(Washington, D.C., October 12, 2010). NBC’s new legal drama “Outlaw” was stolen by the network from Larry Klayman, the founder of Judicial Watch and Freedom Watch.
A few years ago, Klayman, through his agent William Morris, his writer John Romano (formerly of “LA Law”), Cary Brokaw of Avenue Pictures, David Madden, then of Fox Television Studios and recently elevated to President of Twentieth Century Fox Television, which had acquired the rights to Klayman’s life story, pitched the show in person to NBC executives. Klayman, who is the consummate anti-establishment lawyer, and the only attorney ever to obtain a court ruling that a president of the United States had committed a crime — which occurred during the Clinton administration — argued that a legal show which featured an idealistic no holds barred lawyer who declares war on the establishment, would be big hit and serve to educate the American people on the need for honest government. NBC turned the series down at that time, but later, with its new show “Outlaw,” stole Klayman’s concept, to capitalize on the new anti-establishment revolutionary mood which has swept the country. Klayman had even pitched the title “Outlaw” to NBC.
But, low and behold, NBC and its producer, Conan O’Brien, badly loused up the show with poor casting, writing, execution and marketing, and late last week the network halted production of the series in the wake of low ratings. Now, most entertainment industry critics believe that it will be cancelled, ironically just as Klayman had consulted with and was about to retain entertainment legal counsel to sue NBC for the theft.
Klayman issued the following statement.
“While I was outraged that NBC would steal my life story, I was ironically flattered and heartened as well that Jimmy Smits was playing me, with some minor variations. It shows that the idea of a television legal series about an idealistic lawyer who risks all to take on a corrupt government and legal system is viable. Even though NBC has failed due to its own incompetence, there is plenty of opportunity for other networks to capitalize on the anti-establishment “revolution” that is now sweeping the country and not only entertain but educate the American people on the need to take on, revamp and alter our body politic and legal system, before the nation sinks irrevocably into an abyss of corruption. If done correctly, the show would likely be a huge success over many seasons, as the people are yearning for a new age anti-establishment and principled lawyer like “John Adams” to help restore the ideals of our Founding Fathers, as the nation is in crisis and on the verge of revolution. It is simply a no-brainer!”
In a recent article in the internet publication “Red Country,” Klayman was credited as being the inspiration of and precursor to the Tea Party movement. Last fall, Klayman’s auto-biography was published, “Whores: Why and How I Came to Fight the Establishment,” which chronicles his life story. It is available with all major booksellers.
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