From: Steven Silas [steve@silasentertainment.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 9:13 AM
To: gsg@sellnext.com
Subject: RE: Oprah

Gary – Oprah is one of the most mainstream shows that is being produced on a daily basis. The proposed topic is a worthwhile one however your presentation and suggestions of who would be guests along with you does not fit within the sensational quota of the programming she is known for. There has to be a celebrity element to your idea along with an educational one. Your missive seems a bit over the top for the likes of her. I suggest that if this is where you want to go with your message you repackage the suggestion so that it is more concise as to your exact vision for the show. (I am assuming you are talking about a full-length program...) You talk about a lot of things but by the end I still don’t have a clue about your view on combating AIDs. This would include other less intellectual topics that include feelings as opposed to ideas. Your economic solution could then be included. The other approach is to see if they are planning another show on the subject of AIDS and propose a segment that you are featured in to discuss “Economic solution for the problems of combating AIDs beginning with the tip of Africa.”

As to your gust list, although you have presented them in a favorable light in regard to your life, they lack the instant recognition factor that guests on Oprah usually have when discussing topics like the one you propose. The guests need celebrity of some kind. This makes it easier for her producers to swallow and for her audience to recognize.

The other thing that I noticed is that you degrade her audience. - Finally, it is possible some in your audience demonstrating either their denial or their resignation to accept the status quo grabbing as much as they can as quickly as possible suggesting that the Nationalist Nazi Party that ruled over some 40 plus million peoples of color for some 40+ years never “gassed” such peoples may I suggest that you throw in with your “Queens English” the following”

“Did you know that a fart is nothing more or less than airborne particles of feces, blah blah.”

This will make her producers feel threatened that you will insult the audience during your presentation.

Finally, your summary about being non-threatening is for the most part correct. Although Oprah does on occasion present unconventional viewpoints they are usually based on a book release or topic that is being bantered about by the public at the time.

Sorry if I seem a bit negative but I have been pitching to these Hollywood types for quite some time and these are the kinds of objections that I think you will run into.

Let me know if you want to go into this further.

Regards- Steve

-----Original Message-----
From: Gary S. Gevisser
Sent: Monday, May 31, 2004 8:33 AM
To: Steve Silas
Subject: Oprah

Steve - I was not sure whether u were included on the list of folks who received this missive from me yesterday. I have yet to check it but my sense was that it was geared to those of us with 85 IQ points and up.

I would also like your comments  on this “first cut” at writing a letter to Oprah Winfey. According to her website the suggestion for a show should be 2,000 words or less. Please let me know what you think and what edits you would make.

Gary

Subject: Economic solution for the problems of combating AIDs beginning with the tip of Africa.

Dear Oprah,

First, let me by begin by using my partner-wife's "trademarked" expression, "When the dialogue becomes too monologues it is the beginning of the end" [sic]...