Is There a Show in That?

For KCRW, this is Rob Long with Martini Shot. People often ask me how you come up with a television show. But they don-t really want to know. When they find out what I do for a living, they say, "hey, how do you come up with an idea for a TV show?" but that-s just a prelude to saying, "You know what would be a good sit-com? My life, I-m telling you!" and then they tell me, in exhaustive detail, just how exactly their life and workplace, and children, and recent experiences are just so funny and basically a total sitcom, which is why these days, when people ask me what I do for a living, I say, "I-m a merchant banker." As so far, no one has ever followed that up by saying, "hey, do you know what would be a good merchant banking 'thing.'"

But for the record, here-s what we do: my partner and I sit in our office and stare out the window in silence. Each one of us silently hopes that the other will either throw out a brilliant idea for a show, or better still, begin an off-topic conversation. Then, we can chat aimlessly for a little bit, until the one who started the off-topic conversation says something like "I-m bought a new shirt this weekend," or "There-s a new Italian restaurant in Santa Monica," or "I-m getting another cup of coffee," at which point the one who didn-t start the off-topic conversation can say, bitterly, "Is there a show in that?"

Every now and then, our agent calls to find out what we-ve got. MY AGENT (V.O.)

So? Anything?

That-s it for this week. Next week, we-ll close a deal.

For KCRW, this is Rob Long with Martini Shot.