Post by Erika on Feb 3, 2006 18:32:22 GMT -5
www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060203/LOCAL/202030358/1078/news
'Saved by the Bell' creator offers insight on popular show
By JENNIFER PFAFF
Special to the Sun
February 03. 2006 6:01AM
As Peter Engel entered the stage at University Auditorium Thursday night, a crowd of about 800 University of Florida students cheered and sang along as he strutted to the popular theme song of "Saved by the Bell" with a big grin.
"It's so good to be here, even though you lost to Tennessee," Engel said. "But it's still good to be here."
Engel, creator of the TV series "Saved by the Bell" and NBC's "Last Comic Standing," spoke about his successful career and the spiritual journey he took that led him to Virginia, where he served as dean of the School of Communications and the Arts at Regent University for 17 months.
Engel began his 35-minute speech by describing three unknown facts about "Saved by the Bell." The first one, Engel said, was that he wasn't thrilled when the president of NBC asked him to write a sitcom with kids as stars to attract 10- to 12-year-old viewers. Engel said his wife had to convince him it was a good idea.
"She said, 'Our children are 5 and 3,' " Engel said. " 'You've been praying for a chance like this. God answered your prayers, and you said no?' "
The second unknown fact was that he didn't want to name the show "Saved by the Bell."
"I said, 'That is the stupidest title I have ever heard in my life,' " Engel said. " 'We are not calling my show that.' "
Engel hoped the name was already taken, but it hadn't been used before. As a result, the title stuck.
Engel revealed that the last unknown fact was that he didn't want the theme song to include bells or the words "saved by the bell" in the lyrics.
Five writers came to him with different arrangements of the song.
The first four obeyed his instructions, but the last one began the song with a school bell ringing. Despite going against his own wishes, Engel said it was perfect, although he still doesn't know all the words.
Engel went on to discuss the casting process for the show. He said the character of Lisa Turtle wasn't supposed to be black but actually a Jewish princess who moved to California from Long Island. Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who played the sitcom's main character, Zach, had to convince Engel that Dustin Diamond was perfect for the part of Screech.
"He told me, 'This kid is Screech in real life,' " he said.
When the show's pilot came out, Engel said, everyone told him that nobody would watch it. He said critics hated it and destroyed it in the newspapers.
"I felt like I was selling heroin over the ads," Engel said.
But when the show was released on the air, 50 percent of all teenage girls in America were watching it. "Saved by the Bell" reached out to an audience that spanned from 10- to 17-year-olds.
"We invented 'tweens' " Engel said.
He attributed the show's success to the fact that it was based on morals. He drew the line where other sitcoms didn't, such as writing scenes with characters having sex. The morality of the show caught on and the sitcom was sold overseas and bought in 85 countries.
"It was the only thing they agreed on in the Middle East," Engel said.
As the ratings continued to soar, Engel started to question if God had had a hand in helping him become successful. He said he had been living the life of a drug-addicted atheist until 1979 after having a spiritual encounter with Jesus.
"When I was snorting coke up my nose, they didn't call me crazy," Engel said. "When I said I saw Jesus, that's when they said I was crazy."
Ever since his conversion to Christianity, Engel said his religion has been the foundation of his life. But no matter what you believe, he said, I challenge you to give back to the world.
"You've got to give something back," he said.
Engel's visit was co-sponsored by Accent, UF's speakers bureau, and Campus Crusade for Christ
'Saved by the Bell' creator offers insight on popular show
By JENNIFER PFAFF
Special to the Sun
February 03. 2006 6:01AM
As Peter Engel entered the stage at University Auditorium Thursday night, a crowd of about 800 University of Florida students cheered and sang along as he strutted to the popular theme song of "Saved by the Bell" with a big grin.
"It's so good to be here, even though you lost to Tennessee," Engel said. "But it's still good to be here."
Engel, creator of the TV series "Saved by the Bell" and NBC's "Last Comic Standing," spoke about his successful career and the spiritual journey he took that led him to Virginia, where he served as dean of the School of Communications and the Arts at Regent University for 17 months.
Engel began his 35-minute speech by describing three unknown facts about "Saved by the Bell." The first one, Engel said, was that he wasn't thrilled when the president of NBC asked him to write a sitcom with kids as stars to attract 10- to 12-year-old viewers. Engel said his wife had to convince him it was a good idea.
"She said, 'Our children are 5 and 3,' " Engel said. " 'You've been praying for a chance like this. God answered your prayers, and you said no?' "
The second unknown fact was that he didn't want to name the show "Saved by the Bell."
"I said, 'That is the stupidest title I have ever heard in my life,' " Engel said. " 'We are not calling my show that.' "
Engel hoped the name was already taken, but it hadn't been used before. As a result, the title stuck.
Engel revealed that the last unknown fact was that he didn't want the theme song to include bells or the words "saved by the bell" in the lyrics.
Five writers came to him with different arrangements of the song.
The first four obeyed his instructions, but the last one began the song with a school bell ringing. Despite going against his own wishes, Engel said it was perfect, although he still doesn't know all the words.
Engel went on to discuss the casting process for the show. He said the character of Lisa Turtle wasn't supposed to be black but actually a Jewish princess who moved to California from Long Island. Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who played the sitcom's main character, Zach, had to convince Engel that Dustin Diamond was perfect for the part of Screech.
"He told me, 'This kid is Screech in real life,' " he said.
When the show's pilot came out, Engel said, everyone told him that nobody would watch it. He said critics hated it and destroyed it in the newspapers.
"I felt like I was selling heroin over the ads," Engel said.
But when the show was released on the air, 50 percent of all teenage girls in America were watching it. "Saved by the Bell" reached out to an audience that spanned from 10- to 17-year-olds.
"We invented 'tweens' " Engel said.
He attributed the show's success to the fact that it was based on morals. He drew the line where other sitcoms didn't, such as writing scenes with characters having sex. The morality of the show caught on and the sitcom was sold overseas and bought in 85 countries.
"It was the only thing they agreed on in the Middle East," Engel said.
As the ratings continued to soar, Engel started to question if God had had a hand in helping him become successful. He said he had been living the life of a drug-addicted atheist until 1979 after having a spiritual encounter with Jesus.
"When I was snorting coke up my nose, they didn't call me crazy," Engel said. "When I said I saw Jesus, that's when they said I was crazy."
Ever since his conversion to Christianity, Engel said his religion has been the foundation of his life. But no matter what you believe, he said, I challenge you to give back to the world.
"You've got to give something back," he said.
Engel's visit was co-sponsored by Accent, UF's speakers bureau, and Campus Crusade for Christ
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But I still don't get why Peter Engel at first didn't like the name Saved by the bell...
