Studio 60 and plagiarism

I enjoy Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. I never watched Saturday Night Live, so there are surely some inside jokes and references that I don't get, but I don't miss them. I like the characters. And I'm really impressed at how non-Chandleresque Matthew Perry is.

This week's episode bothered me though. Left a sour taste. All because of one line, spoken by Danny (Bradley Whitford)...something like, "Now you've got my respect."

Why??? Because two guys refuse to admit which writer stole the material that they submitted.

It doesn't matter that eventually the copyright turned out to belong to the show after all. The writer didn't know that when he claimed to have written it, when he offered it for the show. He knew he was stealing; he knew he was risking his own reputation and livelihood; he knew he was putting the entire cast and crew, not to mention the network, in jeopardy. Yet without any regard for anyone else, he took the gamble because he was worried that he hadn't been producing enough funny lately.

So Danny respects that the guys who are covering up for him? Look, just because Congress thinks covering up is the appropriate and respectable response to knowledge of wrong-doing doesn't mean it is.

I used to like Danny. Now he just seems...sleazy.

posted by Schaz @ 10/12/2006 02:41:00 PM