Anything Goes : Best advices, bad advices by Helen Beacham

Here are some best and bad advices some seasoned TV writers and producers have gotten over the years; something to think about when we write our specs: -"Do the show you want to do because in the end they're going to cancel you anyway.' - Ed Weinberger. -'Whatever you write, don't fake it. Find a way to mean it. Be fearless; don't think of the audience as 'the other'. You are the audience. Impress and entertain yourself.' - Barbara Hall. -'When we had just started 'ER', someone at the network/studio asked: Does there have to be so much medicine?' - Lydia Woodward. -"Get rid of Anthony Edwards. He's not a TV star!" This was from CBS after watching a pilot of mine. Six months later, Anthony was doing 'ER'. Meanwhile my show (with Tony's replacement) was canceled after five episodes.' - Dan O'Shannon. -'Regarding "Everybody Loves Raymond" The show should be 'hip and edgy'; less of that scary brother.' - Phil Rosenthal. -'An executive once said to me: When you take a comedy and remove the humor, what remains should still be funny.' - Al Jean. -