JUDD STRIKES BACK ^ Mark, ^ I truly don’t remember anything you are talking about. Jeff Kahn wrote The Grungies sketch, a parody where we did Seattle bands as The Monkey’s. I don’t remember you ever calling me after that saying you were mad. Ben and I would get fifty sketches a week from the writers and then we’d pick the one’s that we thought were funny. I never connected the two. Even now they don’t seem similar. Ours was a goofy over the top parody, not a situation comedy about musicians in LA. Nobody watched our show so I don’t see how that could be the reason your pilot died. That sketch aired once up against 60 Minutes, so it didn’t have any impact in town. I am sorry you are upset. I am not a thief of ideas. I’m sorry you believe differently. ^ – Judd Apatow ^ ^ ————————————————————
MARK MAKES A PLEA ^ Judd, ^ The show I wrote was also over the top and it let down the fourth wall. Since it’s registered at the WGA, you could compare the two. And as an Exec Producer, we both know you have input into every sketch. As for no one seeing the show everyone knows everything in Hollywood. There are no secrets. Personally, I feel you’ve made a career out of being a sycophant to Carrey or Shandling or Roseanne and when you weren’t kissing a*s, you were stealing from lesser known comics or leeching off other people’s ideas (Celtic Pride, Cable Guy). I noticed how outraged you were to not get a writing credit on Cable Guy until it came out and was panned. You dropped that cause like the showbiz weasel you are. You may not think you’re a thief but most comics know otherwise. And again, you know that too. Have you ever read “What Makes Sammy Run”? I think you’d like it. Get cancer. ^ Love, ^ Mark ^ ^ ————————————————————
REVENGE OF THE JUDD, I ^ Mark, ^ Come on, we all wrote for comics at the beginning of our careers. I wrote for Roseanne, you wrote for Dennis Miller. If that makes me a sycophant, then I guess I am. And so are the writers for Cæsar’s Hour. I dropped my Cable Guy law suit not because the film got bad reviews, but because I spent eighty grand on it and my lawyer told me I was going to lose. You would be upset if you re-wrote the vast majority of a script and received no credit. I wish you had called me about this years ago. I’m sure we could have worked it out. Try not to be so angry. Not everyone is as bad as you think.
You should call Jeff Kahn and ask him how that sketch originated. If it turned out that I didn’t steal your idea would you still want me to get cancer? I swear to God that I didn’t know you were mad about this. Until six weeks ago I was still referring to you as an old friend. Maybe one day I’ll be able to say that again. ^ Judd Apatow ^ ^ ————————————————————
CALL IN THE REINFORCEMENTS! ^ Mark, ^ It’s come to my attention that you are upset with Judd Apatow about the sketch, “The Grungies.” I completely understand why you would have been pissed off about seeing something similar to what you were working on at the time. However, the idea for, “The Grungies,” and all the initial writing and rewriting came from me. I also cast it, acted in it and edited it. I was and still am influenced by pop music and I thought it would be funny to satirize the seriousness of the Seattle grunge music scene with the ridiculous superficiality of “The Monkees” 1960s show. I hope that this clears up any misunderstanding.
By the way, I am a huge fan of “That 70’s Show.” Congratulations on its well deserved success. I also think it’s cool you set it in Wisconsin. I went to the University of Wisconsin at Madison and loved it. If you have any other questions don’t hesitate to E-mail me. ^ Jeff Kahn ^ ^ ————————————————————
Get the rest of the nastiness in part three of HOLLYWOOD & BILE>>>
