What’s Next
Authors: Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack
Release: August 13, 2024
Tagline: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service.
Publisher: Dutton
Genre: Entertainment, Public Service, Television
ISBN-10: 0593184548
ISBN-13: 978-0593184547
Declassified by Agent Palmer: “What’s Next” taught me even more about West Wing’s legacy
Quotes and Lines
From the start, a commitment to service was in the bones of The West Wing, in its DNA. It was the ethos of a show designed to be, in the words of creator Aaron Sorkin, “a love letter to public service.”
“It was a broadcast network series that didn’t spoon-feed information or emotional moments. That was really novel. In network television,” Kathleen [York] continued, “the note you always get is: clarify, explain . . . simplify, so no one’s left out. But Aaron Sorkin is a rocket–you get on or you don’t.”
With production on the pilot looming, some believed that the West Wing cast could still use a jolt of star power. While any number of the actors already on board possessed sufficient talent and charisma to carry a show, NBC still had concerns. An hour-long drama about public service–and public servants–remained a tough sell in any climate, let alone one as toxic as American politics in 1999.
It’s kind of a perfect phrase, right? This idea–that there’s always another problem to solve, that every day we get up and try to do better, that the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die–embodies the aspirational beauty of politics and service. On the other hand . . . “He just had to come up with the line, “ Tommy [Schlamme] says with a laugh, “because God forbid someone’s not talking for a while.”
“For every story Aaron liked, ten were rejected. Make no mistake,” Kevin [Falls] revealed, “he was a demanding boss. Sometimes difficult. We had our moments. But great storytelling should be hard, and Aaron strived for every episode to be great, not just very good.”
Richard’s [Schiff] commitment to separating the war from the warrior, and his support for military personnel and their families, is unwavering. Our conversation continually wound up in the neighborhood of one of the most important things any public figure can bring to an issue he cares about. Exposure.
“Anthony Edwards, who was on ER then, was a real inspiration to me. When West Wing took off, he gave me this wonderful advice: “Just remember, celebrity is currency. You can spend it on yourself . . . or you can spend it on other people.”
…the thing is, most people aren’t area experts. You don’t have to be an area expert to care about and fight for the issues that impact your life and the lives of your loved ones and community.
“If we don’t allow talented people to live their lives outside of their work, they’re not going to be available to us to be on the show and be good. We do that in all kinds of areas. People get sick, and we keep them on the payroll and tell them to get better. You’ve got to create that world.”
A final thank-you to anyone and everyone who has devoted some or all of their lives to service. It is true, ultimately, that to live is to serve. Whether it is an hour a week, or a lifetime, the act of stepping outside of oneself, and making oneself available to others, is something that enriches all of us. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for caring enough to make the world better.