...comes this:
Michael,
A friend who is tight with Dave Eggers, author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, said that Charlie Kaufman was in talks--pretty serious ones, I guess--about doing the script of this. I think it would be an awful idea for the very reason the friend thought it would be a swell idea--"the 'metaness' of it all." Time for him to move on to something else! In any case, I wonder if you have heard anything about this. (I heard at one time P.T. Anderson was courted for it, too.)
Matt
I'm pretty sure this is the first I've heard of it. And I really hope Charlie doesn't do it. Not because Staggering Genius isn't worthy or anything (I haven't read it, so I wouldn't know), but we don't need Adaptation 2: Electric Boogaloo.
If you don't know much about the book, it's a comedic, highly self-referential autobiography that includes "a list of 'Rules and Suggestions for Enjoyment of This Book,' and a 20-page acknowledgements section complete with special mail-in offer, flow chart of the book's themes, and a lovely pen-and-ink drawing of a stapler (helpfully labeled 'Here is a drawing of a stapler')." (So says Amazon.)*
My guess is he'll end up not doing this project. I'd rather see some more original work from him before we get another adaptation.
(*Pointless anecdote: In 1997 your humble webmaster submitted to a few publishers a highly self-referential teen suspense novel, about a writer of teen suspense fiction. I was told the market for this kind of stuff was full. Moral: never pay much attention to publishers or trends. In 1998 I took a slightly different approach and turned it into a comedic short story. That one was published, and in 1999 I adapted it into a short film script which won a prize. So thanks for nothing, publishing industry. Don't mind me, just going through my usual author's self-loathing.)
