Damon Lindelof of Lost stuffs Community’s stocking!

By Andy Wilson on December 13, 2010 in News Television

On Twitter today I became aware of… an internet feud between the creators of Lost and Community? Or a beautiful tale of spreading Christmas cheer? Abed would be proud. So would Hurley.

Working on my upcoming list of Christmas TV treacle to enjoy on Hulu, etc will feature as a huge recommendation (SPOILER ALERT!) last week’s stop-motion extravaganza on NBC’s Community (written by Dino Stamatopolous of Mr. Show, TV Funhouse, Moral Orel and other [adult swim] fame who also plays “Star Burns” on Community). For those who missed it, slightly autistic Abed begins to view the world in stop motion as a way to deal with Christmas. Along the way, he opens a gift from Santa: “It’s Season 1 of Lost. It represents lack of payoff.” I almost squirted eggnog out my nose I laughed so hard.

Well, Damon Lindelof of Lost took umbridge at this at took to Twitter, tweeting: “Okay, COMMUNITY. It’s ON!!!! Now if only I had a show to zing you back. And if only you weren’t awesome. Sigh…” What a mensch. It was on! An internet fued!! Who would call the other person a Nazi first? Whose side would Sarah Palin take?

Community’s showrunner Dan Harmon tweeted back a furious reply: “@DamonLindelof Oh, man, Did not want you guys to see that! Relieved you are a good sport. Thank you for the flattery. Owe you a drink.” Oh, yeah!! The claws come out!! Cat fight!!!

Well, and what to do next? Smite your enemies by sending them some noxious, decomposing, tripe through to mail to stink up their home and offices, right? Again, via Twitter: “Coolest gift ever. Community Writer’s room just received the REAL meaning of Christmas from @damonlindelof : http://yfrog.com/gzn14uj”

See, a whole box set of Lost. THAT’S how you smite your enemies.

I hope you got the coy snarkiness. What I want to point out is how two sane, rational adults had some fun with one another, no one got hurt, no one got threatened, no one got called a Nazi. Lindelof could’ve just as easily pointed to Community’s low ratings and asked them if it was easy to armchair quarterback rather than actually produce a hit show. Harmon could’ve gotten on a soapbox about how frickin’ disappointed he was with Lost.

But they didn’t. Two adults with mutual respect for one another took and gave some good natured ribbing, and at the end, someone ended up with a sweet Lost boxset that I think I would sell my mother out for.

I had a kind of crappy day, and this helped me remember the joys of Christmas: of people doing good to one another instead of being assholes. So, thank you, Damon Lindelof and Dan Harmon, for spreading holiday cheer*.