Art Imitates Life…and Vice Versa

Art Imitates Life …and Vice Versa

Like virtually every other self-respecting writer in Hollywood, I got ripped off  early on in my career.  In my case, a story editor of a prestigious TV series rejected my spec story outline for his show because he said it dealt with a subject that neither the producers, nor the  network was looking for.  One year later,  I watched this writer, who I never met, stand at a podium to accept his Emmy award for a script that had virtually the exact same story line.  (And the script I submitted was sent to the show by an agent, no less!)

I bring up the story not to relive old war wounds but as a way to acknowledge the funny monologue on showbizzle’s Digital Showcase this week that stops being funny once our aspiring young writer who works as a PA on a network sit com,  played by contest winner David Love, reveals that the story ideas he shared over beers with a prospective mentor/working writer, apparently found their way into a writer’s room without the young scribe getting any recognition.

Gabe Uhr, who wrote David Love’s material, purposely ended the video by asking Janey, our resident authority on all things showbiz, what he should do? Should he risk getting fired by confronting the staff writer who pilfered his stories? Should he relinquish his claims on the material in hopes that a solid relationship will develop somewhere down the line? Should he report the matter to the Writer’s Guild? Should he bend over and accept that this is how the real world functions in Hollywood?

One of the reasons we encouraged Gabe and David to give their story an open ending was so that we could invite you, our favorite bizzlers,  to share your take on this all too common situation by either sending us an e-mail, or posting a video on the subject.  And depending on what you advise,  we will continue the story of the befuddled scribe in future weeks…

Oh, and in case you are wondering,  the way I chose to deal with the guy who stole my idea was to move on and hope that someday kharma would intercede on my behalf.  That someday happened ten years later when that same Emmy winning writer became unemployed and had his agent contact me about getting a staff job on Beverly Hills, 90210.  As you might imagine, it was a very brief conversation.