Blue Suited Penguins

The Leonard Lopate Show on WNYC from WNYC Studios, NY

I didn't get enough sleep last night. Therefore, today's post will be brief and lazy:

Ok, so anyone else on the internets catch this apparent leaked memo from David Mamet to the writing staff of The Unit?

Whether or not the leak is authentic or not, it's a brilliant piece of writing as far as "High and Low Brow" culture goes. On the one hand, it's filled with insightful playwright gems such as "THINK LIKE A FILMMAKER RATHER THAN A FUNCTIONARY, BECAUSE, IN TRUTH, YOU ARE MAKING THE FILM. WHAT YOU WRITE, THEY WILL SHOOT."

On the other hand, you've got hilarious belligerent tirades such as:

"DO NOT WRITE A CROCK OF SHIT. WRITE A RIPPING THREE, FOUR, SEVEN MINUTE SCENE WHICH MOVES THE STORY ALONG, AND YOU CAN, VERY SOON, BUY A HOUSE IN BEL AIR AND HIRE SOMEONE TO LIVE THERE FOR YOU."

And:

"ANY DICKHEAD, AS ABOVE, CAN WRITE, “BUT, JIM, IF WE DON’T ASSASSINATE THE PRIME MINISTER IN THE NEXT SCENE, ALL EUROPE WILL BE ENGULFED IN FLAME”

Also, apparently Mamet types with the punctuation of a 13 year girl browsing AOL 4.0 circa 1997. Who knew?

That being said, I think we could all learn a thing or two from his belligerent rants.

Be well.

Kenny