TJ
10-29-2002, 12:18 AM
http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?28636
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - A former writer for The WB's comedy "Reba" is
suing the network and producer 20th Century Fox TV, claiming he was fired
because of his age.
Gary H. Miller, 54, worked on the show's first season last year and was let go before
the start of this season, about the same time that creator Allison Gibson was
replaced as showrunner by Kevin Abbott, a veteran of "Roseanne" and "Grace
Under Fire."
Miller, who's worked on "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air," "Boy Meets World" and
"Bosom Buddies" in his career, claims he was told the network was going with
"greener" writers. Miller says he was the only writer over 40 working on the series.
"This is another example of the TV industry's unlawful bias in favor of writers under the
age of 40," Miller's lawyer, Steve Sprenger, tells Reuters. "This policy is unfortunately
not new to the WB or 20th Century Fox."
The WB isn't commenting on the lawsuit.
The suit claims that writers over 50 make up just 2 percent of the writing staffs at The
WB and 20th Century Fox, even though a third of Writers Guild members are over 50.
It also says Miller was recommended for a co-executive producer position on "Reba,"
but the studio refused to consider him.
"Reba," somewhat ironically, focuses on the efforts of a middle-aged, divorced
woman (Reba McEntire) who tries to keep her dysfunctional family functioning. It's the
highest-rated comedy on The WB.
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - A former writer for The WB's comedy "Reba" is
suing the network and producer 20th Century Fox TV, claiming he was fired
because of his age.
Gary H. Miller, 54, worked on the show's first season last year and was let go before
the start of this season, about the same time that creator Allison Gibson was
replaced as showrunner by Kevin Abbott, a veteran of "Roseanne" and "Grace
Under Fire."
Miller, who's worked on "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air," "Boy Meets World" and
"Bosom Buddies" in his career, claims he was told the network was going with
"greener" writers. Miller says he was the only writer over 40 working on the series.
"This is another example of the TV industry's unlawful bias in favor of writers under the
age of 40," Miller's lawyer, Steve Sprenger, tells Reuters. "This policy is unfortunately
not new to the WB or 20th Century Fox."
The WB isn't commenting on the lawsuit.
The suit claims that writers over 50 make up just 2 percent of the writing staffs at The
WB and 20th Century Fox, even though a third of Writers Guild members are over 50.
It also says Miller was recommended for a co-executive producer position on "Reba,"
but the studio refused to consider him.
"Reba," somewhat ironically, focuses on the efforts of a middle-aged, divorced
woman (Reba McEntire) who tries to keep her dysfunctional family functioning. It's the
highest-rated comedy on The WB.