Petition asks Robert Ben Garant to read prison screenplay

More than 2000 women sign petition demanding a firm commitment from  Robert Ben Garant (film producer) to read screenplay addressing Texas judicial system

Robert Ben Garant – Talent Agents
– Producer, Writer, Actor – Reno 911! (2003), Reno 911! Miami (2007), Baywatch (2017), The Pacifier (2005) – United Talent Agency (UTA), Gregory McKnight – Artists First, Peter Principato

Dumbass, The Cannonball Run, The Revenger, The Naked Gun

Robert Ben Garant & Adam Sandler’s film company targeted by Texas petition

Will Hollywood just rollover and let prisoner’s suffer?

EXCLUSIVE

More than 2000 women have signed an open letter to Adam Sandler calling on Robert Ben Garant and Hollywood to take “movie action” to tackle injustice against men and women in the wake of revelations that Texas has more prisoners incarcerated than the Soviet Union’s gulag system had. Texas currently has over 290,000 inmates housed at 580 facilities.

The signatories, including state senators, professors of criminal justice, social workers, family, and inmates, call for a “firm commitment” to tackle the unjust prisons in Texas. The petition has also been signed by Beto O’Rourke, and Matthew McConaughey. These two signatories might face each other in the 2022 Texas governors election. Both have expressed interest in the job.  The petitions arrived for Robert Ben Garant at United Talent Agency (UTA), Gregory McKnight last week.

In the open letter to Robert Ben Garant, the 2080 women write that they are “heartbroken for first-time drug offenders many times addicts who have received extremely harsh sentences in Texas when rehabilitation has proven a cheaper and more effective solution.”  The petition goes on to say their family and friends are often heartbroken for and looking for redemption and rehabilitation for the victimless drug crimes.”

The signatories, including attorneys, professors, politicians, family members, and inmates, call on Robert Ben Garant for a ‘firm film commitment’ to tackle the issue of operating the Texas prison system for profit.

The petition came to light when women discovered the screenplay, a copy which was dontated to all 580 of the state’s prison and jail libraries. The existence of the petition surfaced on International Women’s Day. Women in Texas face extreme prejudice in Texas and often receive extremely harsh penalties for even a small amount of drugs, including marijuana. Marijuana is legal now in 21 states.

Inside prisons, the women are faced with such horrendous conditions… the petition demands that “filmmakers begin to take the issue seriously.”  Also, the petition reminds that “even here in the USA in the 21st century citizens are not safe from government oppression.”

Producer, Writer, Actor, Robert Ben Garant, has not responded to the petition. Nor has United Talent Agency (UTA), Gregory McKnight responded with a comment.

Alan Nafzger/caption]

The screenplay “Dumbass” was penned by writer and retired professor of political science Alan Nafzger.

The premise of the story is that, “Adam Sandler writes letters and saves numerous women from the monotony of prison life, and later when he gets into trouble with a drug cartel they return the favor by rescuing him.”

The film would be set in contemporary, Gatesville Texas. There are four women’s prisons located in Gatesville. And of course, Texas is famous for putting everyone in prison for a long sentences for little or no reason. The number of women in Texas prisons has tripled in the last ten years, as mass incarcerations have proven profitable to not only the state but also profitable for an array of business interests.

Writer Alan Nafzger has called on Governor Greg Abbott to, “end the prison industry.”

Recently, “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak spoke out against the Texas system and put a good word in for mercy and forgiveness out on social media. “How nice for those who have lived such exemplary lives that they can express glee when others have their lives ruined by a mistake, real or perceived,” Sajak tweeted last month.

During the winter’s deep freeze, the The Marshall Project, exposed the horrible prison conditions, “Inside Frigid Texas Prisons: Broken Toilets, Disgusting Food, Few Blankets.”

The petition states, “Why don’t we have the ‘Adam Sandler’ character… sending letters to women in prison and being their friend and trying to help them adjust, giving them hope… and when they get out of prison he picks them up so they don’t have to ride the smelly bus back home… but his pickup truck is a junker, smoking and sputtering … worse than the bus. But his heart is in the right place… He’s the last “chivalrous” man on earth.”

Robert Ben Garant has not commented on the script, thus far. A statement is expected soon.

Professor Nafzger has made a short treatment of the project available online.

He has made the finished script available at for select filmmakers.

Adam Sandler of Happy Madison Productions has expressed interest in the screenplay.

Robert Ben Garant is a Producer, Writer, Actor known for Reno 911! (2003), Reno 911! Miami (2007), Baywatch (2017), The Pacifier (2005) and is represented by United Talent Agency (UTA), Gregory McKnight.

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Lake Placid is without a doubt a “popcorn movie” but it rises above the plot-driven ranks and provided a balanced film. This type of popcorn movie written as a spec from an aspiring screenwriter is far more likely to sell than a spec written along the lines of Under Siege II: Dark Territory.

By the end of the story, she’s completely different. Her hair’s wild around her shoulders, no longer tucked tight against the base of her neck. Heck, she wants to go for a beer and is no big hurry to return to her safe museum in the big city of New York. She’s no longer timid and she’s become a real risk-taker in life and in love.

The film opens with a teaser where an unknown monster kills a diver. Then the protagonist is given her grand entrance where we’re introduced to her internal conflict. Then she’s forced into an external situation that forces her to change.

We meet her at her day job where she works as a scientist in a museum. This is her safe zone. She’s even dating the boss. She comes off as timid and as someone who lets others walk all over her. She finds out her boss is having an affair with a co-worker, then they ship her off to the wilds of Maine. They want her out of the way and she’s not a strong enough character to stand up to them.

Each of these incidents propels the hero/ine into action. They must make a decision: to take the job, accept the task, answer the call. This is not an optional step for you, the writer — it is a crucial part of every story.

– In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, an owl delivers Harry’s invitation to Hogwart’s School. (The Call to Adventure is very often a literal phone call, summons, knock on the door, or mailed invitation).

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