How do you suggest ideas for segments to The Daily Show?

October 4, 2006 10:32 AM

How do you suggest ideas for segments to The Daily Show? I have what I think is a pretty good idea and I'd like to run it by them. I'm not looking for a job as a writer with them or payment, I just think it'd be a useful sketch.
posted by feloniousmonk to media & arts (13 comments total)

In case THEY ARE WATCHING!!! it's called Tool of God and chronicles the wanderlust, good cheer, and charity of Fred Phelps's life.
posted by feloniousmonk at 10:46 AM on October 4, 2006

The people who write The Daily Show are professional writers and comedians; I can't imagine they take too many outsider suggestions. So, I would try to get a job working for The Daily Show.

Or, you could also film the script yourself and post it on YouTube for instant internet fame.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:02 AM on October 4, 2006 [1 favorite]

One would hope that they are not so professional as to refuse all outside input.
posted by feloniousmonk at 12:48 PM on October 4, 2006

There are sometimes liability concerns with accepting outside ideas. Many shows will refuse to even look at outside ideas to prevent an accusation of theft.
posted by dcjd at 12:56 PM on October 4, 2006

That makes a lot of sense to me. It's awesome living in such a litiguous society!
posted by feloniousmonk at 1:26 PM on October 4, 2006

There are sometimes liability concerns with accepting outside ideas. Many shows will refuse to even look at outside ideas to prevent an accusation of theft.

that's true in general of Hollywood- mail unsolicited material to someone and you are bound to get it right back with a letter stating they never looked at it.

however, knowing someone personally always trumps everything. Find out the names of the writers or showrunners and figure out a way to get in touch directly. (easier said than done, I know)

* what I'm saying applies mostly to regular episodic shows. Since the daily show is well, daily, it might be different since they need so much material. Leno, for example, I think actually has a thing where anyone can email in jokes and sometimes they use them.
posted by drjimmy11 at 1:35 PM on October 4, 2006

Honestly, seeing as how you don't actually want to write the thing, and you don't want any compensation for it...

And assuming it wouldn't be worth it to go to a lot of trouble trying to network your way into some sort of legit contact with a member of the writing staff...

And accepting the fact that no matter what you do, the odds of their using your idea are slim to nil...

I'd just send it to them in a letter. Surely they have someone on staff opening mail, and even if it gets lost in the shuffle, it's not really a time sensitive idea, unless Phelps were to unexpectedly die or turn sane. Explain the idea, and state that they have your permission to use it as they please. The chances of them thinking you're a nut are pretty high, but that goes for most people who write letters to strangers. You'll probably stand out as relatively sane compared to the other letters I imagine they get daily. And you will have accomplished your goal, which is sharing it with them.
posted by lampoil at 1:50 PM on October 4, 2006

Do they have a blog or some place where you can post it as a comment on their website?

Or you could go to one of those petition sites and start a petition from Daily Show fans asking them to start up this feature. That would make it pretty clear that you don't want to be compensated.
posted by alms at 3:18 PM on October 4, 2006

It's awesome living in such a litiguous society!

Well, wasn't there just recently an AskMe from an interviewee who pitched an idea and was dismayed when he didn't get the job, yet the company was going to run with his idea? This sometimes happens in Hollywood, too. Wouldn't you be pissed if you sent in your idea, Mr. Stewart says, "Thanks, but no thanks," then goes with it anyway without even crediting your name? Well, you don't want compensation, but imagine if this were your livelihood. (I'm not saying the Daily Show would do that, I'm just saying I heard stories similar to this all the time from writers in LA).
posted by muddgirl at 3:19 PM on October 4, 2006

Well, TCR writers are obviously looking for inspiration from outside forces. cf. ze frank/donuts
posted by menace303 at 3:22 PM on October 4, 2006

Years ago I sent in some unsolicited Top Ten lists for the old Late Night With David Letterman Show...I got the standard " We can't look at these" letter back. There was, however, a post it note inside that said " Very Funny". I was bummed, but felt pretty good about getting a hint of recognition.
posted by lobstah at 3:43 PM on October 4, 2006

"We can't look at these"..." Very Funny"

We haven't read these, but if we had, we would have laughed.
posted by timeistight at 4:02 PM on October 4, 2006

I used to work in the games industry. We received loads of unsolicited game suggestions and never opened them. The risk is that you're already working on a feature and someone on the outside suggests something similar. The game comes out and you're suddenly open to a lawsuit.

However, it doesn't sound like you're writing anything original. You're just pointing out someone funny. Just send an email or letter to the Daily Show saying 1) Here's a guy you should cover and 2) here are some links to give you an understanding of why he's perfect Daily Show fodder.

If you ever decide you DO want to get a job writing for a TV show, the secret to getting past the "we don't accept outside submissions" is to send a spec script for another, similar show (i.e. if you want to write for Battlestar Gallactica, send them an original script for ST:TNG). It let's them see your writing chops and how you write for familiar characters.
posted by bpm140 at 6:52 PM on October 4, 2006