Great Moments in American History

The latest issue of Written By came this week. The official magazine of the WGA, it features a ton of great interviews and useful articles. Maybe my favorite thing, however, are the "for your consideration" ads that run in advance of certain award seasons -- usually with an excerpt from the script, to help the Guild members remember why this project deserves their recognition.

With the Emmy noms just a month or two away, I noticed that HBO wasn't wasting any time building support for "John Adams." Although I suspect there was some confusion at the printer's. Seems to me like a different version of this scene ran in Sunday's broadcast, didn't it? I'll have to check my Tivo.

John continues to read from the London papers. Abigail sips her tea, pensive. Colonel Smith stands behind John, covertly reading another paper with visible disgust.

JOHN
The Morning Post and Daily
Advertiser... ah, they, very
helpfully inform their readers
that I was so pitifully embarrassed
as to be very nearly tongue-tied.

SMITH
You must pay them no mind sir.

John looks his shoulder. Smith quickly hides his paper. John can’t help himself -- he’s drawn back to the printed page.

JOHN
(bursts out laughing)
Here is someone calling for me
to be hanged! Post haste! Charming.
God, what a country.

ABIGAIL
Colonel Smith, remove these papers
at once.

Smith begins to clear the table.

JOHN
It is of no account. Let them say
what they will. Although...

John grabs the top most sheet of newsprint.

JOHN

I defy any man to tell me this page three
engraving is an accurate depiction of...
(reads)
Miss Mary Holden’s god-given anatomy.

ABIGAIL
(looks over)
She does rather
over-fill her corset.

JOHN
(studies the page)
Yes. She does.

Smith looks over John’s shoulder. His eyebrows go up in amazement.

Abigail clears her throat.

Both men jump. John quickly balls the page up and stuffs it into the fire.