Another Question From Chris Mann's Book

[janet42]

I am not sure if anyone could answer this or not, but I am just curious. Joyce Dewitt said in the book the prorducers were sometime unwilling to listen to her ideas because she was a woman and she felt that she wasn't always taken seriously. In the 2nd season she told John Ritter that she wasn't being listened to and would he tell the Producers her ideas. When John Ritter was asked about this he said that "Joyce sometimes had great ideas, but sometimes the way she expressed them made her seem bossy." and "Joyce did have a way of expressing herself that might have ticked people off. Sometimes she was diplomatic, and sometimes she wasn't."

If that is the case, why didn't John Ritter tell Joyce that when Joyce asked him give her ideas to the Producers?

[vtunie]

Originally Posted by janet42

I am not sure if anyone could answer this or not, but I am just curious. Joyce Dewitt said in the book the prorducers were sometime unwilling to listen to her ideas because she was a woman and she felt that she wasn't always taken seriously. In the 2nd season she told John Ritter that she wasn't being listened to and would he tell the Producers her ideas. When John Ritter was asked about this he said that "Joyce sometimes had great ideas, but sometimes the way she expressed them made her seem bossy." and "Joyce did have a way of expressing herself that might have ticked people off. Sometimes she was diplomatic, and sometimes she wasn't."

If that is the case, why didn't John Ritter tell Joyce that when Joyce asked him give her ideas to the Producers?

As I understood Mann, that's exactly how it worked. If so, DeWitt probably resented her ideas having to go through Ritter to be accepted by the producers.

[vtunie]

Hmm, I was totally off base above. The key quotes to add are:

DeWitt, about channelling her ideas through Ritter:
"...I spoke privately to John and told him I felt I wasn't being listened to... suggested I privately tell him my ideas and that that he speak them out ... as if they were his, with no reference to me whatsoever. And, of course, only if he absolutely agreed with them... At the time ... he mentioned nothing to me about my 'tone' or 'attitude' and in fact told me I was 'nuts'..."

Ross as the producer, on DeWitt: "...She went off on tangents somehow... we never knew what she was thinking, or what she would say next."

So, yes, it seems there really were difficulties of communication all around.

The enduring impression is that the show was really run very much top down -- except that John Ritter was the producer's favorite in all respects. Of course, that's one thing Somers and DeWitt agree on completely.

I really do wonder if Nicholl, Ross and West were fully aware of what they were creating (all art contains more than the authors intended). If the show is just slapstick, farce, and cheerful nonsense, then it's all about Jack; and no surprise, then, that Ritter was listened to more than anyone else. But if there's something, er, touchingly true about Apartment 201 -- true and yet, without preaching, so lightly presented -- whatever depth the set-up may have, once the Ropers depart -- that's impossible, I think, from the character of Janet, and the way DeWitt was able to project her.

All the quibbles aside, though, they all say working on the show was great fun, most of the time. And really, that is what comes through on the screen at the end.

[Buffyboy323]

Originally Posted by vtunie

DeWitt, about channelling her ideas through Ritter:
"...I spoke privately to John and told him I felt I wasn't being listened to... suggested I privately tell him my ideas and that that he speak them out ... as if they were his, with no reference to me whatsoever. And, of course, only if he absolutely agreed with them... At the time ... he mentioned nothing to me about my 'tone' or 'attitude' and in fact told me I was 'nuts'..."

Ross as the producer, on DeWitt: "...She went off on tangents somehow... we never knew what she was thinking, or what she would say next."

So, yes, it seems there really were difficulties of communication all around.

So then, there were times when Joyce was a little bitchy on the set? I wonder why Chris Mann didn't show this in his movie. Maybe because Joyce was part of the film...?

[vtunie]

Originally Posted by Buffyboy323

So then, there were times when Joyce was a little bitchy on the set? I wonder why Chris Mann didn't show this in his movie. Maybe because Joyce was part of the film...?

I think she comes across, in Mann's book, as being utterly straightforward.

I don't think it was Mann's movie, though: he felt completely betrayed by the whole thing. See http://www.sitcomsonline.com/jacksbistro/chrismann.html .

[janet42]

Originally Posted by vtunie

I think she comes across, in Mann's book, as being utterly straightforward.

I don't think it was Mann's movie, though: he felt completely betrayed by the whole thing. See http://www.sitcomsonline.com/jacksbistro/chrismann.html .

You are right. Mann didn't have any part in the movie. I wish he would do his own movie though. I would like to see his version of it.

Vtunie, you mentioned that Jack said that "Joyce sometimes went on tangents", what does it mean when someone goes on tagments? I never
heard of that word before. Thanks!

[vtunie]

Originally Posted by janet42

"Joyce sometimes went on tangents", what does it mean when someone goes on tagments? I never
heard of that word before. Thanks!

The producers thought she kept bringing up connected but irrelevant issues.

And meanwhile she was doing the homework on Janet. I was struck by how much more detailed DeWitt's capsule description of her character is in "Come and Knock on Our Door", compared to all the others.

[Buffyboy323]

Originally Posted by janet42

Vtunie, you mentioned that Jack said that "Joyce sometimes went on tangents", what does it mean when someone goes on tagments? I never
heard of that word before. Thanks!

She went on tangents, as in she probably had "fits" or little arguments over certain things.

[Buffyboy323]

Originally Posted by vtunie

I think she comes across, in Mann's book, as being utterly straightforward.

I don't think it was Mann's movie, though: he felt completely betrayed by the whole thing. See http://www.sitcomsonline.com/jacksbistro/chrismann.html .

Ohhh. I just assumed he had something to do with the movie, since the film was based on his book.

Now, I can see why he would feel betrayed. He should try to correct what they did, by (like Janet said) making his own movie.