The Today Show Aired My GOT Song Without Consent, And I Want My Gift Certificate
The Trail of Tears. The Rape of Nanking. Miel Bredouw vs. the Barstool Sports merch store. Francis Ellis vs. NBC Universal. What do they all have in common? One side was the victim of atrocious acts, committed by the hands of an inevitable, stronger, marauding force. We are the victims. We, the overrun, stripped of our essence, left to wander the woods without a compass.
It was brought to my attention, through my mentions, that NBC’s Today Show ran a clip of my GOT song as part of some montage about the show. To whomst did they give credit?
Barstool Sports. As though Dave made me do it. Can you imagine?
“Francis, you should make a song about Game of Thrones on your… on your… on that wooden thing? What’s it called?”
“A piano?”
“Bingo.”
NBC did offer a statement:
“Where’s his next one?” If I may Gadi, I think you have me mistaken for the girls in the movie Split. You see, you didn’t capture me, place me in a tomb, shackle me to my piano, dress me in Joffrey’s wedding gown, and offer me a bowl of gruel in exchange for a weekly Game of Thrones song. As such, I DON’T OWE YOU SHIT. From whence cometh this entitlement? Is this what happens when you work at a massive network—you lose sight of creators’ ownership over their material, over their process? You think you own the world?
No friend. ’tisn’t yours. Now, we can talk. We can parley. You have something I want: a 5-minute standup spot on The Tonight Show starring James Fallon. He and I belong to the same golf course and his locker is near enough to mine that I have, on occasion, allowed curiosity to steer my sneaky fingers towards his locker to determine whether he prefers ankle socks to quarters, Pro Vs to Taylor Mades to Bridgestones. I know more about your star late night host than you know about content appropriation. Get me that spot Gadi, and I will happily produce THREE (3) Game Of Thrones songs tailored to your specifications. I’ll make you a character! We’ll ignore that it’s technically ending this week and carry on this charade each Sunday, Ser Gadi. Got a nice ring to it, eh?!
On the biggest day of my career, no less. I’m supposed to be in the theater right now, running a tech rehearsal. Instead I had to address this shit. I’m so steamin’ that I can’t even eat my yogurt parfait.
NBC, you know where to find me. Give me Fallon or give me death.
See you at the Wilbur tonight!