I'll Put You on Speakerphone

I'm sitting here Googling for information on the ABC GEICO-inspired caveman show. The other day a reader said an early review was just plain bad, so naturally, I'm wondering.

Here's a clip I just found, which sadly appeared near a scorching review.

I was afraid it would be horrible, but depending on the context of the bits they pulled out, this could actually be really funny. I'm not sure what to think. Nick Kroll, the lead male, seems very talented. The guy from the original commercials wasn't available, and I thought that might be a fatal blow, but this guy seems equally good. With all the makeup, I can't tell the difference.

Here's a positive review.

Here's an interview with Nick Kroll. Money quote: "I was like, 'Oh, his name is Nick and he's a deadpan, sarcastic asshole. It's going to be a real reach for me.'"

Apparently he was a writer for Chappelle's Show. Okay, I'm sold on his abilities. This guy is no Ned Rice. Ten years from now, Kurt Long will probably be mowing his yard. And he will have changed his name once again. To Kurto Kaelin.

My big fear about this show was that it was going to be impossible to come up with enough caveman material to last more than a season. But the commercials are brilliant; nearly perfect. So someone involved behind the scenes has exceptional gifts. And unlike me, they have a pool of writers, not just one busy guy who had two months to scratch out a book. So maybe they'll pull it off.

Maybe I was worried about nothing.

It doesn't necessarily help my book if the show does well, but it could help, and I don't think it can hurt me. I'm not going to worry about it. The book was a lark, and I did it largely for the challenge. If it sells, great. If not, the cookbook is what I'm really pushing, so it's not the end of the world.

I notice ABC used the famous drawing of cavemen walking to the right in various stages of evolution. I remember begging my publisher not to use that idea on the cover, because it has been done to death. I'm sure Homer Simpson must have done it by now. Probably in the late Eighties. I have to admit, ABC made it work.

Maybe it was a mistake to let my publisher commission a book based on their desire to piggyback on a craze. Not sure. I can't force my original concepts on anyone, so I saw no harm in playing around with a prefab idea that could actually get published. And I didn't rip anyone off. There is absolutely no resemblance between the contents of my book and what goes on in the GEICO ads. The cover photo, yes, okay, that's a direct "adaptation" or "allusion" or whatever the euphemism is. But I have about as much control over my cover art as you do. And it's a nice photo.

I turned the idea down when it was initially offered. But I believe I was right to loosen up and give it the old college try. Sometimes you have to ask yourself whether you want to be Cyrano de Bergerac for the rest of your life, insisting on total purity in everything you do.

People are asking me when the book comes out. I no longer try to guess. The date on the Amazon page keeps moving around. My guess is that the original October 2 date is correct.

I look forward to seeing that show.

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Another clip. I gave it four stars. I reserve 5 stars for things like Oh Don Piano.