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Second Act Trouble May 08, 2008

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Among the many, many smart things F. Scott Fitzgerald said, surely the least smart is, "There are no second acts in American lives..."

Milt and Marty May 01, 2008

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Every writer – well, every comedy writer – has made this mistake. You're at work, and you're laughing with your colleagues, about something – usually what we call a "room run" – a joke that originates entirely in the writers' room, one that's usually so objectionable, so foul, so indefensibly cruel and wrong and ugly, that the entire room is paralyzed by laughter...

Dark Skies Apr 24, 2008

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Race to the Computer Apr 17, 2008

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Once, a famous writer gave a talk to a lot of aspiring writers. This kind of thing happens all the time – and not just at colleges and universities, but at weekend scriptwriting workshop seminars and writers' conferences, that sort of thing. I've done a few myself...

He Likes That Apr 10, 2008

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I know someone who works in advertising, and on his first week on the job, years ago, a more seasoned copywriter took him aside to give him advice. They were both on their way to the creative director's office, to pitch him some ideas for a new campaign...

Can We Talk about This Later? Apr 03, 2008

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The people who run KCRW only give me four minutes to make these little jewel boxes of commentary –- something about wanting to broadcast the news or I don't know what –- so it's hard to fit everything in sometimes. Most of the time it's easy, of course, because everything I say pretty much boils down to: writin's hard...

No More Cupcakes Mar 27, 2008

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A few years ago, a friend of mine tried to fire his agent. It didn't go well. After a long, wearying phone call, in which the agent tried everything in his bag of tricks – you owe me! This is wrong! I screwed up, I know! Gimme one more chance! This is a bad career move! -- all of them, my friend finally agreed to the thing he had been dreading – the thing that every single one of his writer friends told him, under no circumstances, to agree to...

Wonderful, Wonderful Me Mar 20, 2008

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I have an actor friend who, early in his career, attended a very popular, respected acting class. On the first day, the teacher arrived, told the class to stand up and said, "Now, each of you wrap your arms around yourself and give yourself a big, hurting hug. And repeat, wonderful, wonderful me!"

New Media Mar 13, 2008

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Sometimes, certain things seem strange or stupid just because we haven't seen them enough. You know what I mean? They'll come out with a new car design, and it'll look strange and stupid and then you see them all over the place and soon they look normal. And a little while later you're thinking, "Hey, I like the look of that car..."

Lunch Mar 06, 2008

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Years ago, when I was based on the Paramount Studios lot, we used to order take out lunch maybe twice a week from the old City Restaurant on La Brea. It's not there anymore, but I can still remember every item on the lunch menu...

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