemployed”
uhhhhhh… nope…. am employed.
”
2) writers who submitted to this show and didn’t get picked ?
”
Never heard of the show, nor will I likely again. And on me submitting material to them.. that’s a definite _no_.
”
3) wannabe writers who haven’t been able to break into the entertainment industry
”
Been accruing to my guild pension for 14 years.
”
4) people who claim to hate Wanda but would kill to be given a job on this show, knowing that network jobs are scarce and pay well”
Don’t claim to hate Wanda, nor have would I kill nor even rough up a person to get a network job. My gig is features and pilots.
”
5) veteran writers who think that their previous work “should speak for itself” but who don’t currently have a job”
Don’t think my other work has any bearing on this topic, and (to repeat myself) I do have a job.
”
6) over 35 years old
”
You got me there. I’m 41.
”
7) Republican
”
Nope. Sorry, Charlie.
”
Go ahead, be honest with yourselves. How many of you fit into two or more of these catagories ?
”
I suspect you’d see very few hands show up. Not mine, anyway.
”
Any dimwit who has worked in this business knows that this is standard practice (yes, even for Colbert, Stewart, Letterman, Conan, Leno, Kimmel, Fallon, Lopez, Degeneres, Ferguson, et al).”
From my vantage point, the only dimwit floating around these waters is the one making assumptions listed above.
It’s such a shitty, shitty industry. Hilariously shitty, from any angle. I worked on a late night show for 7 years and still had to submit. My packet was great (just read it over again), but my chances of getting hired are next to zero. Why? No fucking reason, I just don’t know any of the execs and God forbid they look at my list of credits and see how qualified I am. But they won’t. They’ll read a few lines of my submission and conclude that I don’t speak in Wanda’s “voice”. Which is beyond retarded, because you have to work at a show first, in order to write in that voice. Ya know, pre production, test shows, maybe a meal or two together to get familiarized. Point is, lots of very qualified people don’t even get a second’s worth of a look.
It’s a heartbreaking state of affairs, but I guess the alternative is even worse. Getting a REAL job.
I bet Wanda and Barack and Michelle and maybe Rob Emanuel got together for a beer and hashed these show notes. So darn funny. Hardy har har. White men and women suck – that’s the new cool….barf. Wanda Sykes is the unfunniest woman I have ever seen, let alone heard (her voice is OBNOXIOUS as all get out)…. but….. she’s darn racist and that’s a different kind of funny….just the CHANGE we need in American television!!!! You go girl…..
Every time I read another leaked memo I think – when the fuck are producers, CEO’s, HR guys, newsroom managers, book publishers, agents, politicians, and so on gonna learn to stop writing this stuff down?
Just pick up the goddam phone already. Or conduct business in person. Do your best to insure you’re not being recorded.
The idea of creating a trail to protect yourself, or that you’re writing a memo cause this is how business is traditionally done, is a bygone concept. Get with it! Everything is fair game. The very moment you send that ‘important’ memo to your staff, or query to the world, there’s almost always some disgruntled employee, supplier or ex-pal ready to immediately forward it to Nikki or Drudge or someone.
Get a fucking clue already. It’s not 1986. Every trackable word you say lives forever and will likely come back to haunt you, particularly if it’s pure crap as above.
I watched Wanda on HBO and laughed until I was tears.
I could add more jokes for her. Would like to just write her
an email. I need some help doing this. Any suggestions?
Would like to see her own show, give her what she wants, it is
a free country to say what you want to say. If she wants control
of show, good for her!!! This shows she is in control and is
in a Woman World where woman must take care themselves
without a man. Their are many women in this world where we
must take care of ourselves and need encouragement to do so.
Dee Hopkins
I love Wanda! I will watch her show and I’m sure I will enjoy it…I wish her and her wife and family all the best!
I hope she will still be on “The new adventures of old Christine”…they need her on that show…the chemistry between her and Julia is wonderful!
Wanda Sykes is the Balloon Boy Dad of the entertainment community. Full of hot air, a raging loon who wants to be famous, nothing more than trite, abysmal nothingness. Sad. Sad. Sad. But I don’t feel sorry for her because she….like the Balloon Boy Dad is just bad news, gone tomorrow.