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EXCLUSIVE: The Office writer-producer Justin Spitzer has signed a two-year overall deal with the studio behind the NBC comedy, Universal Media Studios. Under the seven-figure deal, Spitzer’s first, he will continue on The Office while also developing new series projects. Spitzer’s only previous stab at development was selling a comedy spec to ABC six years ago.
Spitzer’s career path so far has been determined by two spec scripts. A Scrubs spec he wrote got to the show’s creator/executive producer Bill Lawrence eight years ago and became his first produced script. Then the spec he sold to ABC got in the hands of The Office executive producer Greg Daniels who, based on it, hired Spitzer on The Office at the beginning of Season 3. Spitzer has gone through the ranks and is being upped to a co-executive producer for next season. On the development side, Spitzer, repped by ICM and attorney Jared Levine, is working on a comedy project with UMS-based producer Peter Traugott who, six years ago, produced Spitzer’s ABC spec through Brillstein Entertainment.
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What was the name of the spec he previously sold to ABC?
how old is this dude
“Spitzer’s career path so far has been determined by two spec scripts.” Sure, that and the 7 years he’s been proving himself in the writers room.
Here we go with the white guys setting up deals and diversity writers getting the shaft.
Talk to your President, Lisa. Maybe he can help you.
Not every successful white person is the result of a conspiracy to screw you. Get over yourself.
Congratulations. Know how hard it is to climb that ladder. Well done.
This isn’t a soapbox for diversity hiring. EVERYONE knows there’s a MAJOR disparity in the numbers. But what’s the guy supposed to do? Turn down a major opportunity? Every writer would dream of having this guy’s career trajectory, white OR not.
99% of “major” opportunities goes to white males. That’s called discrimination. Any way you slice it. All the haters telling me to shut up either agrees with discrimination or buries their head in the sand.
Could it be that JUST MAYBE the large majority of screenwriters are white males? Hmm?
“All the haters telling me to shut up either agrees with discrimination or buries their head in the sand.”
Ah, so anyone who disagrees is a racist. Nice. How convenient for you…
Ivy, you are definitely burying your head in the sand. You statement reeks of ignorance. Women and minorities wanted to vote pre-1900, but the white men wouldn’t let them. Times change. They have to change in the Industry.
It would be “All the haters (plural) telling me to shut up either AGREE (plural) with discrimination or BURY (plural form) their heads in the sand.”
I knoe, I know… it’s the Evil White Male Conspiracy’s grammar, so it’s wrong and regressive and designed to Keep The Sisterhood of Color Down. But… whaddaya gonna do?
– Proud Half-Breed Steven
I’m not telling you to shut up, but I will say your grammar is horrible.
HOW did this turn into a diversity issue?!?! Lisa, PLEASE, stop. As a diverse writer, I understand the challenges associated with climbing the ladder of success. But, those challenges are not unique to me just because I happen to be diverse. For Justin’s specs to get the attention of, not one but two showrunners, they were probably kicka** specs (especially if one of them was produced by the show that was spec’d – that hardly EVER happens). I celebrate Justin’s achievements. I hope to one day emulate him, regardless of race and gender. I wish for once, you commenters (not just Lisa, but all the other snide commenters as well who retailiate with racist remarks) would take a step back and really see the hatred you spew on deadline.com. Must ignorance really be combatted with ignorance? I think not. Mazel Tov, Justin. From The Black Tina Fey
How many minorities have great kick-a** pilots? Do they get a shot? I understand your point though. But I’m just call it like I see it.
Mazel Tov, Justin. I knew you when!!!!
excellent,excellent pilot writer.
i’m sick of minority writers and white writers.
just shut up already.
Case in point.
Yeah, Justin. Well deserved!
Congrats to Justin, he is an extremely talented writer and a great guy. He deserves all the success that is coming to him.
I don’t think this particular story is the proper venue for a critique on the pronounced lack of diversity in TV writer’s rooms.
That said, assuming he was just that awesome a writer out of the gate how likely is it that without some kind of inordinate access that his script would have been read?
Seems like someone’s dad went to Harvard with someone else’s dad who is now Bill Lawrence’s business manager. Way it goes.
maybe he had an agent? ever think of that, genius?
Yes, because everyone gets assigned an agent out of college to deliver their two specs to top showrunners so they can buy and immediately produce one of them for broadcast.
Hundreds of writers have agents. Just having an agent, even a good agent, is hardly a guarantee. Which was why I floated the hypothetical, which you might have appreciated if you’re weren’t in such a hurry to prove how immature you are.
Jesus, you people are assholes. Justin was working as a writers assistant for years (on Queer as Folk and Grounded for Life), working hard and meeting writers. So when he finally had a great spec to show, he knew people that could help him. It has nothing to do with race or family connections — it has to do with HARD WORK paying off.
Lisa, race issues are important. But you don’t need to bring it up in every thread that celebrates someone’s success.
Damn, Lisa
I want a 50 million dollar basketball contract! Another white dude getting the shaft as a black man signs a contract. Somebody call Sharpton!!!
Right, no white men play basketball.
The comments seem to be digressing from the main topic and into a Lisa rant.
To lighten the mood, let’s focus on something else. Me!
I’m an unfunny guy writing comedy scripts. Why won’t Hollywood give me the time of day? Is it…is it because of Hollywood? thanks!
Why do we give a flying fuck about his spec scripts?