No dumbass tag, subby?

R.I.P Dan Hartman

Our favourite bit? The somewhat sinister reference to NBC "...tracking the coverage and conversation" and being prepped to "circle back if we feel the need to re-shift our plan or messaging". Teensy bit of a threat there, wouldn't you say?

Uhh, no, thats not a threat at all. Quit muckraking.

Its pretty standard PR: Put your message out there, watch the reactions and adjust accordingly.

I think that memo came from Jack Donaghy,

LandOfChocolate: Our favourite bit? The somewhat sinister reference to NBC "...tracking the coverage and conversation" and being prepped to "circle back if we feel the need to re-shift our plan or messaging". Teensy bit of a threat there, wouldn't you say?

Uhh, no, thats not a threat at all. Quit muckraking.

Its pretty standard PR: Put your message out there, watch the reactions and adjust accordingly.

Well, to be fair, it could be a veiled threat. "Hey, hottie who plays Britta. It's clear we don't need all of you, as we were happy to cut the creator loose. If you don't fall in line, good luck finding your way onto anything on NBC soon unless you're playing a gangraped corpse on SVU."

So... I haven't paid much attention to this, but did Harmon get fired because of the Chevy Chase thing?

LesserEvil: So... I haven't paid much attention to this, but did Harmon get fired because of the Chevy Chase thing?

No, that's not something I was consulted on. I'm sad to see him go but I am looking forward to starting our next 13 episodes of "Community."

Yeah, I can totally see Joel McHale hitting those talking points.

Actually, they should all memorize those talking points word for word, and them repeat them in a robotic monotone.

LandOfChocolate: Uhh, no, thats not a threat at all. Quit muckraking.

Its pretty standard PR: Put your message out there, watch the reactions and adjust accordingly.

It's almost like they are attempting to control their image. If only there were some kind of firm that could be consulted to make this easier to accomplish. Some kind of firm that handled a companies relationship with the public.

"We have to play them one day at a time. I'm just happy to be here and I hope I can help the ball club.I just want to give it my best shot and the good lord willing everything will work out."

nakedcritic: Yeah, I can totally see Joel McHale hitting those talking points.

Actually, they should all memorize those talking points word for word, and them repeat them in a robotic monotone.

I think we've come up with a good premise for an episode dealing with the "disappearance" of Chang.

No idea, but I'm guessing Chevy Chase's endless millions and douchbagginess will always outweigh some guy.

Harmon's been a difficult prima donna and kind of a biatch to work with. I think the show might actually be okay without him, but it won't be as quirky. I'm fine with that. I so dislike asshats that I'm willing to watch one get drawn and quartered despite my great appreciation for the best episodes of Community. This season, they're at about sixty percent amazing versus forty percent watchable to terrible episodes, and the bad ones are shudderingly awful.

I heard they're renaming the show "3.0 Rocks", about how great a solid B average is.

nakedcritic: Yeah, I can totally see Joel McHale hitting those talking points.

Actually, they should all memorize those talking points word for word, and them repeat them in a robotic monotone.

Community has become the Darth Vader of the television world. Some thing that was destined for greatness, now has become an empty hollow shell held up by robotic meta humor and cheap air conditioner parts. it will act like Community, but within it's black heart there will be nothing but NBC.



/just stop the show
//stop the show and start writing more awesome music Donald Glover
//seriously get on that, i need more Childish Gambino.

Rubber Biscuit: Harmon's been a difficult prima donna and kind of a biatch to work with. I think the show might actually be okay without him, but it won't be as quirky. I'm fine with that. I so dislike asshats that I'm willing to watch one get drawn and quartered despite my great appreciation for the best episodes of Community. This season, they're at about sixty percent amazing versus forty percent watchable to terrible episodes, and the bad ones are shudderingly awful.

I'm cautiously optimistic about Harmon's departure. I'm hoping that his departure means less dress-up episodes (i.e. Lupine Urology, etc.) and better integrated longrunning plots.


as far as the memos go, I don't really get why this is news at all.

Expolaris: Community has become the Darth Vader of the television world. Some thing that was destined for greatness, now has become an empty hollow shell held up by robotic meta humor and cheap air conditioner parts. it will act like Community, but within it's black heart there will be nothing but NBC.

Aybed, is that you?

Can they do an episode to mock the memo?

epyonyx: Can they do an episode to mock the memo?

The official story of Starburns's death = the Dan Harmon memo.

epyonyx: Can they do an episode to mock the memo?

It's a little early to say at this point but we're looking forward the stories our characters will find themselves in come Sept.

nakedcritic: Yeah, I can totally see Joel McHale hitting those talking points.

Actually, they should all memorize those talking points word for word, and them repeat them in a robotic monotone.

I like this idea the best

They totally Brittaed Dan Harmon's firing.

nakedcritic: Yeah, I can totally see Joel McHale hitting those talking points.

Actually, they should all memorize those talking points word for word, and them repeat them in a robotic monotone.

This is what I came in to say. I would LOVE to see that.

I know this may sound confusing, but i think it's better to know now than to argue on the set about it later.

Good luck, everyone.

You know how I know that the writer of that post has never worked in corporate America? That this type of memo is some kind of big "news."

Whenever a top person leaves abruptly, a merger occurs, large cutbacks, etc., anyone that would possibly have any type of media or outward facing position that would have these types of questions asked of them ALWAYS gets something like this. Can't tell you how many I've gotten.

Is it a bit of odd 1984 groupspeak? Yes. But a company wants a specific message going out, not "Duh, I don't know?" or "I think he killed a hooker or something" or "This place has sucked for years" or any other non-endorsed messages going out that could negative affect their business.

Now, if you think about it- when it comes to Community and what the cast says about working on the show and working with Dan Harmon, for as horrible as he is supposed to be, you really don't get that message from the cast. Which leads me to think that this is not the first memo they've ever gotten...

I can't talk about any of this, but I will say I'm looking forward to seeing what the characters will do next season, here on NBC.

KirkasinCaptainKirk: "I think he killed a hooker or something"

I think that would fall under "plans for the new season."

/need to watch Community, is it on Netflix?

KirkasinCaptainKirk: Now, if you think about it- when it comes to Community and what the cast says about working on the show and working with Dan Harmon, for as horrible as he is supposed to be, you really don't get that message from the cast. Which leads me to think that this is not the first memo they've ever gotten...

Yeah I was wondering about that. If he was really horrible to work with, then the memo could have just said, "We know you all hated the guy, so tell the truth and make us look better for firing him."

As much as I'm going to miss Dan Harmon's influence on the show (and yes, as far as I'm concerned, it's never going to be the same show after he's gone), I'm actually surprised he made it as long as he did. He's not doing himself any favors by getting out there and self-destructing in advance of the news, and since Community was only a critical hit with a niche audience, he's not exactly going to have a line of network executives knocking on his door.

I predict he'll try to launch another pilot or two, and after failing at that, he'll bet the farm on a movie that no one sees because he can't get effective distribution. Then start his own podcast or comedy tour to try to cling to some vestige of his fame, and hopefully, Community fans will be there to support him.

"You're gonna have to learn your clichés. You're gonna have to study them, you're gonna have to know them. They're your friends. Write this down: 'We're looking forward to working with David Guarascio & Moses Port on a new season of Community.'"

At this point I wouldn't trust NBC to order doughnuts without publicly screwing it up.

nakedcritic: Yeah, I can totally see Joel McHale hitting those talking points.

Actually, they should all memorize those talking points word for word, and them repeat them in a robotic monotone.

It wouldn't surprise me if McHale was actually the one who leaked the memo.

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat: nakedcritic: Yeah, I can totally see Joel McHale hitting those talking points.

Actually, they should all memorize those talking points word for word, and them repeat them in a robotic monotone.

I think we've come up with a good premise for an episode dealing with the "disappearance" of Chang.

that's genius, one of our many FARK writers should crank out a spec script. (is that what they're called?)

PizzaJedi81: KirkasinCaptainKirk: "I think he killed a hooker or something"

I think that would fall under "plans for the new season."

/need to watch Community, is it on Netflix?

Sadly, no. I'm pretty sure Hulu has exclusive streaming rights to the show.

It's definitely worth the Hulu Plus or getting the DVDs, though. Community has a devoted fanbase for a reason.

For any of you Farkers that watch Kevin Pollak's Chat Show, Harmon will be the guest on June 17. Will be interesting to see what he has to say.

Zap_Rowsdower: nakedcritic: Yeah, I can totally see Joel McHale hitting those talking points.

Actually, they should all memorize those talking points word for word, and them repeat them in a robotic monotone.

This is what I came in to say. I would LOVE to see that.

"We're not made aware of why staffing changes take place but I will always be grateful to Dan for his great work on the show and wish him only the best."

Didn't Joel essentially say this already on Twitter? I follow him, and remember him saying something like this. Joel is a funny guy - but dude's got to play (some) ball if he's going to remain employed.

Zap_Rowsdower: nakedcritic: Yeah, I can totally see Joel McHale hitting those talking points.

Actually, they should all memorize those talking points word for word, and them repeat them in a robotic monotone.

This is what I came in to say. I would LOVE to see that.

Either that or pull out the memo and read directly from it.

secularsage: As much as I'm going to miss Dan Harmon's influence on the show (and yes, as far as I'm concerned, it's never going to be the same show after he's gone), I'm actually surprised he made it as long as he did. He's not doing himself any favors by getting out there and self-destructing in advance of the news, and since Community was only a critical hit with a niche audience, he's not exactly going to have a line of network executives knocking on his door.

I predict he'll try to launch another pilot or two, and after failing at that, he'll bet the farm on a movie that no one sees because he can't get effective distribution. Then start his own podcast or comedy tour to try to cling to some vestige of his fame, and hopefully, Community fans will be there to support him.

Most likely true, but I could see him catching on somewhere in pay-cable land. David Milch has had a fairly-successful career with HBO after leaving NYPD Blue behind, and he was a fairly polarizing guy, although Blue was a much bigger hit than Community ever was.

Porous Horace: I know this may sound confusing, but i think it's better to know now than to argue on the set about it later.

Good luck, everyone.

Props for this. And Pepsis.

DontMakeMeComeBackThere: Zap_Rowsdower: nakedcritic: Yeah, I can totally see Joel McHale hitting those talking points.

Actually, they should all memorize those talking points word for word, and them repeat them in a robotic monotone.

This is what I came in to say. I would LOVE to see that.

"We're not made aware of why staffing changes take place but I will always be grateful to Dan for his great work on the show and wish him only the best."

Didn't Joel essentially say this already on Twitter? I follow him, and remember him saying something like this. Joel is a funny guy - but dude's got to play (some) ball if he's going to remain employed.

No.

Joel McHale @joelmchale

@danharmon you are a true genius. You gave me the role of a lifetime & three of the best years of my life. Buying #Prototype2 today.

Kilroy Evans: Zap_Rowsdower: nakedcritic: Yeah, I can totally see Joel McHale hitting those talking points.

Actually, they should all memorize those talking points word for word, and them repeat them in a robotic monotone.

This is what I came in to say. I would LOVE to see that.

Either that or pull out the memo and read directly from it.

Fourthed. And if they're all being interviewed they should respond in unison.

someonelse: "We have to play them one day at a time. I'm just happy to be here and I hope I can help the ball club.I just want to give it my best shot and the good lord willing everything will work out."

"It was a good game. Both teams played hard."

nakedcritic: Yeah, I can totally see Joel McHale hitting those talking points.

Actually, they should all memorize those talking points word for word, and them repeat them in a robotic monotone.

That would be the Community way. Came here to say basically this.

zez: [2.bp.blogspot.com image 400x400]

R.I.P Dan Hartman

If I can't hold you tonight.

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat: LesserEvil: So... I haven't paid much attention to this, but did Harmon get fired because of the Chevy Chase thing?

No, that's not something I was consulted on. I'm sad to see him go but I am looking forward to starting our next 13 episodes of "Community."

+50 quataloos to you.

(I'd give you +1 internets, but I still have a ton of these quataloos from the '90s I need to unload)

Let's hang back and learn their tactics.

dekko: Porous Horace: I know this may sound confusing, but i think it's better to know now than to argue on the set about it later.

Good luck, everyone.

Props for this. And Pepsis.

Thanks! And for you, refreshing Nesbitt's Lime Soda.
Only one bottle left - keep away from bees.

Harmon's next big project will be bringing Laser Fart to the big screen.

bel4sucks: [i50.tinypic.com image 320x180]

If you look REALLY hard, you'll see Joel McHale in that picture.

PizzaJedi81: bel4sucks: [i50.tinypic.com image 320x180]

If you look REALLY hard, you'll see Joel McHale in that picture.

yur gay.
all i see is a ventilation duct monkey.

Markoff_Cheney: PizzaJedi81: bel4sucks: [i50.tinypic.com image 320x180]

If you look REALLY hard, you'll see Joel McHale in that picture.

yur gay.
all i see is a ventilation duct monkey.

I'm sorry, who's gay? I see ta-tas. Bazongas. Dirty pillows.