MONK writer/producer/director David Breckman and I arrived in Owensboro, Kentucky today for the International Mystery Writers Festival. Everybody has treated us wonderfully but I've only been here a few hours and already have an anecdote to share (or, as David said afterward, "as it was happening, I knew I was living an anecdote that I would be telling for years."). After a screening of MONK clips on a giant, outdoor screen, a fan came up to us with his family and asked us to signed his set of MONK dvds.
"I just knew Monk was written by Jews," the fan said.
"Excuse me?" David said.
"Breckman, Goldberg, you're Jews," he said. "Monk is so Jewish. Jews write the best stuff in Hollywood. All the greatest entertainment comes from Jews. Star Trek was created by a Jew. We just love what you Jews do."
The man obviously meant well and to compliment our work, and he was nervous, so we didn't take offense. David signed the box: David Breckman, a grateful Jew.
David is a super busy Jew these days. In addition to his MONK works, he's also got pilots at USA and NBC. He'll also be writing, casting, shooting and screening a ten minute mystery between now and Sunday. It will be done entirely with local actors and aspiring film-makers, so it should be a lot of fun. Jews are so talented.
Sounds like a lot of great fun. Every nationality has its moments. When I was in Mexico teaching English, I told the students I was from Canada. They didn’t know where Canada was! Some of them had never even heard of it. We define the word, “bland.” But we seldom, if ever, oppose anybody. So I bought one of those pocket calendars that have a map of the world and showed them where Canada is. They were amazed that there was a country north of los estados unidos. You have to love the things people honestly come up with or you’d despair!
Welcome Back to Owensboro! I promise we are not all crazy.
You know the old saying: if two Gentiles talk to each other, it’s a conversation. Two Jews and it’s a conspiracy.
There’s a school of thought that we says we Scots are descended from the Lost Tribe of Israel.
Maybe that’s why I write Westerns nice.
Joe West
You’re in Kentucky?! Makes me want to drive up to Owensboro to meet you – how exciting would that be?! 🙂 Well, ok, maybe more for me than you. And I wouldn’t even make any odd Jewish comments (on the other hand, people who provide killer anecdote material are pretty valuable…). kim
I wonder how this person would explain Madonna?
I miss not being able to go to Owensboro this year.
Oh god, Lee. That’s made me laff!!
Priceless.
Keep up the good work, you talented Jews, you!
Big hugs from the UK.
Jane, London.
It might be an odd way of phrasing it, but is the general concept laughable?
Lee has written before on how the approach taken by German shows is different to US shows .. surely it is possible that there is a similar (but less significant) cultural influence on Jewish writing?
An excellent discussion is here: http://www.velveteenrabbi.com/JewishLiterature.pdf
But, yes, the original statement does sound absurd. I’m not sure it really is absurd.
Mac
I’m curious–you wrote a Monk novel about Sharona re-entering his life. Now it has been announced Bitty Schram will do an episode during the final season of the show.
When you write the book was it thought unlikely Schram would make a return visit on the show? What relation will the novel have to whatever story the episode does? Is it a worry when you do a book series for a show in production that subsequent episodes may contain events etc. that contradict your books?