April 28, 2024
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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?
So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.
And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.
There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.
I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.
So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.
But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”
My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher
“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.
~ David Simon
What are her education credentials? Just curious. In the fight over education reform (I live in NJ where it’s very nasty and the moron in the governor’s office never misses a chance to bash public school teachers), I have found that most if not all critics have never set foot in a classroom and have very little knowledge of the daily operations in a school. It is extremely easy to criticize public schools and unions are easy targets (Waiting for Superman appears to demonstrate this), but calls for more privatization and merit pay are foolish and misguided. She seems intelligent and well-meaning, and I’d like to see the movie. And yes the achievement gap is a serious, vital issue, so shedding light on that is positive.
Also, as a former member of a teacher’s union and a school’s union representative, teachers care about way more than just keeping their job. It is incredibly insulting and completely inaccurate to suggest that what teachers care most about is keeping their job. The vast majority of teachers I worked with, myself included, cared most about the students and how we could be the best teachers possible. We cared about our resources (or lack thereof). Like I said, most critics of teachers unions and teachers really have no idea what they’re talking about.
.,,and of roughly two dozen people I’ve known since college who went onto become teachers, about four did it as a first option.
Proving what exactly? The dozens of people I was in ed school with all did it as a first option.
I have worked as a teacher, both in public schools and at a charter school. And, yes, there are LOTS of teachers who have the best interest for their students as their number one priority. But there are also those who don’t and, in my experience, it was easier to find those at public schools where jobs are guarenteed.
I think there is nothing wrong with providing parents in lower-income areas with school choice. But personal opinions aside, I was able to see The Lottery, and enjoyed it very much. It didn’t seem agenda driven, and mostly tells a beautiful story about four families.
There are always exceptions Steve, in any profession. The vast majority of teachers are there because they want to be there and have the best interests of the students as their number one priority.
Many school choice programs are failures. How do you ensure their success? What does a successful school choice program look like?
I wish I knew. I don’t think anyone knows definitively. I don’t live in New York, but it appears that Harlem Success Academy is successful.
The achievement gap is currently a problem, and I think it is worth trying different ways to fix it. In The Lottery, I enjoyed seeing one such attempt-one that is successful and might provide a blueprint for others to be successful.
Mostly I liked that The Lottery reminded me why I got into teaching. Because of students and families.
Oh no doubt the achievement gap is disconcerting and an extremely important issue. My experience teaching in charter schools is extremely negative and I do not believe they are a solution. Many studies back that up.
I don’t think anyone thinks there is “a solution.” There are many solutions, and we should focus on what’s working. Most students in Harlem aren’t at grade level, so that’s not working. Most students at the school in The Lottery are at grade level, so that’s better. How does your negative experience negate the fact that that school is good?
But anyway, no one can argue that schools in poor neighborhoods AREN’T working, and that is just wrong. Parents want something better – you can see that in the movie.
Also, Paul, I think TEACHERS should also be able to choose what kind of a school they want to work in. Why should they only have one type of option? It’s better to have choices, whether you’re a teacher or a parent.
Sackler has really approached this issue in a strong and reputable manner.