"I'd been hoping to shadow a writer for a show on a major network, [and] I was looking for some hands-on experience to round out a rather theoretical film school education, and hoped to gain some as an intern on [his] show," writes Andrea Janes in the N.Y. Press's film issue. But this writer would come running onto set screaming, 'There's no Diet Coke in the fridge! Hello!? Interns!' That's when I questioned what I was getting into by entering this field. I wanted to pay my dues to figure out the industry, but on this particular show, interns' primary duties consisted of sorting the mail and stocking the fridge." There is nothing more tedious than an intelligent younger person looking to gain a foothold by interning who doesn't get it and and in fact gets all surly and offended when people expect him/her to do drone-work. People who get it -- who don't have any problem with shit work because they know the truth of Jean Anouilh's words in Becket, which is that "honor lies in the man, my prince, not in the towel" -- are always the ones who move up. Interns have to be bushy-tailed, period. That's the job. And if they aren't...sack 'em!

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on June 8, 2006 at 8:44 AM

comment #1

christian says ...

So it's cool if some hack TV writer gets to act like J.Lo deprived of Diet Coke? The fevered egos of Hollywood won't go away, but nobody has to kowtow to them. What did one writer say to the bully producer when said producer screamed, "Look at my credits! What have you got?"

"Self respect" said the writer on his way out.

Posted by christian at June 8, 2006 9:45 AM

comment #2

jesse says ...

Jeff, there is a difference between drone work and bullshit work that's all about the "higher-up" letting you know you're worthless. Sorting mail, boring clerical stuff -- that's drone work, but it needs to be done, and you move on. That's not the same as jerkoffs screaming about Diet Coke.

I've interned at a couple of places and did a lot of drone work -- and some bullshit work, too -- but the people in charge were always gracious and sensible if they were asking me to say, go get them some coffee. You don't have to romanticize assholes to "get it."

Posted by jesse at June 8, 2006 9:53 AM

comment #3

Anonymous says ...

You're wrong, Jeff. Interns who quit in the face of diva talent (unless it's say, Martin Scorsese, or Darren Aronofsky, or Werner Herzog) are not necessarily brats. Especially if they're tough people with too much dignity to take shit and they intend to make their play outside the system.

Interns who quit in the face of diva talent and then write whiny NY Press articles about it, however, are probably brats.

Posted by Anonymous at June 8, 2006 9:55 AM

comment #4

Andrew says ...

Another entitled little brat who couldn't hack it. There are far worse gigs than making sure a fridge is stacked with diet coke -- and most of the successful people in this town have had them.

Posted by Andrew at June 8, 2006 10:38 AM

comment #5