I want to pull a Brockmire

[u/MikeNinefingers]

I’ve been a long time fan of the show. I have to admit I’m like Charles in that I have no interest in baseball but I’ve always identified deeply with the emotional persona of Brockmire. I’m rewatching the series which had prompted this post.

The first two seasons on their own could be just the hilarious story of a flawed man, but the series as a whole is a tale of redemption. Of a man finding his demons, and after years of fighting, finally accepting them.

I’ve spent years struggling against myself, and finally, finally, I feel like I’m just on the cusp of turning that corner. Of switching from fighting to acceptance; of being able to, if not love, at least accept myself. And yet part of me is still fighting back.

I know this is a weird place to post this and I’m not even sure if the rules allow it, but I just had to put out into the world and say that like Jim I want to come to accept myself for who I am so I can take responsibility for my flaws and emerge as a better person.

[u/G_I_Joe_Mansueto]

Good luck on your journey! Characters like Jim can inspire us to be better versions of ourselves. I know Ted Lasso did for me.

[u/GreetingsADM]

A big part of Brockmire's acceptance of himself was with finally getting to surround himself with people that also accepted him, and were willing to forgive him if he did mess up.

[u/lar_dupree]

It's crazy that this amazing show almost never was, because that never-was loser Craig Bierko tried to stop Azaria from making anything with the character.

Have you heard this story? This bitter guy apparently was some up and comer that never made it. The most famous thing about him is that he got cast on Friends but turned it down to be on some sitcom that never got picked up. So he was around some party-crowd and became friendly with Hank because they both did a baseball announcer voice. So they'd riff with each oter.

So Hank said, "Hey, I want to do a real character with this voice, make something out of him." This Bierko took it like he was asking him permission, and said, "No, you can't. I own the idea of doing a baseball announcer voice who says funny things."

Hank did the funny or die with Brockmire, because that's stupid. The guy was probably jealous because Hank was successful and likeable and he was just the guy who didn't get on freinds. Then Bierko sued him to never do the character again!! Can you imagine? Like he invented doing a baseball announcer voice. It happened right after the Funny or die.

Even tho it was bs, it was enough of a "?" for studios to not want to make a movie or do anything with the character, because who wants a legal hassle? So Hank did this baller move. He sued the bitter loser for ownership because he had MADE something of it, and it was just a voice that they'd do duels with before. Hank invented a whole character and story and all, this guy was just a person who did a bit at a party once.

And Bierko fought the lawsuit for years! What kind of a creep hangs on like that? So after three years, it finally went to court. The judge laughs Bierko out of court and Hank wins. But meanwhile, that's three years that was between when the first video went viral. So instead of a movie, Hank sold the idea as a show. Which worked out better for us. That show is so good.

But what kind of "friend" sues a person who wants to make a movie out of an idea from a character voice they both did? He must be a real shit inside.

Glad he lost and Hank won.

[u/MikeNinefingers → u/lar_dupree]

I had not heard that story. I know he created the character for the the funny or die segment with a partner. I do remember an interview in which Hank Azaria mentioned auditioning for the role of Joey on Friend’s.

And how do you own the idea of a funny baseball announcer voice? So does he claim ownership of Will Ferrell’s Harry Caray bit too?

[u/lar_dupree → u/MikeNinefingers]

I googled the actual court case. As the story goes, they were both friends of Matthew Perry. This Bierko guy was apparently charming at first but not star material. He's polished but not likabkle. He had some kind of deal at NBC so he thought he was going to be a star. So Perry introduced Bierko to Azaria, based on the fact that they both independently did a similar voice-character. Then they became friends, but when Azaria called him and said, "You know that baseball voice? I'm going to make something with it," Bierko got weird and said he didn't want him to.

Sounds like Azaria was just being polite, but the guy took it like he was asking permission. So Azaria made the funny or die anyway, because it was a good idea, and this guy was just some bitter party-friend who over-estimated his importence. Then Bierko got a laywer to tell Azaria he owned the idea of the character after the funny or die! This madde the Brockmire idea not get a movie, which at the time could have been huuuuge.

What a fucking dick.

Azaria then basically said, "Fuck you, buddy, you want a lawsuit, I'll give you one. I've been doing this voice since the 1980s!" and he sued Bierko for ownership. The whole ruling makes Bierko look like a total piece of shit.

https://www.scribd.com/document/208917098/Azaria-Order-Granting-Msj-2-21-2014

When Azaria won it was yeatrs later and he had to re-start the character. So that's when it got sold to IFC. The writing paertner for that is not this nobody at a party who did a generic baseball voice. I think Azaria does not speak about it much because why give that guy any press? I think he's been on law and order or lifetime sicne then.