By Jamie Ruby

Jason Katims has executive produced and written for popular series in the past, such as Roswell, Boston Public, and Friday Night Lights. He currently serves as executive producer on NBC's Parenthood.

Monica Potter, one of the stars of Parenthood, has in the past starred in films such as Patch Adams and Along Came a Spider, and appeared on television in series such as Boston Legal and Trust Me.

The two recently talked to the digital media about Parenthood.

NBC Conference Call
Parenthood’s Monica Potter and Executive Producer Jason Katims
October 1, 2012

QUESTION: Jason, after dealing with breast cancer in your own life, what did you think about all the options that are now available to women and how you could translate that into the show?

JASON KATIMS: I felt in turn of approaching the storyline, and first there was the question of whether or not it was something that we wanted to take on on the show.

And I struggled with that decision because I thought it was difficult subject matter and subject matter that could be challenging both from the point of view of storytelling, and sometimes too to watch it. But I felt that as I had a similar thing when I was working on the pilot of the show with including the Asperger storyline, which is also very personal to me.

And it was something ultimately I decided to do and felt it was incredibly gratifying and in a lot of ways cathartic to do that. And so that gave me courage to approach this storyline and I just felt it was something that was something that I went through with my life and my family.

And I just felt it was the kind of storyline that Parenthood, the show, would be able to tell well. That I'm lucky to have this incredible cast and actors like Monica and Peter and all the people and the rest of that cast, to tell these stories. And I felt we can do it in way that was honest.

And one of the things that I loved about my first conversation with Monica about it was she said, "Look, I want to find the humor in the situation too, we don't want to get to a place where I'm crying all the time and that's all I'm doing."

And I was so happy to hear that was her take because to me the whole thing with going through something like this, that I've found, was that you go through it, but as you're going through it life goes on. You have your children, getting your children to school and doing all the stuff of life still continues.

And I thought that was really something that was important to me in the way that we told this story. That it have the ring of truth to it.

QUESTION: And Monica, can you talk about how you handled the news when you learned of the new direction?

MONICA POTTER: I was on board, I actually emailed Jason over the summer, I went for my first mammogram in April. And I thought, I just had mentioned it to my husband, "This would be a great storyline."

And knowing that it touched Jason personally, I just reached out and said, "What if we tried to do a storyline on Kristina?" And he emailed me right away and said, "I got the chills," because they had been working on that storyline already, which was kind of cool.

So I thought, "You know, I'd didn't really know what it would entail." But I'm glad, I was scared, but I was also - I've got a lot of friends that have gone through it. And knowing how they write and as long as Jason said we could keep some (unintelligible) in the storyline, that would great. And so I was on board as soon as he said that they were doing it.

QUESTION: Monica, what kind of research did you do when it came time to start showing the story?

MONICA POTTER: What I did for the Asperger storyline, I talked to my sons. But as far as doing research and going online, I did nothing. Only because I wanted to experience it as a person doing it for the first time and getting - because there's so many different aspects of it and there's so many stories that I can pull from.

But having a fresh perspective on it and feeling those real feelings of being scared and hearing the news, and while we were on set looking at the different Web sites, while Peter was walking in the room for the first time.

So doing that and not interviewing 10,000 women, it actually came at a time I had gone to get my mammogram, and this was in April and they said that that there was a blip or something on the screen, so I had to go back.

And those real feelings came out in performance as well because I have to go again this Thursday to check and see if it's gone. So it’s stuff that I'm sort of going through, but not really investigating too much because I don't want it to feel stale.

And I just want it to feel real for me and hopefully that will come through in the performance.

QUESTION: Max Burkholder is just one of the most talented young actors [out] there, and we were wondering if you could both talk a little bit about working with him?

MONICA POTTER: I love him like he's my own. He reminds me so much of my son, Liam. He's so weird in the best way, he's just - I adore him. And Kelly and I, his mom, we're really close. We've gotten to be really close in the past four years.

And he's so smart. I was drinking alkaline water the other day and we were doing a scene in the minivan, and he's like, "You shouldn't drink a lot of that." I was like, "Why," and he says, "Because your body - you have to have base."

I'm like, "A base of what?" And he does preach, he just is really concerned about your health and he's funny. He's intuitive, he's loving. I can't say enough, and was afraid working with kids. I was like, "Oh, it's going to typical." You have the best group of kids on our show, down to the twins. And he's just the best kid in the world. I can't say enough good things about him. Jason?

JASON KATIMS: I of course agree with everything that Monica said. I think that to me, when I was writing, one of the things that I was so concerned about at the beginning of the show about including this Asperger storyline was it's tough enough to get a child actor who can just be themselves on screen.

But to get a child actor who is able to capture the essence of this very specific behavior that isn't Max at all, I just didn't know how, I was very concerned about how we were going to be able to pull it off. And I found that over the course of doing the show and telling these stories that as we went on I realized we were able to tell more and more detailed stories about Max. About Max and the family and what they were going through.

We were able to dig in as writers and basically tell any story that we wanted to tell. To switch points view to go from his point of view at times. And we were able to do that because Max is just has this profound ability to be able to be in this other, be in Max Braverman's skin and know what that's like.

And so it's really wonderful to have been able to work with him on the show and be able to tell these and continue throughout the seasons, to tell the story.

One of the things that I know that happened early on the show was people were wondering, I remember audience, people in the audience asking me if we were going to keep telling that story or not or was this something that was just going to go away?

And I knew from life that it doesn't go away, that it continues and goes through many stages and many incarnations. And I think it's great that we've been able to really follow his story as he grows and develops.

QUESTION: [A friend recently told me] that for people going through the breast cancer it's not something that should be painted pink, it shouldn't be cute because it's really dark. And it's heavy and it's sad and it's bad and it’s evil. Is that something that's going to be addressed in the show? Because with the whole Max situation the Bravermans threw themselves into Asperger's and did the walk for Asperger's and autism. Is it something that will be discussed, is it going to be a little bit darker?

JASON KATIMS: I'm not sure, are you talking about whether they're going to throw themselves into supporting the cause and everything?

QUESTION: Yes, supporting the cause and everything.

JASON KATIMS: Okay. Well I think that just from a storytelling point of view, I think that from the episodes that we've broken so far, I think that they're very much in dealing with going through it themselves. It's really pretty much a personal journey about their family.

So there hasn't been a lot included, anything really that's similar to the autism walk or anything like that, because they're really in the throes of it. And they're going, it's more told from the point of view of a couple that is going through it. Going through all the curveballs that are thrown at you.

At first you think it's just this, and then it turns out it’s a little bit more complicated. And we're following fairly closely a lot of the things that happened when I went through this with my wife. I mean it's not dissimilar.

And I feel like what tends to happen is first you get the news and you think, "Oh well, I'm not going to be one of those people, this is going to definitely be really simple. It's just going to be one thing." And then, "I'm not going to be one of those people that loses their hair, I'm not going to be one of those people who needs chemo and all those things." And then you find that maybe you are one of those people.

And so I think that we're trying to follow the story and be as true to the experience of what it's really like as we can. And I think, again, because we have actors like Peter and Monica doing this, I feel we're able to do it, because they're so able to find all these nuanced moments and find the reality.

And the emotional moments in it, and also as I said before, find the humor in it, and find the moments. I've found going through this that as difficult of an experience and terrible things that it is to go through, there are silver linings, and one of them is that you really wind up appreciating life so much.

That's what you come out with, you realize the fragility of it all but also how precious it is. And that whole expression of “don't sweat the small stuff” really hits home in a new way.

And again, so we're really trying to follow the story as much as possible as it would really progress and it would really happen.

MONICA POTTER: Yes, and I think to answer your questions also as far as the show's support of - I think this is what you asked is, as an actor they've asked me to do a lot of things and shows or whatnots, about breast cancer and to talk about breast cancer.

And for me, I'm so supportive of breast cancer awareness and especially this month. But I don't have it, I'm an actor playing a character that has it, so for me to go on a talk show and talk about my experience with breast cancer would cheapen it in a way. If you follow what I'm saying, although I'm really supportive of it.

I have a lot of friends and family that have gone through it. I think it's about bringing awareness to women to get checked and screened at an early age. And those points that I will be talking about here and there because of my own experience with that.

But as far as like Jason said, we're just now in the throes of the storyline as this month comes upon us. So I think we're handling it in a pretty delicate way as far as the press is concerned anyway.

QUESTION: Can you talk a little bit about when Kristina is going to tell the family, how that will go? And Jason, you have talked about drawing on your own personal experience, is that a part of what we're going to see?

JASON KATIMS: Telling the family comes up fairly soon. In terms of there being personal - one of the things I definitely remember is the idea of having to tell our kids about it, which was a really, really tough thing to do. And figure out how to talk to them about it in a way that was going to be not too scary but also to feel like we were being honest with them, which we thought was really important.

And so that's something that starts in next week's episode and is something that will continue in terms of obviously not telling. Next week's episode is when they talk to their kids and their family about it.

And how their family, how their children, and how the family is responding to it is something that is a part of the entire season that continues. Yes.

MONICA POTTER: And I love the way that Jason wrote this episode, where it was staged and how it's done in a place that you wouldn't normally…tell people news like that. It was just, bam! It was perfect, it was just great and so real.

QUESTION: We've seen Kristina and Adam and how their relationship has been tested with this, but how are we going to continue to see that? I know you can say a lot but how will we see that develop as they tell their family, as they tell Max and Haddie, I'm sure, and how will we see that go?

JASON KATIMS: As I said, as the story progresses there are moments where it becomes more and more, I think reality starts to set in when this happens over time. And the reality of [what] you're dealing with. And a lot of that has to do with not just the life-threatening aspect of it.

But there's also just the logistical things. There's things like missing time at work for Adam, there's all these appointments, there's decisions about which doctor you're going to through, all of these things.

And so I think we're going to continue to basically follow them through that journey. And I think we've built this, again, through the actors, through Peter and Monica, and they've built such a solid foundation in their relationship. And it's one of the reason why we felt confident in being able to tell a story like this. That you are in a way watching them go through something that really does test their marriage and of those things.

I'm trying to answer it without being too specific because I don’t want to (unintelligible). I don't want to...

Suddenly it's like, "Oh, we do this story and that story because (unintelligible) those stories."

MONICA POTTER: Yes, and when you're rolling it, it's totally different too, though, Jason. The way that you guys have structured all the scripts so far, I think, is refreshing. And I think you find a different way of looking at it. There's a way through your writing.

JASON KATIMS: Well one of the reasons why I felt we could tackle this issue is, I feel, the sensibility of the show. I know other shows and other movies and stuff have done a storyline, done cancer storylines and breast cancer storylines.

And what I think that we do well is to really tap into the small nuanced moments. And it feels very real, like you're living it with these characters.

And the other thing that I think we're planning to do, which we've, again, done with other storylines like the adoption storyline and the Asperger's storyline, is we're not telling. It's not telling a story where Kristina has breast cancer in Episode 1, and in Episode 3 it's over, she's okay.

This is a story that we're telling and we're committed to telling in a way that is going to be real and will be playing out more or less in real time.

MONICA POTTER: She just brought up a good point, it's [in] those small little moments that Jason just talked about that the story is told. And on the first question I didn't want to sound flippant or like I'm not doing my research because I'm lazy.

I'm the opposite, I want to Google everything so desperately and my husband (unintelligible) and says, "I want to know and probe and to figure out," but I feel like it's much - I want to go through it with Kristina and the audience.

And so that's all, I wanted to clarify that I'm not sitting at home not reading my script. I wish I were more like that, but anyway. I just wanted to clear that up because I'm a little neurotic so I'm trying really hard not to be (unintelligible).

QUESTION: We've already seen Adam - the frustrations are getting to him. Can you talk a little bit about how this is going to affect Adam and Kristina's relationship?

JASON KATIMS: Yes. I think it affects their relationship in that I think it challenges them but ultimately deepens their relationship.

I think there's a really interesting, I thought, in the episode that was on last week, that whole issue of Adam wanting to fix things and wanting to come in and be the person who's going to make things better and fix her, and her needing for him not to be that in this case and play a different role. I thought it was really compelling. I personally felt that scene was, and how those guys play it was so moving to me to watch that, it felt so real.

And I think that's an interesting dynamic, that it's not the only dynamic that we play between them because I think they are able to - it's not the only dynamic that we'll play because there's many things that come at them and they play the various storylines according to what's happening at that moment.

But I feel like that dynamic is a very interesting one. I feel like Adam is somebody that we've seen as he's assumed the role of being the go-to person or the rock of not only his nuclear family but his extended family. And I think this is challenging to Adam to be able to play a role that's slightly different for Kristina and be there to support her but not necessarily be the person to make the decisions and all the decisions they're making in terms of what they want to do medically and all that.

And so I think it it's ultimately something that deepens their connection with each other.

MONICA POTTER: And I can't wait for those little moments that are - maybe they're written. Maybe, I don't know. Maybe I'm trying to plant a seed.

I love moments between the two of them. I had to do a makeup test last week or whatever, and just thinking about ahead of what is to come between the two of them when certain things happen and the cancer progresses or gets better or doesn't - whatever the storyline is, the moments between the two of them I love so much because it's sort of like - especially working with Peter, it's just ridiculous how much I feel like he's my husband. And he said the same thing.

I don't know if that's a good thing, but it's a cool thing to work with someone that you finish each other's sentences and I really look forward to all of those moments with him.

QUESTION: In last week's episode it ended with Max deciding to take action to deal with what was frustrating him. And in future episodes, we'll be getting with the storyline in particular into maybe some tags at the end that are a lot heavier?

JASON KATIMS: I'm not sure I understand the...

QUESTION: I liked the ending last week. It was like Max choosing to tackle his problem and his parents being proud of him and that was great. But as this breast cancer storyline gets more into it...

JASON KATIMS: Yes, okay. Well actually - because I thought that the...

QUESTION: Because I think finding that balance is very hard.

JASON KATIMS: Right, right, right. I think that even that tab though of the idea of him deciding to run for student council I think is - while it was definitely played comedically in the episode, as the ending of the story I think the idea of him running for student council is actually not just, "Oh, Max is tackling his problems."

I think it's actually a very complicated thing because the idea of somebody like Max running for student council could be something that could be [an] incredibly embarrassing situation and something he's not successful at.

And that's actually planting a seed for an upcoming storyline where Max has to make a speech at a time when Kristina is not really available to help him because of her health issues.

And we actually weren't trying to - that wasn't actually intended as something that was a...

QUESTION: Upbeat?

JASON KATIMS: Well, I mean the moment was intended to be funny and upbeat, but it actually adds another layer to the complications, which is that you know - because this is a family that now not only is dealing with a child with Asperger's, they're also dealing with this major medical problem. And sometimes those things are going to conflict and you're not going to be able to be in two places at once. And that's something that's very hard for anybody to accept, and particularly somebody like Kristina who's such an advocate for Max and consistently there for him.

And we also thought there was something uniquely funny about the idea that she particularly would want to help him because we've established that she has this whole political part of her identity and part of her life. And so to be in a position of not being able to help her son at that time is I think particularly frustrating to her.

MONICA POTTER: Frustrating for her, yes, I agree. Like that's the one thing she - that's her job and she can't do it. And it was frustrating.

The scene that we shot when Max was telling us about the speech, it was the same day that I had surgery it was funny, but it was like how - because she's so - she has calendars for everything. She knows what's happening in her kids' lives, she's helpful. She wants to be there for them, like Jason said. And there's this huge thing that comes along she can't be there for so she just feels completely helpless, frustrated and upset.

So I love that storyline. I love that he runs for president. I think it is funny, but it's also very, it's very true and it's something that the family deals with and it's involved a lot of other family members as well, as you'll see.

QUESTION: How long has your wife been out, I don't know if I saw that Jason?

JASON KATIMS: She's about two years.

QUESTION: All right, congratulations. That's great. [I’m a special-needs mom and] I can't even imagine being sick with my son, being the main caregiver.

And are you willing to talk a little bit more about that? I don't want to give you any leading questions. And Monica, you just said that you're going to see other family members step in but.

JASON KATIMS: Yes. Moving from the show to my life, I felt like the - while that was an incredibly challenging part of it, there's also something about it that it gives you something else to think about during the day other than your health.

But we definitely deal with this idea, in tomorrow's episode, of juggling those two things. Tomorrow's episode [is] about them making a date for her surgery and her wanting to work that date around her schedule as a mom and…what takes priority there.

And so it's definitely something we pay close attention to throughout the season, is her dealing with both of these things at once. Not only having children, but having a special needs child while she's going through this is definitely something that we have been writing to.

QUESTION: Okay, so in other words, tomorrow's really about the juggling, and then the following Tuesday is where they tell the kids?

JASON KATIMS: Yes. I feel like you're going to get every single story out of us. I think I should just shut up.

QUESTION: I'll stop, except to say that it's been really wonderful to see.

And I have to tell you, not everybody loves the show, okay?

JASON KATIMS: Right.

QUESTION: There are people who feel like the family is entitled and there's a lot of money and that kind of thing. And we're not seeing some of the struggles that some families have. And I understand you're telling your story.

JASON KATIMS: That's absolutely true.

MONICA POTTER: Wow, you don't hold back.

QUESTION: I don't hold back, no.

MONICA POTTER: I like it.

QUESTION: Yes, well thank you. If you...

MONICA POTTER: Well wait, I want to know, I missed that part because you broke up. So there's not enough struggles with money or something?

QUESTION: It's struggles with money, it's people - I had a little bit of a reaction when there was somebody there a couple of seasons ago to facilitate a play date to help Max learn how to not be a bad loser.

JASON KATIMS: Right.

QUESTION: Because he was blowing up when lost a game. And the mom's sort sipping wine while you had a behaviorist there, helping to facilitate the play date. So it's stuff like that I think, that turn some people off.

MONICA POTTER: Is that bad? Is that bad to do?

QUESTION: Well it's just - I haven't seen it as much and somebody else was asking "Max is acting like a brat and where's the behavioral stuff again?" And I'll bring that up now.

So since I'm on here with you, we didn't see what Kristina did with Max when Adam left her high and dry and she had to deal with the explosion a couple of weeks ago. So we don't know how she had to handle that. But I don't know if you're going to have to get back into that given Kristina being ill and somebody else potentially having to deal with behaviors.

But yes, that's the feedback, that Max isn't being dealt with in the proper way. And I write about every one of these episodes pretty much. And where is the behavioral stuff?

Although I think he had some great episodes where he had to learn how to apologize, and that was a really great episode. And even the Aspes, who write about the show, thought it was a great episode. And there's some of that, people who are really struggling to get backup.

MONICA POTTER: Right. Yes, and I think you're going to see that being touched upon, just from the next two that I've read, as far as how Max is being dealt with in certain ways with - so that is addressed. But it might not be right now, but it is addressed.

QUESTION: Okay, just that there's going to be more of a strain, in terms of dealing.

MONICA POTTER: Yes, Max’s outbursts and such will be addressed. But that is how, like you said, kids with Asperger's tend to sometimes be mistaken for brats, and how are they dealt with?" Which is so - wow, it's so trying I'm sure, with parents.

QUESTION: Right, but these are Asperger's parents who think that he's being - he's getting away with stuff lately. And you know, Asperger kids can also be brats - nobody quote me.

MONICA POTTER: Right, exactly.

QUESTION: But it's hard sometimes, separating out what's the diagnosis and what's just the bad behavior.

MONICA POTTER: I - believe me, I know.

QUESTION: Maybe you can't call them a brat. Yes.

MONICA POTTER: And I know, yes. I know exactly, I do.

QUESTION: Yes, just that he's getting away with stuff. I guess that's the idea. And so it'll be interesting to see, because as we know they don't like change.

MONICA POTTER: No.

That's good, it brings up some topics that they can talk about and that's a good thing I guess.

But about the storyline, it's a good storyline, it's timely and I'm just happy to be on the show where all the writers really collaborate. And we're blessed.

QUESTION: What can you reveal about the difficulties and choices Kristina is going to have to make in her medical treatment? I know there can be one initial prognosis and then all sorts of unanticipated complications can arise.

JASON KATIMS: Right.

QUESTION: And will Kristina consider doing some of the things that people are doing now, like maybe a prophylactic mastectomy, even though she could technically have a lumpectomy. Are you going to deal with any of those issues?

JASON KATIMS: We're dealing with the issue of her making the initial decision about what her treatment is going to be. And then we deal with her getting thrown a curve ball in terms of what she's dealing with, with the cancer. And that it leads to her making - you know, I don't want to get too specific because then I feel like it's going to lose...

This was the one storyline I ever really - I didn't want the storyline to be revealed that we were even doing a breast cancer storyline before it was seen on screen. And everybody on the network and the cast and everybody really cooperated with that. And because I felt like I really wanted it to be like life, where it comes out of the blue. And that was so clearly what happened to me. And I really wanted that to be that.

I wanted it to be like that, where it's every other day, it's - the story, as we saw in that storyline, it wasn't at all about her getting a mammogram or anything. And all of a sudden it's like a light switched and it was totally changed. And so I feel that way a little bit in talking about future storylines, I feel like it was very important to all of us on the show to try to tell this story in a way that reflects what would happen.

And what you're asking is definitely one of the things that we do address, which is that her initial diagnosis changes a little bit, and also her treatment changes as well as the season goes on.

MONICA POTTER: Yes, I'm excited to see what happened. I don't know too much, which is good you know? It keeps us on our toes and like Jason said, it comes at you out of the blue and as an actress it's great because you do it week by week and you learn different types of treatments and different types of feelings and situations that the family goes through that Kristina's going through. So that's all I have to say about that.

QUESTION: Are you going to deal with the financial ramifications of what a cancer diagnosis can do to a family? They've got a kid in a private college, Adam runs a small business so if he takes time off he can't take sick leave. And as a small business owner he may have the not-so-great health insurance you get when you run a small business.

MONICA POTTER: I think we have Kaiser, right? I'm just kidding, I have no idea. I don't know.

JASON KATIMS: I think that we're dealing with that in as much as there is [an] enormous amount of pressure on the family to continue to function as they're going through this.

So in terms of the pressure on Adam to be at work, luckily the business has been doing well. And so they're actually in a better position than they would have been a season ago when he was in a totally transitional phase.

But we definitely are watching the enormous pressure that this is putting on this family financially and in every other way.

QUESTION: And are we going to see Kristina's family, maybe her parents or her siblings? Because it seems like families come together at a time like this.

JASON KATIMS: Yes.

MONICA POTTER: I think we touched on that. We touched on that, which I really like where the writers have hinted about what kind of family Kristina's from over the years. And I don't know, I feel like this is her family, you know?

JASON KATIMS: Yes.

MONICA POTTER: I feel like the Bravermans are her family. I like the back story that they're touching on, which we're just starting to do. But I don't know where we'll go with that, if anywhere.

JASON KATIMS: Yes. It's a little bit of a tricky thing, to be very candid, because we've talked many times about bringing Kristina's family members into the show. It's always challenging with that on this show because we have a show that's about an extended family, and we have a very large cast.

And we've always found when we've pitched - in the writer's room, pitched stories about Kristina's family or Joel's family or some of the people who have married into the Bravermans. We pitch a story, we find that those stories can sometimes backfire because we wind up - then you're doing scenes with those family members that you would normally be doing with the Braverman family members. So...

MONICA POTTER: I agree.

JASON KATIMS: So we've avoided that a little bit, even though it's always been very tempting. Because you really want to know Kristina's family.

So we have, as Monica was saying, we're not introducing her family, but we're addressing, in a storyline, her family and we're seeing Kristina, seeing her affected by her family's - basically their lack of presence as she's going through this.

MONICA POTTER: Which I think is kind of more telling about her family.

JASON KATIMS: Right.

MONICA POTTER: It's not there right in front of your face, it's just the hidden little things that she's dealing with with her family.

JASON KATIMS: Yes.

MONICA POTTER: Which is so interesting to me. So, good job again Jason. Not me, you. It's smart, it's just smart. I'm not kissing your ass...

JASON KATIMS: All right.

MONICA POTTER: Promise, okay. Sorry people (unintelligible).

QUESTION: There's been a lot of talk about Max on the call. But I wanted to know about Haddie and if we're going to see her coming back to the show any time soon?

JASON KATIMS: Yes, she's going to be returning in an episode soon. She's going to be coming back for two episodes, and then later in the season again she'll come back. So she's - again, I feel like the more I say, I'm just going to give away these stories that I think would be so much more satisfying if you just see them on TV.

You know. But yes, she's coming back very soon.

QUESTION: I'm imagining we mostly will see her back at home. We're not necessarily going to college with her. I don't know if that's something you can answer either.

JASON KATIMS: Well you know, we'll see her at the - no, there's not a storyline where they go to Cornell for example, which is something that I would love to do sometime. But we, need to figure out how to do it, yes.

QUESTION: Okay, and you talked about how this is a very personal story for you, why did you want to have Kristina and Monica figure into this storyline, why not one of the other girls on the show?

JASON KATIMS: Well, that's a good question. And I don't have any answer for [it].

MONICA POTTER: Can I answer?

JASON KATIMS: Yes, go on.

MONICA POTTER: My answer - well just because I feel like (unintelligible) and just thought that this is the way, just because your son - you've dealt with the Asperger storyline and I feel like Adam is you in a way. Not that you're playing favorites, but that's just the way I'm interpreting it and that's all. I mean...

JASON KATIMS: No, I do think there's something that's particularly challenging about this storyline because of Max, and I think that was something that was definitely was on my mind.

And truthfully, sometimes things will sort of slip through the cracks, too. And there's that aspect to it, that sometimes there's just too much to deal with and you can't handle everything at once. And I thought that would be another compelling aspect of it.

So I guess it just naturally, as Monica was saying, it's just because it mirrored a little bit what was going on with [me] personally, that's probably how we came up to it.

But it's not like we said, "Let's give somebody cancer, let's decide who." It didn't work that way, it was like the story was more thinking about, "What if Kristina was going through this?" It was born that way, so it wasn't a conscious decision.

QUESTION: Monica, were you surprised that Kristina went with the doctor that she went with? And Jason, what went into making her making that decision?

MONICA POTTER: You know, I’m going to say no. Just because I was (unintelligible). I would go with Dr. Bledsoe.

I still can't say his name right.

JASON KATIMS: I know.

MONICA POTTER: But now I love it. Because I'm tired of them saying, "When you go to Dr. Bledsoe's office." I'm like, "Don't say his name to me because I just got it down."

And then (Larry) one of our - (Bledsloes) and forget it, Dr. B. So anyway, I think that you made the right decision because he may not have the best bedside manner, but I think in looking for a doctor, Monica, I would definitely choose him.

My little girl had an appendectomy last week, and that's part of the reason I had to reschedule the phone call. And thank you guys all for doing that, I appreciate it so much. And the doctor that did the surgery, I was like, "Oh." And now I love him.

But he was the best pediatric surgeon, he's amazing. I love him so much now. But I would never think of myself to go and hang out with him and have a beer. You know what I mean?

You pick the best guy for the job and that's what she did, and I think she made the right decision. And I would do the same.

JASON KATIMS: Right. I would just only add to that that it came from when my wife and I were going through this. Things like this would happen all the time where you had to make decisions and you would have to try to separate what was pulling you emotionally towards something, between that and what you thought was going to be the best doctor for you in this particular situation.

And those were wrenching decisions, every single one. And I wanted that to be part of this story that we're telling.

QUESTION: Jason, can you share any news about a possible Saturday Night Live (unintelligible).

JASON KATIMS: You know, we're still trying. We are still trying to make it, but right now there's no new news. Also, there's a lot of people's schedules that have to come together to it.

It's something that I would, myself and Pete Berg and Brian Grazer passionately want to do, and it's just putting all the pieces together.