You’ve been speculating in the Comments box, so I’ll lay my cards on the table.
Okay, I’m not pregnant. Neither is Jeanne. And I haven’t been offered George Tenet’s old job. And I’m not a werewolf. All of those things would be exciting, yes (and I realize that none of you speculated I’d come down with acute lycanthropia - I’ve just always thought it’d be kind of fun), but they didn’t happen.
What happened was this: In the space of five minutes yesterday, I 1) sold my novel, and 2) was offered the head writer job on a new TV show.
It was a really, really good five minutes. One call literally interrupted the other. By the time the smoke had cleared (note to self: stop burning furniture when you’re happy), I was in a state of shock. Fortunately, I’ve now moved into a much more comfortable state of gloat.
The book is currently entitled “Schrödinger’s Humdinger,” and it’ll be printed by a division of Random House. I started writing it back in ‘94, writing a page or two here and there, but I didn’t get really serious about it until this century. It’s an undying classic of modern literature, of course, and it’s got plenty of laughs, sex, and quantum physics. I’ll keep you all posted on its progress and eventually offer one of those nifty Amazon links on this site, but it won’t actually hit the shelves for at least a year.
The TV project is much more immediate. I’ll be heading to LA later this month to help launch an exciting new show for a pretty big cable network. I’d love to tell you all more about both projects, but I’m a little superstitious and would rather wait until the deals are actually signed. Also, if that CIA directorship thing comes through, I might have to put these projects temporarily on the back burner for security reasons.
In any case, it’s a bright, sunny day in Felberville. And, as always, muggy.





45 comments
Rob E.
June 9, 2004 at 3:31 pm
1I’ll be able to read Felber wit without sitting at the computer? Excellent. And see/hear Felber wit with only a remote control to guide me? Better yet. Unlike reading this site, I won’t be able to do those things at work, so when I laugh, no one will stare. Well, less people will stare.
Congratulations.
Chris B
June 9, 2004 at 3:32 pm
2“Mind you don’t get seduced!”
Congratulations. Now we get to talk about how we knew you when you were just a blogger!
historyenne
June 9, 2004 at 3:32 pm
3Congratulations, Adam!! Well done.
I’m already looking forward to reading your book, however, I am also selfishly hoping that your new TV job won’t prevent you from appearing on Wait Wait (I have no TV–just a radio).
Tiffany
June 9, 2004 at 3:41 pm
4Felicitations, Adam. I hope both contracts are signed in short order and then you can spill the beans about the TV project.
Karen Rose
June 9, 2004 at 4:15 pm
5This is really comforting news in a world gone mad.
I’m so glad that people in positions of power have recognized your genius. Congratulations, Adam!
Robert George
June 9, 2004 at 4:16 pm
6Adam,
Congrats all around! Guess that more than makes up for your throat getting cut last night (Hey, at least you weren’t raped). For those who have no idea what I’m talking about…you had to be there! Don’t let LA destroy you, man! Keep up your lovely unthinking left-wingism (I’ll do the same with my right-iness!
Robert
Sue
June 9, 2004 at 4:30 pm
7Congratulations, Adam!
With two more branches of the media prostrate at your feet, it sounds like Murray was right: Satire Laureate of the U.S.!! And not a moment too soon. (Hope he was right about the dental, too.)We look forward to updates and further details.
ginny
June 9, 2004 at 5:09 pm
8Congratulations! Now if only the pesky French will stop blaming you for that little contretemps…
Julie
June 9, 2004 at 5:26 pm
9Congratulations on everything, Adam! That’s wonderful–your sense of humor and intelligence being recognized is doing wonders to restore my faith in mankind. It couldn’t have happened to a more deserving guy.
Deborah
June 9, 2004 at 5:40 pm
10HUZZAH!
Dee (wistfully kissing Fiji good-bye)
June 9, 2004 at 5:54 pm
11Mazel tov!!
Does this mean your presidential campaign is on hold, too?
tim
June 9, 2004 at 5:58 pm
12Congratulations! I already ordered your book on pre-amazon.com. Actually, I ordered it before you started writing it on pre-pre-amazon.com. (That Bezos is one scary individual). You were 3rd on the “Books That Haven’t Been Written Yet By Sons Of Romance Novelists” list.
As for the TV show, I hear Brett Butler is a doll to work with, and she’s available!
Murray
June 9, 2004 at 6:18 pm
13Excellent! Something to feel good about! I may not have running water but I have DirecTV so whenever your show airs I’ll be ready. I know my priorities.
Schrodinger’s Humdinger?
Well, you got the first 5 letters right.
tess
June 9, 2004 at 6:22 pm
14ooo, yay! now i don’t have to listen to you on wait-wait in my car all the time, especially when i’m not actually driving! except like many things in my life, i’ve got to wait for it.
so wait, when is this book actually going to be published?
Anonymous
June 9, 2004 at 7:31 pm
15Adam, congratulations, but i have a question, are you going to move to L.A. or just go visit there?
Dubya
June 9, 2004 at 8:02 pm
16Congrats Adam.
Just don’t forget to read the small print.
xian
June 9, 2004 at 8:24 pm
17another blogger (ok a ringer) makes good!
Linkmeister
June 9, 2004 at 10:08 pm
18There’s a helluva discussion about where the best burgers in LA are over at Kevin Drum’s place, just in time for this news. Congrats, Adam!
aaron
June 9, 2004 at 10:48 pm
19Remember our deal, Adam.
“Whichever one of us makes it big first…despite the fact that one of us is a total nobody and the other is already semi-big…will buy the other one a nice new hat.”
littlebit
June 9, 2004 at 10:54 pm
20Excellent. The day Venus was in transit. Must be a good thing.
Here’s sending good energy for both projects (and all surrounding ones) to go smoothly.
poorwarren
June 9, 2004 at 11:00 pm
21Adam, My sincere congratulations! I can’t wait for the book. You are one of a very small group of satirists whose written work matches or exceeds their live performances. Forget the Presidency; you may one day rule the world. Well, at least the Western Hemisphere or well, maybe a small Central American state. Anyway, I see great things in your future.
Don
June 9, 2004 at 11:12 pm
22Many congratulations and good thoughts and stuff, Adam.
I’ll be waiting over here in the East of L.A. San Gabriel Valley area, waiting for yor Email.
Steve P
June 10, 2004 at 12:33 am
23I knew you when, Adam! Congratulations to you!
Jerry
June 10, 2004 at 2:36 am
24Congrats…hope you’ll still have time for us…sniff.
BTW: Tommy’s by the Rampart cop shop at 3 A.M. And no “sissyburgers!” (some of you know what I mean)
Jerry
June 10, 2004 at 2:38 am
25Congrats…hope you’ll still have time for us…sniff.
BTW: Tommy’s by the Rampart cop shop at 3 A.M. And no “sissyburgers!” (some of you know what I mean)
Jerry
June 10, 2004 at 2:40 am
26Hey! I only clicked once…really…I wouldn’t lie like some damn guv’mint offficial!
marc
June 10, 2004 at 3:16 am
27Hope your project comes through,and hopefully will be televised in our frozen north.good luck
Pat R.
June 10, 2004 at 4:20 am
28Hot damn, Adam! Well done. I hope (and assume) that both these developments will lead to a whole lot of fun.
Rick Schmitz
June 10, 2004 at 8:33 am
29#$%^&@*! I finally move to the East Coast and you split before I can catch your improv act!
Congrats on the good stuff! Good stuff is good!
Jim Shirk
June 10, 2004 at 12:02 pm
30Congratulations — please don’t forget your “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” fans.
N in Seattle
June 10, 2004 at 3:42 pm
31Jim Shirk beat me to it in a way, but I’ll still ask whether the new TV gig means that we won’t get to hear you any more on Wait Wait.
I know the stable of panelists is still strong without you, but there will still be a void that Charlie, Roy, Roxanne, Paula, et al. can’t fully fill.
jerry
June 11, 2004 at 11:43 am
32Adam,
OUTSTANDING! And (never thought I would ever have anything in common with Murray) - I can’t wait to set up my DirecTV TiVo system.
David
June 11, 2004 at 12:28 pm
33Congratulations — but you owe it all to Sagal.
adam
June 11, 2004 at 3:29 pm
34Some answers:
- I don’t think the TV job is going to affect “Wait Wait” too much - at the moment it’s just a 4-5 week gig. What comes after that is up to the TV gods (also known as “executives”).
- I’ll be returning to New York after the job. But I fear that a move to LA is in my future.
- the Presidential campaign is NOT on hold. I’m apalled that the other candidates seem to feel like it’s a full-time job. Hell, entire days go by when I don’t even THINK about my campaign.
- the novel isn’t particularly political. “Satire,” perhaps,or at least satirical in places, but it’s really just a strange, funny novel. I don’t pretend that it’s great literature, but… oh, wait, I DO. It’s great literature.
- Don’t worry, Fanatical Apathy will endure.
Thanks, all, for the kind words.
m
June 11, 2004 at 6:32 pm
35Whoo-hoo!
gigi
June 13, 2004 at 5:05 pm
36I’m late here I know, but I really wanted to say congratulations!!
Sadly, being from LA myself I will not be reading your book as I am unable to understand, or even spell ‘quantum physics,’ but I do excel at watching TV and listening to the radio so…YAY!
Murray
June 13, 2004 at 9:16 pm
37jerry, jerry, jerry,
We have much more in common than you might think.
I have an autistic brother named Jerry. Really!
He has Asburgers Syndrum.
Murray
June 13, 2004 at 9:20 pm
38jerry,
I’m also glad to hear that you don’t have running water either. Between Ted, (Kuzinsky) you and me, there aren’t that many of us left.
Mary
June 14, 2004 at 10:26 am
39You go, boy!!!!! Congratulations.
(Better late than never. [sigh] Like anyone missed me)
Murray
June 14, 2004 at 10:00 pm
40Jerry, wrong jerry.
see the comments on June 9
Murray
June 14, 2004 at 10:01 pm
41opps wrong day
kaizerin
June 14, 2004 at 11:26 pm
42Aherm….Murray, by “Kuzinsky” would you be referring to Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber and Ur-Luddite?
Sorry…but you DID start out in this comment thread by dinging Adam for his spelling of a challenging but famous name…
Murray
June 15, 2004 at 9:10 am
43kaizerin,
I have a tough time with any word that spell-check can’t find.
It wasn’t a ding on Adam about the spelling of Schrodingers Humdinger. It was sort of an inside joke because the first 5 letters of Schrodinger are the same as my last name.
As one of the most spelling challenged persons in America, I know better than make fun or attacking some one on his/her spelling abilities.
kaizerin
June 15, 2004 at 10:12 pm
44Ohh! So sorry, Murray! Whew…I have to say, you’re one of my favorite posters on these boards, but that one went right over my head. Ken, Just Ken and I have been walking around the house for days being all “What is Murray on about?” and “What is Murray’s deal?” So glad to know it’s our deal, after all.
Post on, brother!
Chip Unicorn
June 17, 2004 at 7:10 pm
45Congratulations on your lycanthropism!
Errr… wait. That’s not right.
Congratulations on your book sale, and I wish the best for your gig in Hollyweird!