I was a Story Editor on MASH and was invited to speak to a sitcom writing class at UCLA along with my friend Larry, who at the time was a Story Editor on RHODA. We talked about how to break into the business – the importance of writing great spec scripts. Do’s and don’ts.
We stressed the need for hard work, really studying the shows, setting high standards for yourself. That was the path to a script assignment for one of our shows.
A friend of mine was in the class and overheard the following:
Two coeds talking. Near the end of our discussion one turned to the other.
COED #1: So what do you think, Ken or Larry?
COED #2 (after some consideration): I’ll fuck Larry. I’d rather get a RHODA.
Postscript: Neither of us got lucky that night. And she never got a RHODA. But it was nice to know the students really were taking our career advice seriously.