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Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed,
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PATRICK
How I Met Your Mother ... since,
Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) is main character described by Ted Mosby character as "High functioning sociopath"
Sitcom, that won multiple Emmy awards
Lily and Marshall use superstitious acts to try to get pregnant and determine the sex of the baby - Marshall wants a boy
Written about in NYT
Timeline of show compatible
Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) is main character described by Ted Mosby character as "High functioning sociopath"
Sitcom, that won multiple Emmy awards
Lily and Marshall use superstitious acts to try to get pregnant and determine the sex of the baby - Marshall wants a boy
Written about in NYT
Timeline of show compatible
Stasi Brown
She says at the beginning of the book, "in some instances, material and senarios [taken] from a few patients have been attributed to one...maybe 1 client won the Emmy, another lost a son...another was a narcissist...etc. I would be surprised if all of John's characteristics were actually one person at all.
Sara
I just googled some people suggested here and was slightly stunned to see that Jonathan Stark, a creator of According to Jim, has two children Gracie and Ruby, which are Johns kids names in the book. He has been married to wife Linda since 1992. Also his nickname is listed as John. ?!?!
Ash
I don't know why but I spent the whole book thinking it was Two and a Half Men. Some of the things she describes are more sitcom-y than dramatic, and it's won a couple of Emmy's
Jason
I feel like this quote is a big clue: "the sociopathic character who’s become softer around the edges is talking to his brother—a person we hadn’t known existed until a couple of episodes ago."
How many shows revealed a previously unknown brother? That's a very specific story detail. Could it be Dexter?
How many shows revealed a previously unknown brother? That's a very specific story detail. Could it be Dexter?
Carolyn
I love all of the comments on this question. I, too, was constantly thinking "who is this? I bet I can figure it out!" but I agree with another commenter that she had to have really mixed things up so we could not figure it out due to the need to be confidential. To me, it is a credit to Lori that she was able to blend together her experiences into several composite characters who are so believable.
Charlee Fam
My guess is the affair. It checks all the boxes. Sociopathic characters, second season set in LA, trying to conceive, therapist, loss of a child named “Gabriel”. It was on air 2014 for 5 seasons.
Katelyn Reid
Oh my god, is it Rick and morty!? 😭🤣.
Liz
We've got several clues, as long as they are really true. I haven't watched The Sopranos but I think that's the best guess I've seen. The show has won multiple emmys for writing, has a therapist with brown hair and glasses, the main character could be a sociopath and it's considered prestige tv that everyone watched. What I can't find info on is whether there is a a couple trying to a conceive (a girl?) who can't control themselves enough to have sex on the right days. Lori also mentions that emotional episode about brothers who were estranged because of the death of a child, or something like that, it had echoes of John's grief about Gabe. Does anyone who has watched the show remember those storylines?
Emma
I think maybe it's Stephen Falk who writes You're the Worst. He was also involved with Weeds and Orange is the New Black. The female character calls people dummies. The first episode that the therapist is featured is titled "fix me, dummy". She's mean to the therapist at first, but keeps coming back for help. There's a scene where the lead doesn't want to give upsetting news to her boyfriend because she doesn't want to see him cry. In real life Falk has 2 daughters, a wife, and a dog that he even talks about in his twitter handle. He fits the age and the essence of John I think.
Madie barlow
I had Mad Men in mind when I read this book. They mention several times that the lead character in the show is very handsome and maybe a sociopath. Sounds like Don Draper.
Lori
Just reading the book now, and I'm dying to know the answer to this. She said she hid identities, but there were so many specifics to each character, did she change all of their stories, too? So for example, maybe it was a woman showrunner who lost a daughter ? Seems his/her colleagues might still figure it out unless she really changed a LOT. I wish "John" would identify himself. Ha.
Laura
I'm guessing Tom Kapinos. Can't find anything about his personal life but he worked on Dawsons Creek, Californication and Lucifer. I haven't watched Californication but I think if you mix the shows together you might get all the references from the book!
Ashley
Another clue: She started practicing in 2011. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-gott...
Robin
I would guess that this question can't be answered. Due to confidentiality, it is likely that she created "John" using fictional concepts and bits and pieces from other patients-- and that those bits and pieces are not identifiable or connectable to the "real" "John" who probably never existed-- as this is probably a composite character.
Kathy Jungerman
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Olivia K.
My mom thinks it's Larry David and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Larry David does have two daughters in real life, I don't know if anything else checks out, I've never seen that show. But Gottlieb started practicing in 2011 and Curb Your Enthusiasm has definitely been on since then.
Ken
Any tv addict here? There’s a short but detailed script description in the 3rd to last chapter (56?) that should reveal what show it is.
Alexis Michele
Clues MYSTS was published in 2019, figure that even if her writing was quick, there’s a lot that goes into a book (pitching it, editing, cover details, determining market and when to release, etc)...I figure she was at best done writing maybe 2018. HOWEVER, even though she aligns the books as though she sees all the patients mentioned at the same time she could have seen them at different points in her career and picked the most salient ones.
Regardless, 2018 and before is the time span.
Won emmys (multiple)
Was written about in Nyt
Therapist
Difficulty conceiving
Sociopathic main character
Confrontation between family members over the death of a child
I think it suggests that “John” had been working on this show at the time his son passed away and we know that from whatever that date was to when he was seeing Lori the show was still on - so we are looking for a show that had a run of several seasons
It couldn’t be Sopranos or House owing to some of the clues (although I guessed those too) but I’m at a loss. There’s a part of that wonders if it was 90s tv show
Regardless, 2018 and before is the time span.
Won emmys (multiple)
Was written about in Nyt
Therapist
Difficulty conceiving
Sociopathic main character
Confrontation between family members over the death of a child
I think it suggests that “John” had been working on this show at the time his son passed away and we know that from whatever that date was to when he was seeing Lori the show was still on - so we are looking for a show that had a run of several seasons
It couldn’t be Sopranos or House owing to some of the clues (although I guessed those too) but I’m at a loss. There’s a part of that wonders if it was 90s tv show
Ghadeer Alhelal
I keep thinking Lucifer because of the therapist character and she also mentioned that the lead character has a brother we didn’t know existed before.
Meg loves to read
I think the biggest clue of who "John" is going to be an episode of where a couple characters try to have sex at certain times to better their chances in having a boy. But I never watch TV so I haven't a clue lol
Z
I’m totally speculating but I think John is David Milch who (among other things) wrote on NYPD Blue and created Deadwood. I think it fits the timeline and although he hasn’t lost a son, he did lose a close friend in a car accident when the friend was young – just out of high school (according to this article: https://buffalonews.com/entertainment...).
Milch is known for edgy writing which matches some of the descriptions of John’s style in the book.
Although there are some differences (& Milch’s background is MUCH more complicated than what John’s is described as), there are some other similarities:
- John‘s mother was a teacher; Milch’s mother was on board of education.
- John became a screenwriter after not being able to afford medical school. He wrote a single episode for a show, sent it to an agent, then got hired as a staff writer for a show that was “garbage”. His plan was to work there for 3 years to make money, then go to medical school.
Milch wrote a single episode of Bay City Blues before writing on Hill Street Blues for - you guessed it - 3 years.
- John talks a lot about originally wanting to become a doctor; Milch’s father and brother are doctors, and Milch was very smart and did well at school (went to Yale), so it’s not far off to think he could have wanted to be a doctor too.
- both John and Milch were recognised in college for their writing abilities.
Anyway, that’s my guess.
Milch is known for edgy writing which matches some of the descriptions of John’s style in the book.
Although there are some differences (& Milch’s background is MUCH more complicated than what John’s is described as), there are some other similarities:
- John‘s mother was a teacher; Milch’s mother was on board of education.
- John became a screenwriter after not being able to afford medical school. He wrote a single episode for a show, sent it to an agent, then got hired as a staff writer for a show that was “garbage”. His plan was to work there for 3 years to make money, then go to medical school.
Milch wrote a single episode of Bay City Blues before writing on Hill Street Blues for - you guessed it - 3 years.
- John talks a lot about originally wanting to become a doctor; Milch’s father and brother are doctors, and Milch was very smart and did well at school (went to Yale), so it’s not far off to think he could have wanted to be a doctor too.
- both John and Milch were recognised in college for their writing abilities.
Anyway, that’s my guess.
Kendra Peterson
According to Jim writer. That’s all I will say. Look it up. Also one of the writers on Ellen Degeneres’ episode where she comes out to Oprah as her therapist! Hmmmm.
Kaoru Cruz
Wasn't he Skyping from the stage/set one time? If so it's in L.A. area and I doubt it's The Sopranos. From the Wiki page "The Sopranos was produced by HBO, Chase Films, and Brad Grey Television. It was primarily filmed at Silvercup Studios in Long Island City in Queens, New York City and on location in New Jersey."
Akshay Chopra
Has anyone seen Bojack horseman, I think the resemblance between Bojack and John in the book is uncanny.
R
Does anyone figure it out yet?
Jackie
Maybe Rob Delaney? He lost his young son to cancer and wrote the Tv series Catastrophe. Time frame fits.
Jody
Yeah, it's Chuck Lore.
Alyson
Jonathan Stark from According to Jim has two daughters: Ruby & Gracie!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonatha...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonatha...
S
My guess would be Mad Men, but not in the way many here have written. The therapist would have to change characteristics to hide identities. My guess is John is a female in real life. Probably writer Erin Levy who created the therapist character Dr. Keener.
Lauren Kuckelman
The key clue is where John said that the main character was “handsome like me”. But I think many of the posters here are correct that Lori has mixed it up so much his show might not be about a sociopathic person at all. That part might be made up to keep us guessing.
Joseph Cauley
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Becky
It has to be a main character whose brother’s distance isn’t mentioned in the earliest season(s?) and who blames his son’s death on the main character. That should narrow it down a lot. I’m just now finishing the book so haven’t done much research yet.
Jen
Late to this question, but I have a hunch it is Steven Levitan, from Modern Family. There is a quote (in the albeit disgusting rag) in The Daily Mail about how he takes moments from his family life to use for the show, and his wife says
"He says that he regularly pulls out his phone and hits record during good conversations at the kitchen.
Other times the move doesn't go down well.
'In the middle of a huge fight or somebody's having a breakdown of some sort, it's not rare to hear, "Put that phone away — I don't want to see this on the show!"'
Like I said, only a hunch, but this is my thoughts on it....
"He says that he regularly pulls out his phone and hits record during good conversations at the kitchen.
Other times the move doesn't go down well.
'In the middle of a huge fight or somebody's having a breakdown of some sort, it's not rare to hear, "Put that phone away — I don't want to see this on the show!"'
Like I said, only a hunch, but this is my thoughts on it....
Maria
Mark Richards, creator of Mike and Molly was born in the Midwest.
Maiary Rodrigues
I was thinking it could be HIMYM but I really don’t know
At chapter 53 Lori is watching the show with her friend and she says the therapist says to the main character “you look like you need a hug” or something like that. I thought I could find what show it is based on this line, well that’s how I ended up here lol
At chapter 53 Lori is watching the show with her friend and she says the therapist says to the main character “you look like you need a hug” or something like that. I thought I could find what show it is based on this line, well that’s how I ended up here lol
Reg
Does anyone think it is/was ‘House’?
Khadiga Mahmoud
I think it was How I met your mother
Yun
two and a half man?
Kelly Whitaker
Becker?! It's a little early (ended 2004) but he def hits the John profile.
Daniela
No, but good question!
Natalie Shattuck
I had a vision of Shameless as soon as "John" was mentioned. But i'm not sure we were ever told the year of the sessions?
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Jul 04, 2023 06:41AM
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