| Date: | Sat, 22 Mar 2003 17:32:00 -0800 (PST) | |
| From: | “Gabe Kaplan” <gabe@gabekaplan.com> | |
| Subject: | Televised Accounting Event | |
| To: | bspaniel@calcpa.org |
Dear Mr. Spaniel,
I’ve been a numbers guy all my life. My passions always been budgets and investing. So I appreciate how you think. I’m also interested in cards. You may have seen me doing the color on the Poker Championship on ESPN.
It was so successful that the ESPN producer asked me if I had any other ideas for tournaments involving numbers and speed of calculation. I said, “what about getting the best CPA’s together in one room and let them duke it out in the first ever World Series Of Accounting?” He flipped! He said, “five years ago, I would’ve told you, you’re crazy, but in today’s market it will work, if people will sit and watch twelve year olds spell for two hours, this will find its niche. It’s great!”
Here’s what I need: Exceptional accountants, with personality and a flair for the camera. If they’re funny and have a fashion sense, those are plusses too.
The first year, we wouldn’t mind localizing it to California just to see if the concept works. We would start out with ten competitors working on the same problem in an elimination tournament. For instance: A personal 1040 return, involving use of complicated tax codes would be given to each to each one. Then we would watch the fun break out as the numbers start to fly.
When it got down to two people, each of the finalists would choose (from a list of five) a problem their opponent would have to solve. Of course the studio audience, which would be made up of knowledgeable peers, would be screaming advice to the contestants as they made their decision. Then they square off as they try to win the big one for themselves and their respective firms. This might be the first time the public will have the thrill of seeing a room full of accountants in action.
Any feedback on the show and thoughts on finding the proper contestants would be greatly appreciated.
Best Regards,
Gabe Kaplan
gabe@gabekaplan.com
PS We would of course hold off on taping this until after April 15.
| Date: | Mon, 24 Mar 2003 11:01:23 -0800 | |
| From: | “Bill Spaniel” <bspaniel@calcpa.org> | |
| Subject: | Re: Televised Accounting Event | |
| To: | gabe@gabekaplan.com |
Dear Mr. Kaplan.
Thank you for contacting the California Society of CPAs regarding your idea for a televised accounting program. I enjoyed “Welcome Back, Kotter,” and I’m sure your planned accounting program would be professionally produced and of high quality.
At this time the California Society of CPAs is unable to assist you with program development. Our membership desires that we stress professional ethics, thoroughness, integrity, seriousness, and similar qualities in our public relations efforts. These are the standards that the vast majority of CPAs follow. The nature of reality television is such that it seldom matches the image that we hope CPAs project.
We wish you well with your project. Certainly, when your accounting program is broadcast, we will be watching it.
Bill Spaniel
public Relations Manager
CPAs: Committed to Excellence