My co-producer, Matt Saxe, who does all of our cold-calling, made a call today about our labor of love, Vice-Precedence: Being Number Two in the White House." We've been trying for almost a year now to get this thing sold, but today we hit that point that is so typical it's laughable. Matt's talent for pitching actually comes from somewhere strikingly surprising. He can say the words "Well, I disagree with you..." and somehow not get hung up on. He gets to finish the pitch. That's a talent, and one he probably learned from being an actor. To quote Galaxy Quest "Never Give Up, Never Surrender." It's gay, but I don't care.
Well, today, as usual, Matt's perseverance got him through the pitch and a little further. The woman he talked to then proceeded to say "I have to tell you, that's one of the best pitches I've heard over the phone in years. But there's just not the audience for it." She threw the same tired lines at us - "People will be sick of politics by then (November '08, when we thought would be ideal to put a doc about the Vice-Presidency on the air)." That's where Matt and I strongly disagree with the good people of cable television.
This might be a moot point, but tell Comedy Central that people are somehow sick of politics by the time the election comes around. Originally, the cable network in question presented to US the idea of prepping it for then. We liked that idea. This particular network also is well known for saying they want to find a young audience. We can deliver that audience, regardless of the subject matter.
Actually, that's the point of the film in the first place. People won't really know they're interested until they start to watch. That's why you play the funny promos we have written featuring our young, Seth-Green-esque host, and get people curious as to why we would dedicate so much time to the Vice-Presidency in the first place. Why would we? It should be obvious, and since it isn't that's an even better reason to do it...
The Vice President is always chosen as the guy from the other half of the country. People ONLY vote for a president, or even the team, not considering that, given some unforeseen traumatic event, whatever schlub we put in that office could completely botch the job of running the country. You need to vote for two presidents. The show is called "Vice-Precedence" for a reason- It seems like a second-banana job, but its only that way until we vote someone strong in.
Seeing as the Vice President has no official job other than to preside over the Senate (indicating his other job is just waiting to be President 'just in case'), the man makes the job, and not the other way around. Point is, there's a lot of material, and a lot of funny material at that.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Paris Finds Her Place in the World
To quote AOL "News," Paris Hilton, who broke probation recently, "will spend about 23 days in a "special needs housing unit" at the Century Regional Detention Center in suburban Lynwood." I don't know if I can explain how happy that makes me. No, no, not that justice was served. But that the State of California officially recognizes Paris Hilton as having "special needs."
Despite the fact that in this case it likely means needing tiny soaps and visits from her pet rats, it makes me smile inside and out, which is a wonderful thing indeed. Though normally I wouldn't give her credence enough to dedicate words to her, as she doesn't deserve fame, I like the idea that she's getting jail time. However, I hate the idea that her jail term, which was just cut in half from 45 days, had already been cut in half from 90. Yes, California's jails are overcrowded, but... Why can't we get what we really want- a real-life celebrity hanging?
Mel Gibson got chastised, Michael Richards apologized to the "Afro-Americans," and celebrities regularly get away with being special needs, but they never really get punished. Okay, maybe Michael Richards got all that could be expected, considering speech is free but nightclub admission isn't, but Paris, despite "only" having broken probation, needs to swing, even if she is just setting an example.
It'd certainly be better to see that happen to someone who supposedly deserves to be famous, like Tom Cruise (when do you think they're going to sell Suri to Angeline Jolie?). He's a douche, beyond being a B-list talent on the A-list. He's the Jerry Falwell of Scientology but we can't seem to catch him in the act of something illegal. Maybe he doesn't do anything illegal, just stuff we find so incredibly creepy that even if Scientology WAS legit and even offered us money and chocolates most of us wouldn't come near it. Just saying, if he broke probation, I'd be happier to see him cry than poor, helmet-wearing Paris. That deserves another giggle. Tee-hee.
Well, I just lost a few minutes of my life to writing about celebrities. When I become famous, maybe I won't care so much. I'll just care about the world, and try to make it a better place by adopting non-American children and donating my money to non-American, non-essential charities while simultaneously breaking American laws and spouting off about the American non-celebrities I hate. Fame is sweet.
Despite the fact that in this case it likely means needing tiny soaps and visits from her pet rats, it makes me smile inside and out, which is a wonderful thing indeed. Though normally I wouldn't give her credence enough to dedicate words to her, as she doesn't deserve fame, I like the idea that she's getting jail time. However, I hate the idea that her jail term, which was just cut in half from 45 days, had already been cut in half from 90. Yes, California's jails are overcrowded, but... Why can't we get what we really want- a real-life celebrity hanging?
Mel Gibson got chastised, Michael Richards apologized to the "Afro-Americans," and celebrities regularly get away with being special needs, but they never really get punished. Okay, maybe Michael Richards got all that could be expected, considering speech is free but nightclub admission isn't, but Paris, despite "only" having broken probation, needs to swing, even if she is just setting an example.
It'd certainly be better to see that happen to someone who supposedly deserves to be famous, like Tom Cruise (when do you think they're going to sell Suri to Angeline Jolie?). He's a douche, beyond being a B-list talent on the A-list. He's the Jerry Falwell of Scientology but we can't seem to catch him in the act of something illegal. Maybe he doesn't do anything illegal, just stuff we find so incredibly creepy that even if Scientology WAS legit and even offered us money and chocolates most of us wouldn't come near it. Just saying, if he broke probation, I'd be happier to see him cry than poor, helmet-wearing Paris. That deserves another giggle. Tee-hee.
Well, I just lost a few minutes of my life to writing about celebrities. When I become famous, maybe I won't care so much. I'll just care about the world, and try to make it a better place by adopting non-American children and donating my money to non-American, non-essential charities while simultaneously breaking American laws and spouting off about the American non-celebrities I hate. Fame is sweet.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)