Petition asks Holly Robinson Peete to read prison screenplay
More than 2000 women sign petition demanding a firm commitment from Holly Robinson Peete (film producer) to read screenplay addressing Texas judicial system
Holly Robinson Peete – Talent Agents
– Actress, Music Department, Producer – 21 Jump Street (1987), 21 Jump Street (2012), For Your Love (1998), Howard the Duck (1986) – Agency for the Performing Arts (APA), Dan Baron –
Holly Robinson Peete & Adam Sandler’s film company targeted by Texas petition
Will Hollywood just rollover and let prisoner’s suffer?
EXCLUSIVE
More than 2000 women have signed an open letter to Adam Sandler calling on Holly Robinson Peete and Hollywood to take “movie action” to tackle injustice against men and women in the wake of revelations that Texas has more prisoners incarcerated than the Soviet Union’s gulag system had. Texas currently has over 290,000 inmates housed at 580 facilities.
The signatories, including state senators, professors of criminal justice, social workers, family, and inmates, call for a “firm commitment” to tackle the unjust prisons in Texas. The petition has also been signed by Beto O’Rourke, and Matthew McConaughey. These two signatories might face each other in the 2022 Texas governors election. Both have expressed interest in the job. The petitions arrived for Holly Robinson Peete at Agency for the Performing Arts (APA), Dan Baron last week.
In the open letter to Holly Robinson Peete, the 2080 women write that they are “heartbroken for first-time drug offenders many times addicts who have received extremely harsh sentences in Texas when rehabilitation has proven a cheaper and more effective solution.” The petition goes on to say their family and friends are often heartbroken for and looking for redemption and rehabilitation for the victimless drug crimes.”
The signatories, including attorneys, professors, politicians, family members, and inmates, call on Holly Robinson Peete for a ‘firm film commitment’ to tackle the issue of operating the Texas prison system for profit.
The petition came to light when women discovered the screenplay, a copy which was dontated to all 580 of the state’s prison and jail libraries. The existence of the petition surfaced on International Women’s Day. Women in Texas face extreme prejudice in Texas and often receive extremely harsh penalties for even a small amount of drugs, including marijuana. Marijuana is legal now in 21 states.
Inside prisons, the women are faced with such horrendous conditions… the petition demands that “filmmakers begin to take the issue seriously.” Also, the petition reminds that “even here in the USA in the 21st century citizens are not safe from government oppression.”
Actress, Music Department, Producer, Holly Robinson Peete, has not responded to the petition. Nor has Agency for the Performing Arts (APA), Dan Baron responded with a comment.
Alan Nafzger/caption]
The screenplay “Dumbass” was penned by writer and retired professor of political science Alan Nafzger.
The premise of the story is that, “Adam Sandler writes letters and saves numerous women from the monotony of prison life, and later when he gets into trouble with a drug cartel they return the favor by rescuing him.”
The film would be set in contemporary, Gatesville Texas. There are four women’s prisons located in Gatesville. And of course, Texas is famous for putting everyone in prison for a long sentences for little or no reason. The number of women in Texas prisons has tripled in the last ten years, as mass incarcerations have proven profitable to not only the state but also profitable for an array of business interests.
Writer Alan Nafzger has called on Governor Greg Abbott to, “end the prison industry.”
Recently, “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak spoke out against the Texas system and put a good word in for mercy and forgiveness out on social media. “How nice for those who have lived such exemplary lives that they can express glee when others have their lives ruined by a mistake, real or perceived,” Sajak tweeted last month.
During the winter’s deep freeze, the The Marshall Project, exposed the horrible prison conditions, “Inside Frigid Texas Prisons: Broken Toilets, Disgusting Food, Few Blankets.”
The petition states, “Why don’t we have the ‘Adam Sandler’ character… sending letters to women in prison and being their friend and trying to help them adjust, giving them hope… and when they get out of prison he picks them up so they don’t have to ride the smelly bus back home… but his pickup truck is a junker, smoking and sputtering … worse than the bus. But his heart is in the right place… He’s the last “chivalrous” man on earth.”
Holly Robinson Peete has not commented on the script, thus far. A statement is expected soon.
Professor Nafzger has made a short treatment of the project available online.
He has made the finished script available at for select filmmakers.
Adam Sandler of Happy Madison Productions has expressed interest in the screenplay.
Holly Robinson Peete is a Actress, Music Department, Producer known for 21 Jump Street (1987), 21 Jump Street (2012), For Your Love (1998), Howard the Duck (1986) and is represented by Agency for the Performing Arts (APA), Dan Baron.
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he’s strong enough to overcome the external conflict.
Note: Protagonist must FIRST overcome his/her internal conflict before
PLOT POINT II (Spin Story in New Direction)
The external conflict FORCES the protagonist to change by forcing him to deal with an internal conflict (flaw) he’s been avoiding.
Again, whatever works, is gold!
I also recommend the book Shadow Syndromes, by John J. Ratey, which breaks down how personality disorders like schizophrenia, sadistic personality disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and others can manifest in ordinary personalities in a more subtle form. And of course Myers-Briggs tests are always helpful in honing in on character; other writers swear by the Enneagram or that old standard, astrology.
I am not going to get into advice like writing out a 30-page biography on your character. If that’s what you do to create character, you’re probably already doing it. Personally, I always do a timeline based on the character’s age so I can see what was going on in his or her society and world when s/he was at various stages of life. But one thing I’ve found invaluable in understanding and creating character is archetypes (read your Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, and Christopher Vogler!), and I particularly respond to Greek archetypes. Two of the most useful books I’ve ever read on character, and I mean ever, are Jungian psychologist Jean Shinoda Bolen’s books Goddesses in Everywoman and Gods in Everyman — both fascinating analyses of how the Greek gods and goddesses are still alive and well in our own personalities. Start reading and you’ll see instantly how applicable these books are to creating character.
ARCHETYPES AND YOUR MAIN CHARACTER