Monday, February 6, 2012

You have to be humble.


So I had a Super Bowl party. It was really a Super Bowl dinner party and I didn't have the usual hot dogs and beer. I made a huge pork roast and whipped califlower and rice balls and a big salad. I invited our executive producer and show runner Scott as well as our agent. It seems like a real Hollywood thing.

But I also invited the little girl who is the PA. She is the production assistant. Actually she is our assitant. The talent assistant. I send her for coffee. And to pick up my dry cleaning. She arranges our lunches. That's her job. I used to do that but I am too busy on camera and stuff. So she has to do it. I invited her and when she got there I said "Maggie you are not going to do a fucking thing. Today I server you. So sit down and have a glass of wine and enjoy yourself." And she did.

You see you have to watch out for the people who work for you. You can never forget them and you have to make sure that you do the right thing. That is what a working man does. Big shot Hollywood types are all well and good but if you take of the little people I think things will work out right. Just sayn'

23 comments:

blake said...

The thing is, we're all little people.

AllenS said...

Would you please get me my slippers?

TerriW said...

I'm really looking forward to your show.

When I was reading Sacred Ginmill, I kept on having this tickle in the back of my head that the style of storytelling was familiar, and I realized, hey, it's just like kicking back and reading a long form hardboiled version of Remembrance of Things Pabst. You can really tell an entertaining story in a short amount of time -- I hope it captures nicely in little vignettes in the show.

Trooper York said...

Not only will I get your slippers AllenS but I won't delete you. Just sayn'

Trooper York said...

Terri you couldn't have given me a bigger compliment than comparing me to the master Lawrence Block. I could only wish to be as entertaining as he is.

The only downside to going private is that people like Lawrence Block and SM Stirling can't comment.

ricpic said...

I actually like to serve others. Well, not on a regular basis, but occasionally it's nice to run around and take care of the seated. In fact I've often wondered what goes on inside someone whose nose is put out of joint if he/she has to do some picking up after others or making others comfortable. Is it all that discommoding to the ego?

Yes, I'm a saint. ;^)

chickelit said...

The only downside to going private is that people like Lawrence Block and SM Stirling can't comment.

Ah, but you have the satisfaction of knowing that he did comment here. Block even riffed on one of my lowly comments. How cool is that?

Michael Haz said...

I once worked for a man who in his previous career had been the Chief of Naval Operations. He had retired after that and joined the business world. He was the Vice-Chariman of the Borad of Directors of the company that I alos worked for.

My job was to give him daily briefings on our financials, product development, new business opprotunities, etc. I also accompanied him on trips to meet clients, visit our regional operations, etc. We spent a lot of time on airplanes.

I was a wet rookie, a guy in his early 30s. He tolerated me, adn was friendly, even. I once asked him about leadership and his response was not what I expected. I thought he'd be all about toughness (he was a tough man)and barking orders (he could bark), but it wasn't.

His advice was this: You lead by serving others, selflessly.

It was among the best adivce I ever recieved.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

It's good to be humble, Troopers words. It's a known fact that if those who serve you like you they will not spit in your soup.

So stay humble , respect those who work in the lower ranks. Also be nice to the low man on the totem plow because he may be supporting all the rest on top. A very democratic idea, no?

Lastly, kind people are a treasure.

Trooper York said...

Well you see I operate a litte differently than most people. I was standing outside with a big shot executive from BBC and the show runner and Maggie the PA.

Scott the show runner goes "Isn't Maggie great?" I go "Of course she is. She is like the retarded daughter I never had." They both doubled over in laughter and walked away shaking their heads. Later Scott tells me "You know that was kind of rough and you couldn't say that." I said "Sure whatever you say."

But I am going to do what I want. The kid knows I love and protect her. Shit I got her a heater for when she sits outside and nobody gave her a second thought as she was freezing her skinny ass off. Being a loudmouthed asshole got me a TV show and I ain't gonna change now.

ndspinelli said...

My family was in the restaurant biz. My dad got out but my uncle Dom continued the biz started by my grandfather before WW2. Uncle Dom taught me, "You never ask an employeee to do anything that they haven't see you do." That served me well in my biz.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Yes, but you are a kind sweet loudmouth asshole;) Don't ever change!

Anonymous said...

Has anyone heard of Flame Warriors? Check it out I bet we all can find who we identify with,maybe just a tiny bit.

Flame Warriors

"Strumpet finds sex talk completely irresistible and constantly forwards excruciatingly unfunny and lurid jokes to the discussion forum. She always manages to sprinkle conversations with references to private parts and will never let pass without comment any mention of the words "eat," "enter," "come," "rub," etc. She disregards the women and flirts with all the men, often bragging that she has a husband or boyfriend that expertly satisfies her putatively voracious sexual appetite, but forum members....er, participants...quickly conclude no husband or boyfriend exists. Should any Warrior challenge her directly Strumpet will disparage her attacker's sexual orientation and/or penis size. CAUTION: Strumpet may be a man."

blake said...

Heh. Uncanny. I know ALL those people.

I AM all those people!!!

Anonymous said...

More so on Althouse. It's much nicer here.

Trooper York said...

The thing about a blog is that you need to set a tone. If you set a tone where we can bust each others balls but still have a little respect for each other we can have a lot of fun.

Or we can be tight assed dictators who pretend to believe in free speech but want to treat everyone like pimple faced freshman who should tremble and kowtow to the great and almightly professor.

I know what I like. Just sayn'

Trooper York said...

Which is not to say it is not fun to do a drive by and firebomb a comments thread. It is when it starts to get personal then it fucks you up.

As Allie's favorite president Richard Nixon once said: "Always remember: others may hate you. But those who hate you don't win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself."

Allie can tell you that Tricky Dick iss always right. Just sayn'

Anonymous said...

Tricky Dick was a wise man.

MamaM said...

The Giants demonstrated poise and resolve in earning a hard-fought victory in Super Bowl XLVI...

...Arm in a sling but spirit unbowed, Ann Mara only wished she had seen Terry Bradshaw again Sunday night.

“I would have said, ‘wrong again,” the wife of late Giants’ owner Wellington Mara said inside a Super Bowl winning locker room."

"You have to laugh," Eli Manning said. "Mrs. Mara, you see her and you think, 'Sweet Mrs. Mara.' But she is obviously very passionate about Giants football and passionate about this team and involved and knows players. I like her attitude. I like the way she spoke her mind about something she cares deeply about."

Asked if he would ever cross Ann Mara, Manning said, "Never. Not Mrs. Mara. She's the boss."

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Has anyone heard of Flame Warriors?

Yup. That site has been around for some time now and has quite a bit of truth to it.


Shit I got her a heater for when she sits outside and nobody gave her a second thought as she was freezing her skinny ass off.


It's the little kindnesses that will get you BIG returns in the end. People won't forget that you thought about them and did them a favor without being asked or coerced.

chickelit said...

"Did somebody say 'Dickie Bird'?"