Suzanne Somer's Book "After the Fall" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

janet42 · 03-26-2008, 09:30 PM

I've read Suzanne's Somers book this past week "After the Fall" which she talks about her experience working on "Three's Company" and getting fired on the job and I have a question about it.

My question is that she put a quote about Joyce DeWitt and I don't know what she means. Quote: "The Producers of three's Company" were intent on keeping us the kids. If we were good kids we'd get a little pat on the head. If we displeased daddy, we were in trouble. Joyce was so into it that she took to talking baby talk. She would arrive at work and immediately change the sound of her voice and her body movements. She would snort and gurgle and call me "Zannie" in her teeniest little baby voice."

What does Suzanne means when she says that Joyce talks in baby talk?

Mr. Television · 03-26-2008, 09:55 PM

It sounds like it was something Joyce did to lighten the mood among the actors because none of them seemed to like the producers much. I'm only guessing though.

Diggsy · 03-27-2008, 11:18 PM

It's just yet another aspect of the bittersweet story that is TC.To begin with,the show's producers apparently had arrogance in truckloads;Look at what they did to Norman & Audra......two of the most beloved characters on television at that time,and they kicked them both to the curb after ABC screwed with the air schedule of"The Ropers"and lost a chunk of their audience.It should have been a no-brainer to bring them back into TC,even with Don wearing the landlord's hat.Just have them having moved down the street from the apartments.Then there's Ann Wedgeworth(Lana Shields).They probably brought her in leading her to believe she would have a character with a decent shelf life.But they tossed her too when they got bored with the pointless"make Jack run away"story every couple of shows in 79-80.She could have been TC's answer to Batman's Catwoman,Julie Newmar,had they taken the time to develop her.Another bad break.But of course the worst of all was spitting in the fan's faces with the final three shows of the series & tearing Jack & Janet apart for good.Have a look sometime at how shows like"Happy Days","Family Ties"&"Cosby"tied up their swan songs.TC could have & should have had the same story,taking the time to say a genuine Thanks to the millions that kept it chugging down the road for eight long years.But the producers were all about kissing mirrors during its run,regardless as to whether it was netting People's Choice awards or not.I'm certainly not one to apply sainthood to Sue with her bad trainwreck,but most of the big boys behind the camera were definitely about ego.And the fans paid for it all.

vtunie · 03-28-2008, 03:36 AM

I'll defend the producers. I have no idea whether they were nice guys, or whether Somers deserved a raise, or whether they dealt with Fell and Lindley unfairly.

But the end product speaks for itself. It's excellent and -- more important -- it evolves over time.

Chrissy for 8 years, dumber by the minute? The Ropers repeating the same joke for 170 - 25 = 145 episodes? No thanks!!

The fans paid the optional price of their DVD sets.

catlover79 · 10-10-2008, 02:47 PM

It was an interesting read - and the pictures were great!!

03-26-2008, 09:30 PM	#1
janet42 Three's Company Fan! Senior Member Join Date: Feb 22, 2007 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,757	Suzanne Somer's Book "After the Fall" I've read Suzanne's Somers book this past week "After the Fall" which she talks about her experience working on "Three's Company" and getting fired on the job and I have a question about it. My question is that she put a quote about Joyce DeWitt and I don't know what she means. Quote: "The Producers of three's Company" were intent on keeping us the kids. If we were good kids we'd get a little pat on the head. If we displeased daddy, we were in trouble. Joyce was so into it that she took to talking baby talk. She would arrive at work and immediately change the sound of her voice and her body movements. She would snort and gurgle and call me "Zannie" in her teeniest little baby voice." What does Suzanne means when she says that Joyce talks in baby talk?

03-26-2008, 09:55 PM	#2
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,128	It sounds like it was something Joyce did to lighten the mood among the actors because none of them seemed to like the producers much. I'm only guessing though.
	__________________ Sonny

10-10-2008, 02:47 PM	#5
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	It was an interesting read - and the pictures were great!!
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

03-27-2008, 11:18 PM	#3
Diggsy Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 21, 2008 Location: Torrance,CA. Posts: 20	It's just yet another aspect of the bittersweet story that is TC.To begin with,the show's producers apparently had arrogance in truckloads;Look at what they did to Norman & Audra......two of the most beloved characters on television at that time,and they kicked them both to the curb after ABC screwed with the air schedule of"The Ropers"and lost a chunk of their audience.It should have been a no-brainer to bring them back into TC,even with Don wearing the landlord's hat.Just have them having moved down the street from the apartments.Then there's Ann Wedgeworth(Lana Shields).They probably brought her in leading her to believe she would have a character with a decent shelf life.But they tossed her too when they got bored with the pointless"make Jack run away"story every couple of shows in 79-80.She could have been TC's answer to Batman's Catwoman,Julie Newmar,had they taken the time to develop her.Another bad break.But of course the worst of all was spitting in the fan's faces with the final three shows of the series & tearing Jack & Janet apart for good.Have a look sometime at how shows like"Happy Days","Family Ties"&"Cosby"tied up their swan songs.TC could have & should have had the same story,taking the time to say a genuine Thanks to the millions that kept it chugging down the road for eight long years.But the producers were all about kissing mirrors during its run,regardless as to whether it was netting People's Choice awards or not.I'm certainly not one to apply sainthood to Sue with her bad trainwreck,but most of the big boys behind the camera were definitely about ego.And the fans paid for it all.

03-28-2008, 03:36 AM	#4
vtunie Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 23, 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 592	I'll defend the producers. I have no idea whether they were nice guys, or whether Somers deserved a raise, or whether they dealt with Fell and Lindley unfairly. But the end product speaks for itself. It's excellent and -- more important -- it evolves over time. Chrissy for 8 years, dumber by the minute? The Ropers repeating the same joke for 170 - 25 = 145 episodes? No thanks!! The fans paid the optional price of their DVD sets.