About this episodeBruce Kaplan discusses his memoir 'I Was a Child,' contrasting the emotional clarity and cultural mystery of 1…AI summary
Bruce Kaplan discusses his memoir 'I Was a Child,' contrasting the emotional clarity and cultural mystery of 1960s/70s television with the on-demand, fragmented media consumption of today. He details his unconventional path into the television writing industry, emphasizing that success relies on persistent output and quality rather than rigid industry rules or learning from failure. Kaplan also shares his creative process for New Yorker cartoons, viewing them as a form of honest journaling that masks personal thoughts.
Key takeaways 6
Television Evolution: Modern children experience TV differently than previous generations; they consume computer-generated content on demand without the 'religious mystery' of waiting for specific broadcasts like The Wizard of Oz or I Love Lucy.
Emotional Clarity in Media: Kaplan values the direct emotional expression in classic sitcoms (e.g., Lucy sharing desires with Ethel but not Ricky) compared to the subtext-heavy, dramatized emotions in modern prestige TV like Girls or Six Feet Under.
Career Strategy Over Rules: The television writing industry has shifting 'rules' (e.g., needing two specs, one multi-cam) that are often guesses by agents; the only constant is producing high-quality, truthful work.
Failure as Forward Motion: Kaplan rejects the idea of 'learning from failure,' stating he never learned anything from his rejected spec scripts other than to immediately write the next one and keep moving forward.
Cartoon Creation Process: His ideal cartoon creation starts with drawing visuals to trigger thoughts, followed by a caption that emerges from his current emotional state, serving as a journaling mechanism to mask personal feelings.
Cultural Context: His childhood was shaped by a 'Holocaust shtetl mentality' where his parents were secretive ('don't tell anyone anything'), influencing his perception of adulthood and privacy.
Notable quotes 5AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.
“I was a child but I wasn't very good at it. I'm not sure why. I think a lot of us are born waiting to be adults.”
▶ 0:19Opening reflection on the universal experience of childhood anticipation and the transition to adulthood.
“There is something special about the fact that you can't control when you see these things that you want to see.”
▶ 7:39Describing the cultural ritual and mystery of waiting for TV broadcasts before DVRs and streaming existed.
“I just feel like this idea about learning from failure I feel like is a lie at least for me... I just feel like this idea about learning from failure... is a lie... The important thing is to go forward.”
▶ 59:48Kaplan's advice on career resilience, rejecting the notion of dwelling on failures in favor of continuous production.
“The cartoons are my journals... my way of sort of processing whatever I'm thinking about... so that people don't know that it's about them.”
▶ 3:29Explaining how he uses cartoons to process personal emotions while maintaining privacy and ambiguity.
“I don't think I've ever learned anything from a failure. I just went forward.”
▶ 21:00Reiterating his pragmatic approach to setbacks in his writing career.
Chapters & Sections (46)▼
0:03Childhood Memories and Early Life Experienceschapter3
0:03Childhood Memories and Family Background
1:49Artistic Approach to Childhood Memoir Illustrations
3:17Combining Art and Writing in Personal Journals
6:22Waiting for TV Broadcasts as a Cultural Experiencechapter2
6:22Waiting for TV Broadcasts as a Cultural Phenomenon
8:24Childhood Observations of Family Dynamics and Culture
10:29Evolution of Television and Emotional Claritychapter3
10:29Early Television Programming and Influence
12:14Evolution of Emotional Clarity in Television
13:41Perception of Television Quality Across Generations
15:04Meeting Famous People and TV Industry Experienceschapter2
15:04Meeting Famous People and Job Hunting Experiences
16:49Breaking into TV Writing Career Challenges
19:40Breaking into Television Writing Industry Challengeschapter4
19:40Breaking into the TV Writing Industry Challenges
21:23Breaking into Television Writing Career
22:38Breaking into the Entertainment Industry
23:55Creating a TV Pilot from Cartoon Inspiration
25:39Influences on Cartooning Style and Careerchapter2
25:39Influences on Cartooning Style and Career
27:15Breaking into the Cartoon Industry through Persistence
29:40Categorizing and Writing for Different Age Groupschapter6
29:40Categorization of Cartoon and Children's Book Collections
30:59Differences in Writing for Children and Adults
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