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Aug 31, 2011

DAN AYKROYD HATES ME: Blues Brothers TV Show In Development


Alright Mr. Aykroyd.  I tried to be civil.  I tried to show respect.  I begged and pleaded with you to leave well enough alone and to walk away from Ghostbusters III with your dignity intact.  I thought I made a decent argument, and while I didn't honestly expect you to heed my words, I didn't expect you to spit in my face.  I mean, really...a TV reboot of The Blues Brothers...that's just...there's no...

Why do you hate me Dan?

I can't count all the ways in which this is a terrible idea.  Recasting Jake and Elwood (along with the rest of the band) feels like an exercise in futility.  The music you guys produced over the years had a singular sound, a unique blend of soul, R&B, jazz and rock, a Chicago rhythm section mixed with a powerful Memphis horn brigade.  It had never existed before and I've never heard anything like it since.  You also helped to reinvigorate the careers of some of the great forgotten blues musicians of the time, artists like James Brown, and Aretha Franklin. Do you really see a place for any of that in the modern TV landscape?

I know John Belushi's wife Judy is writing and producing and that the pilot script was written by Anne Beatts, who wrote for you and John on SNL in the late 70s.  And I'm sure they've watched Glee and felt like the time was right for a musical comedy with the possibility of guest musicians.  But two moderately-funny, overly-attractive guys in suits, traipsing around with Adele and Bruno Mars...just kill me now.

The only ray of hope is that this isn't a done deal yet.  The pilot is about to get shopped around to networks who are will only be too happy to desecrate one of my favorite movies of all time with bland musicians, pretty faces and a distinct lack of crashed cars.

Make it stop Dan.  Please.

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