One of the guaranteed entertainments of the TV Critics Association press tours is the occasional visit from Peter Tolan, the outspoken and hilarious writer and producer whose legendary press sessions are often as brilliantly funny as the shows he helps make (such as “Rescue Me”) or occasionally even surpasses them (such as the forthcoming “Rake”).
Tolan was at the winter press tour in Pasadena to talk about “Rake,” which may have a ways to go to reach the heights of his other series, which include “The Job.” Tolan is fun in part because he’s happy to speak freely about every problem in the business, of which there are many.
So during his session for “Rake,” the Greg Kinnear vehicle set to premiere Jan. 23 on Fox, he even brought a script.
“I’m a little annoyed because even to come here today,” he said, ” I got a note, an email, from FOX publicity about what to talk about here and what not to talk about. I was so upset I actually wrote about it in my journal, which I brought with me.”
And so he began:
- Sept. 16: First day of shooting for ‘Rake.’ Kinnear showed up drunk with a hooker named Tammy on his arm, claiming it was part of his process. After the first shot, he demanded we give Tammy a producer credit. Rather than upset him, we agreed, but her pimp pushed for co-EP, so now she’s a @#$ing co EP.
- Sept. 20: Call from [Fox entertainment chief] Kevin Reilly. He feels ‘Rake’ will be a better fit on Fox if one of our main characters has no head. No idea how to respond, but cut most of John Ortiz’s lines and hope this will address at least the spirit of the note.
- Oct. 1: Peter Duncan still speaking Australian. Can’t understand a #$&ing word.
- Oct. 11: Tammy no longer with us. Got an overall at 20th. Sold her first pitch to ABC, an hour called ‘Maniacal, Murdering Whores.’
- Oct. 25: Why is Lena Dunham naked all the time on ‘Girls’? I don’t get it.
- Nov. 4: Good news and bad news from Tammy. The bad news: ABC didn’t like her ‘Maniacal, Murdering Whores’ script. The good news: They’re airing the title for 13 weeks starting next March.
- Nov. 12: Dinner at [CBS CEO] Les Moonves’ house.
- Nov. 15: Dinner at Les Moonves’ house.
- Nov. 20: Dinner at Les Moonves’ house.
- Dec. 1: Told Les Moonves I’m tired of serving dinner at his goddamn house. Hire a #$%ing butler.
Okay. This is it.
- Dec. 10: Really ticked off. Apparently the people at Fox publicity think I’m a child. They sent an email today about the TCAs next month, which included — get this — a list of things not to be discussed. Top of the list, no surprise, ‘Dads.’