Comments on: Okay. Here it is. My big comment on Mr. Letterman.

By: SusanM

SusanM — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:09:54 +0000

Is HE the one who started sniglits?
I loved those!
“Rove alert” is one I’ve never forgotten.

By: Merrill Markoe

Merrill Markoe — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:40:28 +0000

Dear Erin:
Okay—Then consider yourself encouraged.
That said, writing is a tough way to earn a living. Its not easy no matter what form of writing you pick. for millions of reasons. Ultimately the only way to remain encouraged is to encourage yourself, I’m afraid. You have to really want to write to make any head way. Not only is it the least fun of the various art forms (because it is inconveniently positioned on the wrong side of the brain and falls in with math and homework instead of music and art) but it can be a mine field of politics and criticism and marketplace ephemera. It is very easy for almost every writer to get discouraged. And I hear that not just from women who have been working as writers for many years but men too. Its a difficult field (except if you’re Stephanie Meyer.)
Still, if you have stuff you want to say and you think you’re good at it….WRITE! Because even worse than the problems that come from writing are the ones that come from wanting to write and never getting around to it.( like ulcers, migraines, rashes, asthma) So do it. One step and at a time. And see where it leads you. Meanwhile, as you move forward remember this one crucial thing: no matter what you are thinking of writing, no matter the form or the content, don’t forget to add vampires.
Good luck.

By: Erin

Erin — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:59:50 +0000

Hello Merrill,

I searched for your name and found my way to your blog today after reading an article on VanityFair.com. It’s written by a woman named Nell Scovell. It’s a fascinating description of rampant sexism in the late night talk show industry. I couldn’t help but wonder about your take on her story.

I have been an ardent fan of yours since high school. At the risk of sounding corny, I read “What the Dogs Have Taught Me” at an age when I really needed to hear a strong, intelligent female voice, and it changed the course of my life. This was right around the time that David Letterman was moving to CBS. I remember noticing that his audiences no longer seemed to laugh, they would usually offer applause instead. Sad, but probably fair, due to the fact that he was only truly funny in his early years with you as his head writer. I hope you will speak out on behalf of women on their way up. We can all use some encouragement.

By: Kevin Coles

Kevin Coles — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:39:24 +0000

Did Letterman make his girlfriends dress like boys or men (?) because he is borderline gay? Holly Hester, Regina Lasko, Steph. Birkett all sorta look like Regis in a wig. Regis said Letterman is always asking him to visit him at his Montana ranch. Maybe he wants to get him alone in his bunkhouse. Or is he just scared of a real woman in a skirt? Like you.

By: Merrill Markoe

Merrill Markoe — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:56:17 +0000

Aw. Thanks. That’s sweet.
PS.
I’m not really in any pain.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:48:17 +0000

I hope that this press coverage reminds people (with money in hand) that there is a very funny woman named Merrill who should be writing more comedy. Emotional pain and suffering rarely translate into lucrative offers. I hope in your case that the publicity pays for at least some of the pain. Love your humor and would like to see more of it.

By: Vir Gules

Vir Gules — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:58:45 +0000

Huh? Whose Dave? I was at Zappos and clicked on a link to fashionable rain gear….

By: Merrill Markoe

Merrill Markoe — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:12:04 +0000

Randy Cohen is pretty brilliant. In addition to be a darned good ethicist, he was the creator of the Monkey Cam. Not many men can claim a double header like that . AND he wrote an amazing play last year. He’s an impressive guy.

By: Tony

Tony — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:55:28 +0000

I know you’ve moved on but I am arriving fashionably late to this discussion. Your friend Randy Cohen published the best discussion of the Letterman extortion/potentially hostile workplace controversy that I’ve read so far. His perspective is particularly interesting because he was a writer for Letterman’s NBC show before becoming Mr. Ethicist for the NYTimes magazine. He quotes you in his article, and your pithy quote strikes me as the haiku (or I guess, the senryu) equivalent of his column.

Randy Cohen’s column from Oct 12:
http://ethicist.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/who-is-letterman-hurting/

By: Merrill Markoe

Merrill Markoe — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:23:32 +0000

Dear Carole Ann:
The collection of my essays that is still available is called WHAT THE DOGS TAUGHT ME and can be purchased on Amazon for mere pennies a serving. It contains the best of everything from previous volumes plus new stuff. Unfortunately that story about the Emmies of which you speak was in one of two previous volumes that no longer exist (but can be purchased on Amazon for…well, I think they actually pay YOU to buy them.) So, its a win win situation.Kinda.
Thanks for writing.