The Closer

Doesn't play well with others.

In my case - it's doesn't play well with authority figures.

I blame it all on missionary school. And my dad. Not that I don't get along with him - I get along with him fine. Too well. But watching him with authority figures makes me see how I became what I am.

When people say things like you should only get into this business because you can't do anything else - they are talking about me. Sure - I could fake my way into an organization and pretend for a couple months I was doing OK - but then one day my big mouth would open and that would be the end of it.

Why the heck do you think I'm banished to China?

I do fine as a director. Directors are supposed to be asses.

And the people who work for me generally really like me. I think. They say. As they cower in the corner like a dog that's been beat too much...

But the people above me are more than willing to save the ship from going down by tossing the offending Jonah into the belly of the whale.

Jonah in this case being me.

When I worked at Discovery - I had an argument with my exec producer in the edit suite over a cut in my show. He wanted it changed - and I told him -

"Fine. Change it. But just realize that we're changing it because you're the boss - not because the cut is better."

At which point he kicked me out the suite.

When I got hired on a certain series - I was given tapes of the show before I came in for the interview. The Exec called me in and told me he didn't think I could run the show. He had seen my reel and to be honest - he wasn't impressed.

I sat for a second - wondering why the heck he called me in for the job - and then told him it was probably for the best - since I watched the tapes of his show and thought it was a crappy show anyways - so it would save both of us time.

He yelled and me and kicked me out of his office.

(Only to call me later and offer me the series. How could I say no?)

Another executive producer who I shot a lot of commercials for took to calling me the "big middle finger" because of how I would react to his idiotic notes.

So when I'm in China and stuck with hours of time that I'm trying to avoid writing - I watch TV series.

I just finished Season One of the Closer.

Decent show. Not very realistic - but some really great characters and good writing.

Season finale is all about the lead character getting called to task for the way she treats others. There is an internal affairs complaint against her. Her Boss tells her it will all go away if she meet with the three people she offended and apologizes.

She agrees.

And proceeds to tell them she is sorry that she had to call attention to what a horrible job each of them are doing and she is sorry that she can't put up with their incompetence.

And then she walks.

Sigh.

The big middle finger has a new hero.