We had a new user sign up at Supercub.org with what appeared on the surface to be a reasonable request. His post follows:
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User >Lighthearted

Joined: 11 May 2010
Posts: 2
Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 9:22 pm Post subject: Television Casting
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I know, I know... the last thing you all want is a TV producer poking around in your discussion forum, but I couldn't help myself.

I find this whole area of expertise very interesting. Air taxis, STOL pilots, "bush pilots", no matter what you call it, this job is under appreciated and could be a very interesting television show with the right group of pilots, outfitters, company, etc.

SO.... that's why I'm here, I'm looking for interesting and talented pilots who might make for good TV. I'd like to get a better understanding of the daily ins and outs of the job and the various conflicts one might face when dealing with clients, co-workers, and mother nature.

Please feel free to contact me if you or someone you know might fit the bill.

Thanks for your time.
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Jeff Spangler


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We obviously don't have any idea what his intentions were. It may be perfectly legitimate. At the same time there are real risks associated with this type of activity as the following post points out:
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VictorBravo

Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 18
Location: Los Angeles
Posted: Wed May 12, 2010 9:26 am Post subject:

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DISCLAIMER: No automatic disrespect for the original poster, and no accusations specifically aimed at him. Don't know him or know anything good or bad about him. He might be totally legit.

That being said, please watch out folks. Television producers, especially today's "reality show" types, are to be watched out for at all costs. The job they do routinely requires deceiving, misleading, and otherwise misrepresenting themselves to a very high degree. They have enough lawyers so that they usually get away with it, and it makes them enough money that it doesn't matter if they lose a lawsuit once in a while.

The news "expose' " and "hidden camera" shows routinely position themselves as being interested in one type of material, or position themselves as doing a POSITIVE story on something... when in reality they are planning to make the subject look bad, or crooked, or silly, or incompetent. Happens ALL the time, every day in TV land.

Before ANYONE agrees to be a part of ANY TV show for ANY reason and under ANY promise of being made to look good... please go off and watch several episodes of Penn & Teller's Bulls**t! Cable TV show. Imagine what the segment producer(s) had to say to those people in order to get them on the show... knowing damn well that Penn Gillette was going to skewer them from head to toe during the post-production and editing.

Then go speak to Chuck Slusarsczyk, the founder of GCS Aviation. Chuck is an honest, educated, and talented engineer and ultralight aircraft designer. His Hawk design is the only one of the first generation ultralights that didn't fall apart in the air during the early days. He designed a safer, better quality ultralight that was a good solid design, adhering to solid engineering principles. He agreed to be interviewed for a segment of a "magazine show", I think it was 20/20 or another similar program. The show's producers sold him a bill of goods, they were out from the beginning to make ultralights look like deathtraps. When the show came out, it made him look like an idiot and almost put him out of business. People lost their jobs, Chuck nearly had to close down the business.

Then go see the movie "The Insider" with Al Pacino and Russell Crowe. That is a true story about 60 Minutes betraying an informant. The informant lost everything.

I'm sorry to spoil anyone's dreams of being a TV star, or burst anyone's bubble that some TV show is going to make aviation look good. But television and the news media in general is the natural enemy of private aviation. Their relationship is the same as the relationship between a shark and a bleeding fish. This guy posting here may be 100% legit, he may be 100% pro-aviation, and his superior(s) if any might also actually be looking to promote aviation and make us look good.

My point is that if there is an actual TV show underneath all this... the aviators participating have a right and a good reason to insist on a contract that guarantees such things as aviation not being made to look bad, and much more. Many years ago, you might have been OK to trust a producer who gave you his/her word that the show was gonna make small airplanes look good. But those days are gone, and one stupid mistake by any of us in front of a camera can destroy the life we work so hard to live.

Once again for the 100th time, this guy may be totally legit and pro-aviation. I have nothing against him and no reason to think he is or is not pro-aviation. If he is, he will be able to execute a good faith contract that protects our sport from being essentially slandered. But chances are that any TV producer just popping up on an internet discussion board is simply someone who wants to "pitch" a show idea to another producer, network, studio, or financier who has money... which means that the "pitch-er" may not be able to execute a contract guaranteeing the final edited show (funded and ultimately controlled by the "pitch-ee") will show small aircraft or bush flying in a positive light.

Please forgive me for raining on anyone's parade (the producer or the wannabee TV stars), but I have been the pitch-er AND the pitch-ee in a past life. I was born and raised around the TV and entertainment business, and knew personally many many of the biggest names in the business. My old man was the very first TV star 60+ years ago. Normally I go far out of my way to leave that "past life" crap out of aviation because it has nothing to do with whether you can fly well or really belong in aviation. But in this case please forgive the intrusion and just trust me for a second...something big could be at stake.

Be very very careful, wannabee showbiz pilots, the cigars that TV producers light for you always have a firecracker in them. Aviation's very existence is under attack these days. We need positive press coverage desperately, but positive airplane stories do not sell commercial time slots nearly as well as negative airplane stories!

Bill

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The point is obvious. Make sure you know what you are getting involved in before agreeing to anything. If it is a legitimate endeavor the producer should have no reservations including contract language that essentially guarantees not to throw general aviation under the bus.

That was my typically lengthy reply over on sc.org (I'm VictorBravo over there and at taylorcraft.org). I truly apologize for the huge rant, but please trust that I know of what I'm speaking on that subject of TV producers from my past life. I'm also proud to say Chuck Slusarczyk is a friend of mine... his personal integrity/honesty/gives-a-s**t in aviation has been demonstrated to me personally. I will apologize profusely to this mystery TV producer if he/she is legit, or even marginally legit and trying to pitch a positive, supportive show.

Bill

I did a google search for "Jeff Spangler Lighthearted lawsuit" and found the following: http://fl1.findlaw.com/news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/realitytv/williamsabc905cmp.pdf

COMPLAINT for DAMAGES and
EQUITABLE RELIEF for BREACH OF
CONTRACT; BREACH OF COVENANT OF
GOOD FAITH & FAIR DEALING;
INTENTIONAL INFLICTION OF EMOTIONAL
DISTRESS; NEGLIGENCE; UNFAIR,
UNLAWFUL & FRAUDULENT
BUSINESS PRACTICES; and WRONGFUL
DEATH.

Spangler is all over that document.

That's some messed up stuff right there.

Maybe go over to Supercub.org and read some more. Doesn't sound as bad as some thought if you read the latest.