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David Gerrold was not invited to the premiere. Seems unhappy about it.


But according to that passage, Heinlein also admits that he lifted the idea from someone else.

Reminds me of Krusty the Klown:

"If this is anyone other that Ellis Parker Butler, you're stealing my bit!"
 
I think the difference is in the "degree" of the lifting. Heinlein "filed the serial numbers off" an old story, taking the "basic idea" and going in a different direction. Gerrold (whether he admits or not) took the entire "basic flat cat plot" from (DAMMIT THE TITLE OF THE BOOK JUST WENT OUT OF MY HEAD).

Sir Rhosis
 
I can understand him being upset for not getting more credit for or having been more involved in TNG (most people from early on in TNG's development were pretty upset at Roddenberry's leadership and have been increasingly open about it, Gerrold just much earlier and more openly than most) and thus somewhat at Paramount overall but criticism of the corporation can and will obviously come with consequences and this is a decidedly mild consequence.
 
Wow - after reading that it's clear David Gerrold has unabashedly been making money by stealing others ideas from DAY ONE of his professional career (the book pages linked to state it was his first sale.) No wonder he supported Alec Peters so wholeheartedly, they appear to be kindred spirits.
 
But according to that passage, Heinlein also admits that he lifted the idea from someone else.

Reminds me of Krusty the Klown:

"If this is anyone other that Ellis Parker Butler, you're stealing my bit!"
Wow, I had never heard about any of this before. I definitely just lost quite a bit of respect for Gerrold, although lately I'd been starting to lose it a bit.
 
I think the difference is in the "degree" of the lifting. Heinlein "filed the serial numbers off" an old story, taking the "basic idea" and going in a different direction. Gerrold (whether he admits or not) took the entire "basic flat cat plot" from (DAMMIT THE TITLE OF THE BOOK JUST WENT OUT OF MY HEAD).

Sir Rhosis

I mentioned it in my previous post. Heinlein's book was called The Rolling Stones. I even started a thread about it several years ago:

https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/the-trouble-with-flat-cats.229585/

At that time, I gave him the benefit of the doubt but I'm having my doubts.
 
But according to that passage, Heinlein also admits that he lifted the idea from someone else.

Reminds me of Krusty the Klown:

"If this is anyone other that Ellis Parker Butler, you're stealing my bit!"
Maybe that is why he didn't pursue things with Gerrold, Heinlen borrowed too. No better, no worse.
 
Maybe that is why he didn't pursue things with Gerrold, Heinlen borrowed too. No better, no worse.
I can't find the article, but Heinlein didn't pursue it because he was allowing a struggling writer to get his start. But, he later regretted it.
 
This. His paranoid ramblings and self serving memory modification go back years. He's been angry since early TNG at least.

The thing that gets me is, didn't he say that he attended a retreat where he learned to put past hates behind him (what he felt about Gene?) This is petty of him.

That's true. What's tacky is to surf on your laurels for 50 years and, on top of that, come across as a perennial crank on social networks. The only guy I know who can pull off the perennial crank act is Harlan Ellison, because as bitter as he may be, he expresses it with a wit and flourish which Gerrold lacks. Kind of ironic considering that Gerrold is known for writing a comedy episode...

The fans supporting Gerrold on his Facebook page want him to write for The Orville, BTW. And the thing is, if McFarlane wants him, he could pull it off too.

I think the difference is in the "degree" of the lifting. Heinlein "filed the serial numbers off" an old story, taking the "basic idea" and going in a different direction. Gerrold (whether he admits or not) took the entire "basic flat cat plot" from (DAMMIT THE TITLE OF THE BOOK JUST WENT OUT OF MY HEAD).

Sir Rhosis

The Rolling Stones (Space Family Stone in the UK.)
 
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