It�s been said of the Seinfield Show that it was "about nothing," but that certainly wasn�t true about WKRP. Indeed, comedies, dramas, novels, even something like The Lord of the Rings--that seems to be entirely a fantasy--are seldom, or ever, really �about nothing.�
It is true, however, that there�s often a considerable effort to disguise the source of material. I remember watching Flash Gordon serials on TV as a small child. Those evil rulers on those other planets had a sort of Chinese look to them--as, thinking back, I later realized.
And there�s often a sort of tension between creative zeal and other considerations. On the creative side, one wants one�s presentation to seem �real,� to convey some reality. In the case of a comedy, that reality is usually about how silly people can be. With other genres, the reality will be about something else.
On the other hand, on the non-creative or business side, one doesn�t want to be sued.
And usually, one doesn�t want to be actually hated by those whose likenesses have been woven into one�s theatrical or fictional tapestry. However, that isn�t always true. In some cases an author�s novel or script may be motivated by real anger; then the author might perhaps like nothing better than for those who have inspired the anger to sit up and take notice.
Usually one�s reason for entering the fictional realm in the first place is to place one�s presentation, at least somewhat, �outside of reality.� After all, there�s always the option of a truly real, non-fictional effort--of straight journalism. There�s plenty of that on TV. But that wasn�t what WKRP was.
Now, I suppose certain big-time players in business and politics can be dangerous to theatrical people. Those dangerous players may not react well to seeing certain situations involving them portrayed on TV. But just who are the dangerous ones�the ones that those involved in producing a sitcom should be looking out for? That may be hard to figure out.
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