Our proudest nomination

The Writers Guild Award TV nominations have been announced… with the usual major fanfare. Check your local paper, page twelve, in small print.

Congratulations to all. Each and every nomination is well deserved.

Here is the list of this year’s nominees.

One year my partner and I were nominated for an episode of OPEN ALL NIGHT. You’re probably saying, “OPEN ALL NIGHT? What the hell is that? I’ve never heard of it.” Well, don’t feel bad. Neither did our other nominees.

OPEN ALL NIGHT was a short lived 1981 ABC series about a ma & pa 24 hour convenience store. It was created by Tom Patchett & Jay Tarses, two exceptional writers who had guided THE BOB NEWHART SHOW and later went on to create BUFFALO BILL. We wrote two episodes that season and since it was a strike year (aren’t they all?), those were the only two episodes we had. So as a lark we submitted one.

Months went by. Finally our agent called one morning to congratulate us. The nominations were out and our OPEN ALL NIGHT made the cut. We played along, thanking her, never for a minute thinking this wasn’t just a joke. The next morning I picked up the paper to see who really was nominated, and son of a bitch, there were our names. I think there were a couple of TAXIS, BARNEY MILLERS, MASH…and our OPEN ALL NIGHT.

By the time of the ceremony our show had been long cancelled and the production company disbanded. We had to pay for our own tickets. They sat us with the HILL STREET BLUES bunch who kept asking, “what was that show again?” A quick poll around the table – no one had even heard of it.

When it came time for our category and our names were announced among the list of nominees it actually got a laugh. What a proud moment.

Believe it or not, we lost.

At least this year’s nominees have cleared that major hurdle. They’re all on shows people have heard of. Even the ones on TNT. Anyone can win. Everyone should win. Best of luck to you all! At least the dinner will be free.