Another post from Maud Newton triggered a memory for us. Back when we were young and innocent and temping, we ended up working for a Big Name Hollywood Producer. In addition to such chores as cutting up radishes to float in a bowl of ice water should he get hungry (we believe he was supposed to be eating healthy or something — he never touched the radishes we carefully cut each morning) and carrying the shoes fresh off his feet out to the shoeshine dude, we were also supposed to all manner of administrative tasks. We were not good at this.
One morning BNHP walked in and handed us a clip from that week’s Los Angeles Times Book Review and instructed us to obtain a copy of the book mentioned. Sure. No problem. We are somewhat ashamed to admit we never followed through on our assigned task as we had no inkling of how one obtained a book not yet in print. We still feel a bit guilty about our failure as we do possess a fine work ethic. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a job we particularly wanted to keep, so perhaps we didn’t give it one hundred percent.
BNHP went on to head a motion picture studio. We think he was fired in the traditional Hollywood manner: he resigned and entered into a producing deal with the same studio. Hopefully our failure didn’t affect his ability to make fine films.
1 response so far ↓
Sarah // Jul 28, 2004 at 6:40 pm
Can’t believe I missed this post from Maud till now but….the “vultures” were alive and well in New York, too. Didn’t see them frequently in my bookselling days, but enough times to take notice and of course, make suggestions when asked to do so! No clue if any of the books I mentioned got to the option stage, but it was fun to play along.