Speaking as a writer who admires "Seinfeld" the sitcom, I was "shocked, shocked" to find out that Jerry's wife Jessica had probably been given the material for her new bestseller "Deceptively Delicious" by Collins, her publisher. Collins is an imprint of HarperCollins, which is owned by News Corporation, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch, he of the genial, gentlemanly tactics.
According to the New York Times, there are strong similarities between her book and another book by Missy Chase Lapine. Lapine, a former publisher of Eating Well magazine, had submitted her 139-page proposal for "The Sneaky Chef" complete with 42 recipes to HarperCollins twice, once in February 2006 without an agent and again in May 2006 with an agent. She was rejected both times. She did get a book deal with Running Press, an imprint of the Perseus Books Group in June 2006, the same month that Collins won an auction to publish Ms. Seinfeld's book.
Ms. Seinfeld's book was published this month by Collins. She got a coveted spot on "Oprah" to flog her book. It will be #1 on the NYT hardcover Advice, How-To and Miscellaneous list.
Ms. Lapine's book was published back in April by Running Press.
The similarities between the two books are striking. In "The Sneaky Chef" Ms. Lapine suggests that parents puree healthy foods like spinach and sweet potatoes and hide them in childhood favorites like macaroni and cheese. Ms. Seinfeld also suggests this in "Deceptively Delicious."
Steve Ross, president and publisher of Collins, said the company had rejected Ms. Lapine's proposal because it was too similar to another title on its list (yeah right). He said the publisher agreed to meet with Ms. Seinfeld when she submitted a similar proposal two weeks later because of her name and her agent, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh of William Morris. Well, at least he didn't say it was for her innovative ideas.
When Perseus, Ms. Lapine's publisher, received an early brochure for "Deceptively Delicious" they contacted HarperCollins because the cover art for the book showed an illustration of a woman holding carrots behind her back. This was a dead ringer of the illustration Ms. Lapine submitted with her proposal for "The Sneaky Chef". HarperCollins changed the cover.
When asked about this change, Mr. Ross said the reason they changed the cover was probably because "it just looked too awkward to have her holding a plate of brownies with one hand and carrots" in the other.
Ms. Lapine and Perseus aren't even thinking about legal action. What writer wants to piss off the powers that be? Ms. Lapine:
"Honestly, I can't speculate, and I'm not gong to accuse anyone of anything. I suppose it's possible it's a coincidence."
What does Jessica Seinfeld have to say on this subject? She says she came up with the idea two years ago puttering around her kitchen pureeing butternut squash for her youngest and making macaroni and cheese for her husband and two older children.
"I don't need to copy someone's idea. I've got enough going on in my life."
Just in case the New York Times forgot to whom he was talking, Jerry Seinfeld also got on the phone.
"Let's be realistic--my wife isn't in it for the money or the publicity. [Maybe she doesn't need the money but a lot of freelance writers do.] I really don't think we have another Watergate here."
Drawing on my legal education (strictly first year law school) I'd say that's not a denial.
What kind of so-called "meritocracy" is it when fantastically rich celebrity wives get spoon-fed ideas from other writers by powerful publishers and get coveted spots on TV shows to propel "their" books into orbit? If you're trying to make a living as a writer, this is immoral, unethical and probably illegal (if you can prove it through a battery of high-priced lawyers and America's unquestioning glorification of celebrity culture). We writers may not own many material things, but we hope we do own one thing: our ideas.