The Possible Expansion of Team Handleman

Recently, my agent left the agenting business to do something totally different: become a manager. What's the difference between an agent and a manager? Well, nothing.

Okay, not completely nothing. A manager is supposed to be more involved in your career, he/she will read your stuff, give you notes, and guide you more than an agent does. An agent makes your deals, a manager is more of a partner in crime. Also, a manager can "produce" things. So if I sell a show, my manager can attach himself as a producer. An agent isn't allowed to do that.

None of this really matters, but basically now I have a manager and no agent. The guy is still doing the same shit as before though, so it doesn't really make a difference to me. Hopefully, the new company he is at has better resources and a better profile than his previous spot, although that probably doesn't matter that much.

After this happened, some agents have come out of the woodwork wanting to represent me. It appears the ratings of the show I'm on have earned it some respect in the industry, and now they think they will be able to make money off me because of it.

I know I've said this many times, but I find this to be very strange. I'm doing the same shit I've always done, but I lucked out and got on a show that people like and now people magically think I know what I'm doing.

What bothers me is that none of these business people - agents, studio executives - seem to know what is going on at shows.

There are morons on hit shows, and there are geniuses at awful ones. And yet no one who can do anything about it knows the difference. Thus, a moron who writes on Parks and Rec will get whatever job they want, and a genius on Mike and Molly will be shunned for the next 2 years. It's a flawed system.

But whatever, I'm benefiting right now so I need to take advantage of it. The question is: do I really need more of Team Handleman? Do I want to give up another 20% of my meager earnings?

I don't know.

On the one hand, I don't want to limit myself. I want as many people finding me work as humanly possible.

On the other, that's probably a myth. The fact is, agents haven't really ever gotten me anything. Almost every job I've ever got was through friends or connections. And with all of the sad stories of Team Handleman's ineptness in the past, do I really need more idiots involved in my life?

Which brings us to another problem, my bitterness. Some of these same people wanting to talk to me have rejected me in the past! They didn't want me when I was writing low rated Mexican jokes. And now here they are. Where were you when I needed you, motherfuckers?!

But there's also another part of me that still thinks like I did 10 years ago: that agents can actually help. It's a crazy notion, and I cling to it when things get bleak.

Alas, I can't complain. This is a good problem to have, I'm just not sure what to do and I don't want to blow it. With any luck, the next show I write for will be awful and I can be left alone and die penniless.