KCRW's Martini Shot
Summary: Veteran TV writer and producer Rob Long shares his behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood life on "Martini Shot." A contributing editor for the National Review and Newsweek International, he was a co-executive producer of "Cheers" while still in his 20s and is the co-creator of a string of (cancelled) sitcoms: "George & Leo," "Men, Women & Dogs," etc. Rob is also the author of "Conversations With My Agent," the cult classic about real life in Hollywood, as well as its recently published sequel, "Set Up, Joke, Set Up, Joke."
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- Artist: Rob Long, KCRW.com
- Copyright: KCRW 2014
Podcasts:
Sitting in the parking lot of an editing facility, Rob tries to gin up the courage to watch a rough cut. He eventually finds it, but only because it's a contractual obligation.
When stand-up comedians are completely out of material, resort to two basic topics: the differences between men and women, and the differences between New York and LA.
Rob buys a new pen and some socks and carry around a little piece of paper. Good luck charms for a new production.
Rob tries to cast a role for a very large person, but makes a big mistake: he uses the term ?hugely overweight? in the character description. He?ll never do that again.
Rob Long remembers AC Lyles, the Mayor of the Paramount lot, and the best-dressed man in show business.
On today?s Martini Shot I figure out how never to come up with a new idea for a comedy. Just do the funny version of a successful drama.
Rob speaks truth to power: if a writer surfs the web all day, the writer doesn't get paid. If an executive surfs the web all day, the executive gets promoted?
The trick to making a sale: you make your pitch, and then you shut up. It's the shutting up part that messes most people up.
Rob faces what can only be described as an ethical dilemma. Which is unusual for him because he doesn't usually have ethics.
Rob talks about the second worst thing in the world: pitching a show the network doesn?t really want. The worst thing, of course, is pitching something they do.
Rob adds a laugh track to every single sentence he says.
Rob goes on a series of mini vacations, which sounds like dementia, but is in fact a way to get through a lot of stress at work.
Rob Long imitates assistants trying to schedule a meeting between their very two busy bosses, neither one of whom wants to be perceived as accommodating the other.
Rob skirts FCC decency regulations by referring to as many objectionable and dirty words as possible, just like on network television.
When everything's going well in your show business career it's because you don't understand what really bad thing is about to happen. Beware the invisible ninth planet.
