A Sher Thing.

IT'S  A FUNNY thing when you're sitting there in your WGC meeting, hearing the latest sturm and drang, and the vibrating of your iPad alerts you to a happy little story like this in the Hollywood Reporter.

Rob Sheridan lands Warner Bros. TV pilot deal

Lands blind pilot script deal for a six-figure package

By Etan Vlessing

April 16, 2010, 11:23 AM ET

TORONTO -- Canadian screenwriter Rob Sheridan is partnering with Warner Bros. Television to develop a comedy.

The blind pilot script deal will see Toronto-based Sheridan, whose writer, story editor and producer credits include HBO Canada's "Less Than Kind," the CBC's "Little Mosque on the Prairie," and CTV's "Corner Gas," land a six-figure package and move to Los Angeles this summer to start developing a half-hour comedy series.

"WBTV have produced some of my favorite television comedies and I think together we'll be able to create something special," Sheridan said.

Rob is one of my bestest writer peeps. We met at the Canadian Film Centre about -- oh my God it's nearly ten years ago now.  (He was 14.  You're welcome, Sheridan.)  Rob is a meticulous & dedicated comedy writer, and above-average commiserator.  His dedication to his craft is unparalleled. He's very funny.  He's exactly the guy that should have a six figure blind script deal.

So, further to a column by Jim Henshaw here, and my own recent lament here, I ask you, gentle reader, what does it say that while Rob was being written up in the Hollywood Reporter, I was hearing about the new "Canadian Content" on CTV -- The Borgias, follow up to The Tudors, about an Italian noble family.  (No Canadian writers.)  or CBC's upcoming Camelot. (No Canadian writers.)

These shows will get tax credits because maybe there's a few Canadian actors in supporting roles, and they manage to satisfy the co-production treaty requirements by doing post here, for instance.

But let's not kid ourselves. 

I've worked with Rob on a couple of his development projects.  They were funny.  They didn't go. I've read his spec scripts. Hilarious.  He won a Screenwriting award for a Corner Gas he co-wrote a couple years back.

I can tell you with all authority that Rob, while hilarious and morose and yes, single, ladies, I'm just saying -- is no funnier today than he was yesterday.  Yet today I know in my heart he is more desirable to Canadian producers or Canadian networks, because he's going away.  Probably for good.

And that's fucked.

Rob never got a blind pilot deal here, though you'd have had to be blind not to see the guy had chops.

In fact, he'd probably be the first to tell you that he's sure that half the producers in this country would never have heard of him.

Well, Rob, your friends -- over 57 of them at last count had posted bittersweet congratulations on his Facebook page in just a few hours -- we always knew you had the funny in you.  We'll be sad to see you go -- but happy that your talent is getting its due. May it be the start of great things.

Now if you don't mind, I think I'm going to go somewhere and get me a nice glass of bourbon.

UPDATE:  It has been pointed out to me that Rob DID get a blind pilot deal -- from a very, very, aggressive and interesting prodco that's part Just For Laughs, Part Muse.  Kudos for them, -- but hardly surprising as they operate in Quebec, where they respect talent.   And no uptake from Cdn nets.  But I did not in anyway mean to diminish their effort.  More of that, not less, and with timely intent, keeps talent here.

But whatever. I still feel like King Canute ordering the sea to turn back.