Terence Winter

And for anybody who's never done it, I mean, you know, it's funny if you think like they say, like one of the biggest fears people have is speaking in public. Yeah. Speaking in public with the agenda of also trying to get people to laugh. Yeah. Is like and it's funny you do a bit or you say a joke and people don't laugh. It's like getting punched in the face. Oh, yeah.

And for anybody who's never done it, I mean, you know, it's funny if you think like they say, like one of the biggest fears people have is speaking in public. Yeah. Speaking in public with the agenda of also trying to get people to laugh. Yeah. Is like and it's funny you do a bit or you say a joke and people don't laugh. It's like getting punched in the face. Oh, yeah.

It is like it is no sound louder than people not laugh. Yeah. They say you think they're going to. Yeah.

It is like it is no sound louder than people not laugh. Yeah. They say you think they're going to. Yeah.

I did not know a soul. I literally sold everything I had. I was not in a relationship at the time. And I just showed up here on May 8th, 1991. I got a room in a horrible SRO hotel. It was actually in MacArthur Park. And now I was like, all right, I have to figure out. So I went down to the Writers Guild and this was just complete luck.

I did not know a soul. I literally sold everything I had. I was not in a relationship at the time. And I just showed up here on May 8th, 1991. I got a room in a horrible SRO hotel. It was actually in MacArthur Park. And now I was like, all right, I have to figure out. So I went down to the Writers Guild and this was just complete luck.

They had a list of new agents or young agents who were actually looking for clients. And on that list was a guy I went to law school with who sat four seats away from me. Wow. And his name was Doug Viviani. He's not an agent, so don't call him. But I called him and I said, what are you doing? He said, are you an agent?

They had a list of new agents or young agents who were actually looking for clients. And on that list was a guy I went to law school with who sat four seats away from me. Wow. And his name was Doug Viviani. He's not an agent, so don't call him. But I called him and I said, what are you doing? He said, are you an agent?

He said, no, I'm a real estate attorney and a client of mine wrote a book on real estate and I use the fee to get bonded as an agent. But I don't know anything about being an agent. I said, well, congratulations, you're my agent. What are you talking about? I'm in L.A. I'm writing. I'm trying to be a writer. I need an agent.

He said, no, I'm a real estate attorney and a client of mine wrote a book on real estate and I use the fee to get bonded as an agent. But I don't know anything about being an agent. I said, well, congratulations, you're my agent. What are you talking about? I'm in L.A. I'm writing. I'm trying to be a writer. I need an agent.

I said, so I'm going to create the Doug Viviani agency out of a mailbox, et cetera. And we're going to get letterhead and a phone mail. And I'm going to submit my work onto your letterhead. And if I get anything, you get 10% like an agent. And he said, great. So that's what I did.

I said, so I'm going to create the Doug Viviani agency out of a mailbox, et cetera. And we're going to get letterhead and a phone mail. And I'm going to submit my work onto your letterhead. And if I get anything, you get 10% like an agent. And he said, great. So that's what I did.

He was like, you know, the guy on Charlie's Angels. So I did that and I photocopied all my scripts and this is back, you know, This is now like 1992. When you could do this, I would just pull up to the Warner Brothers lot, for example, and say, yeah, I'm the messenger from the Doug Viviani agency. I have some scripts I need to drop off. And I just hit every sitcom office in L.A.

He was like, you know, the guy on Charlie's Angels. So I did that and I photocopied all my scripts and this is back, you know, This is now like 1992. When you could do this, I would just pull up to the Warner Brothers lot, for example, and say, yeah, I'm the messenger from the Doug Viviani agency. I have some scripts I need to drop off. And I just hit every sitcom office in L.A.

And there was like 30 of them at the time. And I addressed, you know, here's my scripts to the showrunner from an agent. And now at least my scripts are in the building where theoretically, if lightning struck, I could at least have a shot.

And there was like 30 of them at the time. And I addressed, you know, here's my scripts to the showrunner from an agent. And now at least my scripts are in the building where theoretically, if lightning struck, I could at least have a shot.

And I don't know, about a week or so into it, I got a there's a phone message on the Doug Viviani voicemail line. And it's a woman said, yeah, hi, my name is Winifred Hervey Stallworth. I'm the executive producer of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I read Terry Winter's stuff. I'm interested in having him in maybe to pitch. So I said, oh, my God. So I called Doug in New York and it was a Friday.

And I don't know, about a week or so into it, I got a there's a phone message on the Doug Viviani voicemail line. And it's a woman said, yeah, hi, my name is Winifred Hervey Stallworth. I'm the executive producer of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I read Terry Winter's stuff. I'm interested in having him in maybe to pitch. So I said, oh, my God. So I called Doug in New York and it was a Friday.

He was gone for the weekend. I was like, shit, I got to wait till Monday now. And I was like, you know what? Doug doesn't really know anything about being an agent. I'll just be Doug. And I called her back.

He was gone for the weekend. I was like, shit, I got to wait till Monday now. And I was like, you know what? Doug doesn't really know anything about being an agent. I'll just be Doug. And I called her back.