[Groop]OT: Letters From a Nut

Larry Steller lawrencesteller@yahoo.com
Sun, 2 Jun 2002 12:22:56 -0700 (PDT)


The LETTERS FROM A NUT series of books is something I can EASILY
see appealing to not only Mark Evanier, but to most Groopies. 
How many of you out there have read them? 

Not only can I see M.E. enjoying the hell out of these books, I'm
sure the real Ted L. Nancy (certainly not his real name) is
someone pretty close to M.E. in work ethic and sense of humor.
It's hinted the real writer is somehow a Hollywood Insider, with
the front runner being the author of the book's introductions,
Jerry Seinfeld. (I somehow don't believe this one; I have a hard
time seeing him spending time on such a time-consuming avalache
of corresepondances while doing SEINFELD and more. Who knows!!!) 

(Of course, I COULD see Mark as the real Ted L. Nancy, I really
could... But I'm pretty sure it's not him). 

The three books (LETTERS FROM A NUT. MORE LETTERS FROM A NUT and
EVEN MORE LETTERS FROM A NUT) are a laugh riot, and are funniest
when read aloud to others, either at a party, at work, or at
random strangers on a New York streetcorner. 

In a nutshell, these books are crazy letters form a demented
character named TED. L. NANCY, in which he contacts major (and
minor) corporations, celebrities, hotels and casinos, even ruling
heads of state, with serious sounding inquiries about the most
absurd topics possible, and better yet, THE SERIOUS RESPONSES TO
THESE INANE REQUESTS.

My favorite is his oft-quoted letter to the Flamingo Hilton Hotel
& Casino, requesting permission to gamble while wearing his LUCKY
SHRIMP COSTUME... "That is a reddish veiny body outfit with a
brittle curved fantail. The top of my  head will be hardish &
crunchy and have tarter sauce on it..."

The casino's polite reply was a resounding no, because "...we
feel that because of the high level of activity created by the
outfit, it might be too distractive."

(Aside: Flamingos get their pinkish color from eating shrimp...)

Anyway, the current buzz is that supposedly ABC is considering
doing LFAN as a reality (or surreality) TV series, in which
demented friends of Mr. Nancy apparently try to follow up some of
these letters in person.  I have mixed feelings about whether or
not they could pull this off, but if the series is half as funny
as the books, it'll still be worth checking out. 

We'll see!!!


=====
-Larry Steller

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