Norman Lear struggled with the decision to sell syndication rights until a conversation with his psychiatrist changed his mind.
Written Features
Video Features
Clip | Norman Lear – All in The Family Disclaimer
Clip | “Maude” on Tough Issues
Clip | Why Norman Lear is the “Most Influential Producer in the History of Television”
Clip | Norman Lear and Inspiration from The Jeffersons
Clip | Norman Lear on Network Censorship
Clip | Norman Lear on Tough Conversations
Clip | Norman Lear’s Legacy: “There Were a lot of Shoulders That Preceded Me”
Clip | Norman Lear’s Psychiatrist
Clip | Rob Reiner on “All in the Family” Success
TRANSCRIPT
Norman had enjoyed a hell of a run so i said to him i think we should sell all the syndication rights and so CBS gave us an offer of 11 million dollars but they said you're going to have to cut two minutes out of each show and I'm quoting him pretty close - he says, 'Would you go to Michelangelo and ask him to make the Mona Lisa smaller?' and I said, 'Wait a minute, Norman this is craziness.' I said, 'You know, you're beginning to piss me off.' And he wanted to meet with his psychiatrist and then he will make the deciding vote as to whether the show will be stripped and the two minutes will come out. Oh no, it's crazy - it sounds insane. I want you guys to make a case for my psychiatrist and he'll make up my mind. No, I think it came from the other direction I mean the whole thing sounds crazy to me. I assure you, he is that crazy. I pleaded with him, I said, 'You're behaving like a - come on, for Christ's sake.' So Norman called, and he says, 'Well I've got good news for you My psychiatrist decided that it's good for the company, and I shouldn't do this and I don't know how we're going to take the two minutes out, but we'll do it. So I just said, 'Well this is - this is classic Norman Lear,' god love him.
