Matt Groening on Fox (Futurama Interview '99) by Tallgrrl

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Matt Groening on Fox (Futurama Interview '99)

POSTED BY: TALLGRRL
UPDATED: Saturday, July 24, 2004 17:22
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Saturday, July 24, 2004 5:18 AM

"You can't expect people to behave in their own best interest. It's in Fox's best interest for this show to be a success, but they'd rather mess with the show and have them fail, than allow creators independence and let them succeed. "The Simpsons" obviously is a huge success and Fox has nothing to do with its success, with its creative success, and as a result they don't really like the show. They don't like "The Simpsons" at Fox."

I happened upon this quote and thought people here on the Firefly boards might find it interesting.
So, do ya think that this is common knowledge in Hollywood creative community?
Is FOX just a necessary evil in the Entertainment Industry?

You can read the whole interview here:
http://www.motherjones.com/arts/qa/1999/03/groening.html

Printable version here:
http://www.motherjones.com/cgi-bin/print_article.pl?url=http://www.mot
herjones.com/arts/qa/1999/03/groening.html

"Take me, sir. Take me hard."

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Saturday, July 24, 2004 6:02 AM

RAWDEAL

fox

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Saturday, July 24, 2004 8:58 AM

SOUTHERNMERC

Not horribly surprising.

Jayne: "You got yourself lookin' mighty hideous!"

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Saturday, July 24, 2004 1:33 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Tallgrrl wrote:
Saturday, July 24, 2004 05:18 ( per Groening quote )

Quote:
They don't like "The Simpsons" at Fox."

Made all the more funny with the jabs that the Simpsons take @ FOX. Hi-larious!

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Saturday, July 24, 2004 3:34 PM

MAKEROFPATHS

Cool. Check out this quote:

"We won the Emmy for best animated show (The Simpsons) a few months ago and I didn't even get a begrudging phone call from anyone at Fox. That's a dark company that they can't even make a fake phone call."
--Matt Groening, Calgary Sun, March, 2003

------
"When one man chases a hare, he finds a hare. But when many men chase a hare, they find a dragon."
--Source: The Darkness That Comes Before, by R. Scott Bakker.

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Saturday, July 24, 2004 4:30 PM

QUICKSAND

I wouldn't call them "A necessary evil," so much as I'd just call them "Evil."

Okay, that's not fair. How about, "Idiots?"

They're not interesting in making something artistic or interesting, they just want to make money so they can flourish. Line their own pockets. Take credit. And if something succeeds because of their "input," then they can take credit. When Joss succeeds, it's cuz HE'S so good and Fox doesn't even enter in the equation, so that just pissed them off. It happens all the time.

Hopefully there are networks that just want good programming to exist. I see good shows that are given 2nd and 3rd chances on the NBC, and ABC, and of course the WB and UPN.

But never Fox. Weird.

___\_o_/___
--------------- (Qs)

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Saturday, July 24, 2004 5:22 PM

JUSTASHEPHERD

Speaking of the network that shall not be named, I found this quote from one of their execs interesting. Preston Beckman, "Fox's scheduling guru," had this to say in Entertainment Weekley's July 23 issue: "History shows that a network that's patient will be rewarded. If you won't give your shows time to find an audience, you shouldn't have put them on in the first place." He's quoted in an article talking about how reruns are dominating the ratings this summer, while new series aren't doing so well.

What kills me is that here is someone from the network that shall not be named talking about having patience and letting a show find an audience. This is the same network that gave Firefly all of 11 episodes and Wonderfalls 4? Is anyone else's ears bleeding?

*yes, I realize that I mentioned the name of the network that shall not be named, but that was a direct quote.

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