Remembering Manny Coto By Brian Helgeland: “We were best friends after all; We wrote together to be together"
Remembering Manny Coto By Brian Helgeland: “We were best friends after all; We wrote together to be together"
July 10, 2023 8:33 p.m.
EXCLUSIVE: Manny Coto died on July 9 at the age of 62. Almost 35 years to the day, he and I are picketing Beverly Boulevard in front of CBS.
I've been a member of the WGA for about four months and Manny for maybe eight. To say that we are wet behind the ears is an insult to humidity. As always, we have fun because everything we do together is fun. That's how we survived trying to break into show business. It's amazing how doing something alongside your best friend is never really intimidating. Either way, we're in one of those long loops that just keep doubling up once you reach the end of the line. And Manny suddenly says, "Holy shit, that's Harlan Ellison we just ran into!" I only know the name, but, along with Gene Roddenberry, Ellison is a special Manny hero and he can't believe he's on the same picket line as an immortal writer. And every 10 minutes or so, we cross it in the opposite direction.
Now Ellison, by all accounts a friggin force of nature, wears a sign homemade that reads "Nick Is Counter Productive" with Nick and Counter in red. Two mysteries must be solved as we walk: Who is Nick Counter, and how are we going to get a picture of Manny and his hero? (J I have my 35mm camera.) Finally, as we pass for the umpteenth time, Manny has the audacity to shout, "Who's Nick Counter? Ellison stops dead in his tracks. The picket line stops behind him so Ellison snaps at Manny: "Who's Nick Counter?! Who's Nick Counter!? What are you doing here? How can you not know who Nick Counter is!?" Manny hangs his head in shame.
Finally, Ellison moves forward, and so does the line. Nick Counter – and we will never forget him – is the AMPTP's chief negotiator. The other fact made clear here is that there is no way we can arrest Harlan Ellison and ask him to take a picture with Manny. Cut to an hour later because our shift is about to end. We go beyond the limits in the street and set up a guerrilla operation: Manny stands, his picket held proudly, I concentrate and get into position, and we wait for the passage of the great man of letters. Click on. Always meet your heroes. Ellison is none the wiser. Like everything, we laugh about it all day long.
EXCLUSIVE: Manny Coto died on July 9 at the age of 62. Almost 35 years to the day, he and I are picketing Beverly Boulevard in front of CBS.
I've been a member of the WGA for about four months and Manny for maybe eight. To say that we are wet behind the ears is an insult to humidity. As always, we have fun because everything we do together is fun. That's how we survived trying to break into show business. It's amazing how doing something alongside your best friend is never really intimidating. Either way, we're in one of those long loops that just keep doubling up once you reach the end of the line. And Manny suddenly says, "Holy shit, that's Harlan Ellison we just ran into!" I only know the name, but, along with Gene Roddenberry, Ellison is a special Manny hero and he can't believe he's on the same picket line as an immortal writer. And every 10 minutes or so, we cross it in the opposite direction.
Now Ellison, by all accounts a friggin force of nature, wears a sign homemade that reads "Nick Is Counter Productive" with Nick and Counter in red. Two mysteries must be solved as we walk: Who is Nick Counter, and how are we going to get a picture of Manny and his hero? (J I have my 35mm camera.) Finally, as we pass for the umpteenth time, Manny has the audacity to shout, "Who's Nick Counter? Ellison stops dead in his tracks. The picket line stops behind him so Ellison snaps at Manny: "Who's Nick Counter?! Who's Nick Counter!? What are you doing here? How can you not know who Nick Counter is!?" Manny hangs his head in shame.
Finally, Ellison moves forward, and so does the line. Nick Counter – and we will never forget him – is the AMPTP's chief negotiator. The other fact made clear here is that there is no way we can arrest Harlan Ellison and ask him to take a picture with Manny. Cut to an hour later because our shift is about to end. We go beyond the limits in the street and set up a guerrilla operation: Manny stands, his picket held proudly, I concentrate and get into position, and we wait for the passage of the great man of letters. Click on. Always meet your heroes. Ellison is none the wiser. Like everything, we laugh about it all day long.
