I've been looking back on my adventure in Hollywood, culling pages from my journal...
So, Warner Brothers liked my script, but it was decided to pass the script directly to Paul “Pee-Wee” Ruebens, who promptly got arrested in a Florida porn theater. From the time the story first broke on a Friday night (as my family & I were packing for a weekend getaway) until that Sunday night (when we came home), the details trickled out and they were not happiness-inducing.
It was reported that Ruebens exposed himself in a theater and was arrested. Then it turned out to be a porn theater (so that kinda made it okay, I guess..?). Several were arrested for indecent exposure. Paul Ruebens’ lawyer announced that Pee-Wee’s career is dead (some lawyer). A deputy was suspended for lending his friend Paul the money to bail himself out. He then denied exposing himself. CBS pulled Pee-Wee’s Playhouse from their line-up. Disney pulled a park video that featured Pee-Wee that showed at one of their attractions (We had seen that video only a few months earlier on our vacation). It was a mess.
Kevin finally calls. “I’m thinking rewrite,” he says, ever the jokester. “I’m thinking Soupy Sales, Uncle Floyd…” Kevin actually was taking this all in stride. I was so disappointed and bummed by this. Kevin had spoken to Bill or Joel. They’re thinking of taking the Flebber version out as a TV project. However, they are tied to Lorimar Productions, so they’d have to give them first look. And I’m not sure this is a Lorimar-type thing (John-Boy Saves Christmas?).
Kevin now wants the “Magic” script bad.
I tried to look at it positively; we had a wonderful vacation and Wildwood, NJ weekend, thanks to the Pee-Wee money. I had paid off my car loan. I just assumed Ruebens never actually read the script (“I’d hate to think he did and I drove him to it”). I wrote in my journal that Disney must be filling in Pee-Wee’s footprints at their Grumman’s Chinese Theater in Orlando. All in all, what a zany turn of events! At least I had something new to distract me.
I was going to a “get acquainted” meeting for the “Where’s the Party?” show, with an actual production meeting the following day. This was exciting, right? I had mentioned “Party” here. And I was already shaping the Pee-Wee related events of the year into some kind of follow-up for my “Write Stuff” novel sequel (overly-optimistic on my part I must say now). Or maybe use it for a good sketch for “Where’s the Party?”
I tried to look at it positively; we had a wonderful vacation and Wildwood, NJ weekend, thanks to the Pee-Wee money. I had paid off my car loan. I just assumed Ruebens never actually read the script (“I’d hate to think he did and I drove him to it”). I wrote in my journal that Disney must be filling in Pee-Wee’s footprints at their Grumman’s Chinese Theater in Orlando. All in all, what a zany turn of events! At least I had something new to distract me.
I was going to a “get acquainted” meeting for the “Where’s the Party?” show, with an actual production meeting the following day. This was exciting, right? I had mentioned “Party” here. And I was already shaping the Pee-Wee related events of the year into some kind of follow-up for my “Write Stuff” novel sequel (overly-optimistic on my part I must say now). Or maybe use it for a good sketch for “Where’s the Party?”
Days passed without word from LA, unsurprisingly. We had now started work on “Where’s the Party” and that was something. For lack of anything else to write about, I expanded the scope of my journal to include this new writing adventure. The first meeting was only the novices, but we were excited. We finally found out how much we’d be getting paid; not much, but if was picked up various minimums would kick in retroactively. I had started pulling out and re-working some of my older sketches. Hey, for this money, I wasn’t going to start churning out fresh material!
I came up with about 25 pages of material, adapting it to the format of the show: “Where’s the Party?” was a talk/variety show. The premise was we were at the swanky penthouse apartment of a rich guy who hosted a swell party every night. There was an A Cappella group (instead of a band), a company of players who would play various party guests that would segue into bits, celebrities would be brought it. Weird talent. We would cut to a guy watching TV if we needed to do a video sketch outside the confines of the penthouse. It really was a fun, flexible format, filled with music, comedy and stunts. Other ABC pilot programs were getting full week try-outs in New Haven, but they were more traditional talk show style (I remember Joy Behar was there the week before us). We were only getting a two-night run.
I came up with about 25 pages of material, adapting it to the format of the show: “Where’s the Party?” was a talk/variety show. The premise was we were at the swanky penthouse apartment of a rich guy who hosted a swell party every night. There was an A Cappella group (instead of a band), a company of players who would play various party guests that would segue into bits, celebrities would be brought it. Weird talent. We would cut to a guy watching TV if we needed to do a video sketch outside the confines of the penthouse. It really was a fun, flexible format, filled with music, comedy and stunts. Other ABC pilot programs were getting full week try-outs in New Haven, but they were more traditional talk show style (I remember Joy Behar was there the week before us). We were only getting a two-night run.
Technical update; I note my Atari word processor conked out on me, so I was using the work PC to prep the party material.
Work on “Magic” was at a standstill.
I was still working to get Style Without Substance to tape a show on our local public access channel.
There was busy work. There was work. There was hope.
Work on “Magic” was at a standstill.
I was still working to get Style Without Substance to tape a show on our local public access channel.
There was busy work. There was work. There was hope.
