Dan Harmon & Community: cast memo leaked
Following showrunner Dan Harmon’s exit from Community last week, NBC circulated a memo to the show’s cast, and we have it right here…
Titled “Community Message Points” (don’t you just love corporate-speak?), a list of suggestions of how to deal with the inevitable onslaught of questions about Dan Harmon’s inauspicious exit from Community (he got fired, read about it, here) has been circulated to the show’s cast.
TV-land being what it is, the leaked memo has popped up online via The Hollywood Reporter, so it's with thanks to them that we have the full text below:
“Team Community:
With last night's news of David Guarascio and Moses Port as new showrunners/EPs on "Community" running in the press, and since we know that cast members have interviews coming up this week, I wanted to forward some messaging we hope our cast will find helpful as they navigate questions that will undoubtedly come up. I know that David and Moses are reaching out to them all directly but I've also heard from some of the actors that they'd like some guidance on the topic.
I saw some of the tweets that went out and were glad they all addressed their own sentiments quickly, and we're hoping that the news will lose some steam over the next day, especially if we're not perpetuating the topic in any way
We're tracking the coverage and conversation and will circle back if we feel the need to re-shift our plan or messaging. Please let me know if you have questions.
Why did Dan get let go from the show?
We're not made aware of why staffing changes take place but I will always be grateful to Dan for his great work on the show and wish him only the best. We're also excited that we'll be back on NBC's schedule in the fall and are looking forward to working on those episodes.
Were you aware that Dan was going to be let go?
No, that's not something we're consulted on. I'm sad to see him go but I am looking forward to starting our next 13 episodes of "Community."
Did the studio or network consult with you about these changes?
No they didn't but we're looking forward to working with David Guarascio & Moses Port on a new season of Community.
What are their plans for the new season?
It's a little early to say at this point but we're looking forward the stories our characters will find themselves in come Sept.”
Our favourite bit? The somewhat sinister reference to NBC “…tracking the coverage and conversation” and being prepped to “circle back if we feel the need to re-shift our plan or messaging”. Teensy bit of a threat there, wouldn’t you say?
The game for next week’s official cast interviews will be playing “leaked memo bingo”, and ticking off each of these pat answers as we hear them. Who’s playing?
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Very creepy, the penguins are on full damage control alert,
"We're watching You" followed by variations of.
"Dan's gone. BUT WE DON"T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT NOW."
It would make me happy if all the cast members answered all interview questions with one of the answers above, verbatim. All questions, even if the answer doesn't really make sense. Like the Ed Milliband interview where he gave exactly the same answer over and over again to a series of questions.
I'd like to see NBC re-shift that.
Sounds like a cover up.
"Something hideous has gone wrong, we've made a really stupid management mistake in the spur of the moment without thinking through the consequences, it will affect everyone- But its time to draw a line over the past and look forward to a bright new future filled with roses."
Darn that sounds familiar, our top management speak like that all the time, when events overtake them and they don't want to let slip they haven't a clue what to do.
That would be great! However I suspect that the actors are mainly just shills anyway, despite their great performances, and won't do anything to rock the boat publicly.
They'll do their final episodes and move on. Maybe after that we'll get some true reaction.
It truly is a sad end for Community. It's also a very cynical one. Everyone was so fired up for another season of Community but I suspect that NBC didn't want the negative publicity of cancelling it outright so they have manufactured a situation where by the creator/showrunner has been disposed of and the cast are made to look like corporate stooges. Right now I really couldn't care less if they pulled the plug.
Wow! That kind of spin is worthy of the Government!
If it were just about publicity I don't think It would matter to NBC to pull the plug. I think they know they have something special and are desperate to see if they can broaden it's appeal.
(To the kind of people who click Dislike when they don't understand something)
But if they are maneuvering it into the Big Bang Theory realm. Then yes. a definite DNR
So the general narrative they are forced to present is: don't even talk about it, don't even mention it, just be happy you're getting a fourth season.
They're really trying to skip over this. I haven't read any official statements. They're pretending none of this ever happened.
Look forward to new episodes. Look forward to new episodes. Look forward to new episodes.
It's the mantra that they're selling us now. Now I know I won't half enjoy it as much as the first three seasons. They ended on a great note. And if season 4 tanks I can pay them back in kind and pretend those new episodes don't exist!
"
We're tracking the coverage and conversation and will circle back if we feel the need to re-shift our plan" This sounds like 'if we find out no-one is going to watch the show because Harmon is gone, we might invite him back.'
Also, I love the fact that this is in quotemarks "I am looking forward to starting our next 13 episodes of "Community."" It just makes me think that even they know it's not really Community without Dan Harmon.
So, I'm really hoping they are paying attention. BRING HARMON BACK.
"I definitely did not see Captain Blackadder eat this delicious, plump-breasted pigeon"
So...they're all "looking forward" then?
Glad they reiterated that in every single answer.
I don't think they expected the amount of very vocal backlash by the press and fans concerning Harmon's shitcanning. I know it won't bring Harmon back, but I'm still going to be as obnoxious as I can in as public a way as I can about how Sony can eat a bag of dicks.
So basically "Denial, spiel about the new season"? Disgusting.
But then again it's a piece of paper telling the actors how to spin the executives decision, of course it's going to be manipulative BS.
That's what I was thinking. Execs and politicians are the same: they got where they are because of people (either buying their product or voting for them, respectively), but then completely lose touch with everything once they have power.
Hopefully the quirkiness found in some of last season's episodes remains. I really enjoyed the originality of the Ken Burns type documentary, and the Pierce inheritance video game contest.
That sort of "spin" is purposely ambiguous and skirts the real issues being questioned. Oh well. I guess that they could always get a job with the Obama Administration.
Here's some "messaging" for the communications genius who wrote this: A) You can't "re-shift." You shift and then, realizing you completely screwed up, shift again. That's the point of shifting, dummy. B) "I saw some of the tweet and were glad..." Try "I was glad." Surely University of Orlando covered this. C) "...they all addressed their own sentiments quickly." What the crap are you talking about? Whose sentiments would they "address quickly" other than their own? This is barely a cogent thought. You might consider "reaching out" to your brain and "circling back" to "Team Earth" when you figure out what you are doing writing highly vulnerable memos filled with idiot speak. Way to control the situation!
Speckled Jim! Nooo!
*facepalm*
They know it's toe the line or piss off. Especially with the implied threat. But yeah, it would be awesome if they just gave that response over & over in a flat robotic voice.
Since you want to run into political territory, I'm sure you really meant to say a potential Romney administration. Because Romney certainly had fun *avoiding* answering a direct question on how his time at Bain in any way qualifies him to be President. Six times in one interview, not one answer.
No, I meant the OBAMA Administration. Obama and his crooked cronies are exactly the ones that I was speaking of. Thanks!
And I gave you a very specific example of Romney doing *exactly* what you accuse the Obama administration of doing. If you'd like to continue spewing political bile on entertainment pages and not learn the lesson, you're going to have a very rough life. Or an ulcer. Either way, lighten up.
"Lighten up?" LOL!
Obama is the most blatant example of Chicago-style machine politics in the history of the modern presidency! The man hires his friends -- no matter how unqualified, undignified or corrupt that they are. How many of his appointees were buddies...or failed to pay their own taxes (while calling for others to pay theirs)?
Yeah...I am quite "light" -- in the sense that my eyes are open and I am "enlightened."
You can mock and attack Mitt Romney all you want -- but it is a terrible defense of the most corrupt presidency in U.S. history.