Petition asks Maria Bamford to read prison screenplay
More than 2000 women sign petition demanding a firm commitment from Maria Bamford (film producer) to read screenplay addressing Texas judicial system
Maria Bamford – Talent Agents
– Actress, Writer, Producer – Barnyard (2006), The Legend of Korra (2012), Hell and Back (2015), Adventure Time with Finn & Jake (2010) – The Gersh Agency, Liz Pokora-Sadowsky – Omnipop Talent Group, Bruce Smith
Maria Bamford & 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 Maria Bamford 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 Maria Bamford at The Gersh Agency, Liz Pokora-Sadowsky last week.
In the open letter to Maria Bamford, 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 Maria Bamford 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, Writer, Producer, Maria Bamford, has not responded to the petition. Nor has The Gersh Agency, Liz Pokora-Sadowsky 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.”
Maria Bamford 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.
Maria Bamford is a Actress, Writer, Producer known for Barnyard (2006), The Legend of Korra (2012), Hell and Back (2015), Adventure Time with Finn & Jake (2010) and is represented by The Gersh Agency, Liz Pokora-Sadowsky.
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Themes under this category often deal with a need to belong, a need for acceptance or recognition. It’s learning one’s own self worth. Films that have explored this magic include Fred Claus, Home Alone, Jack Frost, etc.
A story encompassing the magic of the holidays involves learning to believe in something. I’m not just talking ‘bout believing in Santa Claus, although this theme has been explored many times and often isn’t really about believing in Santa, it’s about believing in the magical possibilities of our own lives.
HOLIDAY MAGIC
The key word is ‘learn’. Each story involves a theme where the dysfunctional person or persons learn a valuable lesson. This lesson MUST change their lives for the better. It should be a lesson that inspires an audience to want to change their lives. The holidays are about inspiration and getting the chance at a fresh start.
It can even be not so hard to get through Act II, Part 1 to the Midpoint. But it’s that third quarter where things get murky. You feel like you’re not getting anywhere. In fact, you have no freaking clue where you are, or why in the hell you’re wherever the hell you are to begin with, and you just want to give up and sleep for a week, or eat chocolate and watch television for a week, or all of the above. In my own life, I have more than once declared to my significant other that I’m going to have to give back the book advance because I’m just never going to be able to pull the thing off.
There’s something else I’d like to point out about this third quarter of the story. I find that right about now is when writers tend to hit the wall and abandon their books or scripts. Let’s face it; it’s easy to write a first act. It’s new, it’s fresh, it’s exciting, it’s like the first flush of being in love. You’re so high on endorphins you don’t stop to think, and that means you don’t get in your own way.
This is a good example of how the hero/ine is often pursuing the wrong goal, and has to give up on what s/he thought she wanted in order to get what she truly needs. If you put that moment when the Inner Need eclipses the Outer Desire at the Act Two Climax, it plays as a TWIST, which is always a great thing in storytelling.
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