Screenwriter Meni Assayag Defends Career Amid Online Criticism

Screenwriter Meni Assayag, co-creator of the Israeli television series "The 80s," has publicly addressed online criticism regarding his career and financial standing. Assayag, known for expressing his right-wing political views on social media, shared a hostile comment from a user who called him a "seventh-rate screenwriter nobody cares about."

In response, Assayag highlighted his professional achievements, stating that his series continues to be broadcast repeatedly on numerous channels in Israel and abroad, in institutions, on airplanes, and in gyms, six years after he stepped down as its screenwriter. He noted that the show, which concluded its run with "The 80s" after four successful seasons, has since continued as "The 90s" with other writers, including his brother Shalom Assayag.

Assayag asserted that royalties from "The 80s" continue to flow in, and he claimed to have surpassed many "first-rate screenwriters" who will never achieve his level of success. He also mentioned his appointment in April 2023 by Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar to the Israeli Council for Cinema, from which he resigned two months later due to a potential conflict of interest related to the film "The Celebration," for which he is the lead screenwriter.

This public defense comes after Assayag announced in August that he had to cancel a planned show due to low ticket sales that did not cover costs.