"C" IS A LOVE LETTER

Dear Entertainment Writers/Journalists/Bloggers,

I understand your job is "scoop dependent" and you need eyes on your page to stay afloat.  I appreciate and empathize with your struggle.  It must be very difficult to survive in this competitive, buzz-whore environment. I'm sure you are all good people with lovely families and nice lawn furniture.

But please let me share a basic journalistic fact with you -- Twitter is not a forum for building news stories. You see, they are called "tweets" because they are quick, spontaneous reactions.  Like a bird in flight.  Like a child in the dark.  Like an angry alcoholic without enough coffee.  I'm not sure if you realize this, but 140 characters is not a complete thought.  Most tweets don't have any complete sentences.  Yes, I know it's public domain and on the record, but you see, when the article is filled with only 10% fact, that leaves a lot of room for sensational speculation.  Now, I'm not talking about mentioning tweets in bigger stories to support your idea, that's good and often entertaining journalism.  I'm talking about spinning a headline and creating a slanted point of view based on a single tweet.  C'mon boys and girls, that's just lazy.  

You know, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, I really don't enjoy calling you cunts.  It truly hurts my delicate nature, but unfortunately you keep earning the handle.  So, I implore you, please stop being lazy whores. 

Have a nice day and know that I love you.  Cunts.

Yours in Christ,

Kurt Albert Sutter

401

I turned in Southpaw to Dreamworks on Wednesday... then started writing 401 on Thursday.  I don't do well with down time.  I'm not sure what will happen with the feature.  It was a one-step deal so DW isn't obligated to hire me for the next draft.  I had a blast writing the script, truly, the most fun I've had writing a feature length script in years.  I'm hoping they dig it and bring me on for the next step, but it's always a crap shoot.  I refer to feature writing as my "virtual career".  I spend months generating drafts and then they slip into the netherworld of endless development.  It's a long, involved process.  Television, on the other hand, is my very satisfying day job.  Where we break story on Monday, write it on Tuesday, shoot it on Wednesday, edit it on Thursday and watch it on Friday.  That's an exaggeration, but not by much.  It's incredibly satisfying to actually create, produce and control your vision from start to finish.  A luxury I have yet to experience in films. 

It's always an odd experience diving into the first script of the season.  I wade in slowly because I know the moment I write SMASH UP ON:, I'm on a ride that lasts nine months.  A good ride, but a long one.  This season is no exception.  I've been stuck on page one for two days.  I often procrastinate on iTunes looking for the right song to begin the season.  Sometimes I hear the baseline and melody of the opening before I see the direction of the story.  Hooking that rhythm up with a song often propels me into the episode.  

We locked in our production schedule and will start rolling on May 23rd.  I don't know when FX plans to air season four, but I would imagine they will stick with what's worked in the past and aim for early September.  

I'm very excited about season four.  My writers are firing on all cylinders and we're coming up with some very cool, very crazy fucking shit.  It's creatively liberating to be able to reboot and play with new dynamics and new relationships within our club.  A lot can happen in fourteen months, especially in prison.  Loyalties, trust and friendships can take odd turns when you are living in a cage.  

I know everyone is screaming for spoilers, but I'm not gonna tease anything yet.  I do know that I'd like to get out some kind of content to fans long before the premier.  We'll definitely get the iPhone/iPad app rolling with new shit over the summer, but I'm having conversations with the network and studio now about more extensive content.  Either in the form of webisodes or extended trailers.  Something to keep feeding the beast.  And by beast I mean our awesome, ravenous fans.  

I love you.  I fear you.

CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #334

 Chuck's Vanity Card, aired: 28 February 2011

I understand that I'm under a lot of pressure to respond to certain statements made about me recently. The following are my uncensored thoughts. I hope this will put an end to any further speculation.

I believe that consciousness creates the illusion of individuation, the false feeling of being separate. In other words, I am aware, ergo I am alone. I further believe that this existential misunderstanding is the prime motivating force for the neurotic compulsion to blot out consciousness. This explains the paradox of our culture, which celebrates the ego while simultaneously promoting its evisceration with drugs and alcohol. It also clarifies our deep-seated fear of monolithic, one-minded systems like communism, religious fundamentalism, zombies and invaders from Mars. Each one is a dark echo of an oceanic state of unifying transcendence from which consciousness must, by nature, flee. The Fall from Grace is, in fact, a Sprint from Grace. Or perhaps more accurately, "Screw Grace, I am so outta here!"

Questions?