This was an idea I had for a crossover between Daria and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and is basically a rehash of that show's first episode.

All recognizable Daria characters are the intellectual property of Glenn Eichler and MTV/Viacom.

"The Mary Tyler Moore Show" is the intellectual property of James L. Brooks, Allan Burns and CBS

This is fan fiction, written for fun and no money is being made.

This adaptation 2012 Peetz5050

The Daria Morgendorffer Show

Daria knocked and entered the office marked "Newsroom". There were a number of busy looking people moving back and forth, preoccupied with their work. 'Excuse me sir, I'm supposed to see a...' She said to a passing man, who completely ignored her.
'I beg your pardon I wonder if you could... tell me...' The woman brushed passed her and ignored her as well. She spotted a man sitting at a keyboard typing furiously and stood beside him.

'Excuse me.' She said.

'Hello, HELLO!' He said, looking up and noticing the attractive young woman by his desk.

'Hello.'

'Hello.'

'I'm supposed to see a Mr. Grant about a research position.' Daria asked hesitantly.

'It's been filled.'

A rumpled, overweight, middle-aged man came up from behind them and said 'Since this young lady came to see a Mr. Grant why don't you let Mr. Grant handle it? Right this way Miss.' He led her toward an office opposite the door she came in.

'It's been fillledd!' The first man sing-songed as he resumed his typing.

They entered the office and the older man closed the door. Daria, a little nervous, said 'Do you have any idea when Mr. Grant will be back?'

'I'm Mr. Grant.'

'You're back!' Daria went over to the chair on the outside of the desk as the man started rummaging through a drawer, she wasn't sure if she should sit or not as she hadn't yet been invited.

'Look Miss, I was just about to have a drink and I wouldn't mind some company. Want one?'

'No, thank you.'

'I said I wouldn't mind some company...'

'Well... all right I'll have a brandy alexander.'

Mr. Grant stood still for a moment, then with a sigh he dropped the bottle of Scotch back into his drawer and said 'How 'bout some coffee?'

'That'll be fine... em... has the job been filled?' Daria asked and sat down.

'Yeah.'

'Oh!' She stood up to leave.

'But there is another job.'

'Oh?' Daria sat down again.

'I figured I'd hire a man for it.'

'Oh.' She stood up again.

'But we can talk about it.'

'Well... good.' She flopped back into the chair, bewildered.

He started leafing through her resume and something caught his eye.
'Hey!... you live in my favorite neighborhood!'

'Really?... I've just moved in... is it that nice?'

'Nice!... Some of the best saloons in town are over there.' Daria didn't know how to respond to that one. She was about to speak when he asked 'How old are yeh?'

'Thirty.'

'No hedging?... no "How old do I look?"...'

'Why hedge?... ' A little curious she asked 'How old do I look...?'

'Thirty... What religion are yeh?'

'Mr. Grant I don't quite know how to say this but em... you're not allowed to ask that when someone's applying for a job... it's against the law.'

'Wanna call a cop?'

'No...'

'Good!... Would you think I was violating your civil rights if I asked if you're married?'

'... ... ... Presbyterian. ... ... ... well... I decided I'd answer your religion question.'

'Heh, hah... divorced?'

'No!'

'Never married.'

'No.'

'Why?'

'Why?' Daria's head felt like it was spinning at this point.

'D'you type?'

'Mr. Grant... there's no simple answer to that question...'

'Sure there is... how 'bout... no, I can't type or yes, I can type.'

'There's no simple answer to why a person isn't married.'

'How many different reasons can there be?'

'Sixty-five.'

'...words per minute?... my typing question...?'

'Yes.'

'Look Miss, would you try answering the questions as I ask them?'

'Yes Mr. Grant, I will... but it does seem that you've been asking a lot of personal questions that don't have a thing to do with my qualifications for this job!' She stood up again as if she was going to leave. He came around the desk and stood right in front of her and said 'Ya know what... you've got spunk!'

'Well...' She started to blush.

'I hate spunk!...Tell ya what... I'll try ya out for a couple o' weeks and we'll see if it works out... and if I don't like you... I'll fire ya...'

'Right.'

'You don't like me?... I'll fire ya!'

'That certainly seems fair... ehm... what's the job?'

'The job is that of Associate Producer.'

'Associate Producer!'

'Something wrong?' He asked, beetling his heavy eyebrows in an intimidating fashion.

'No... no... no... I like it... Associate Producer!'

'The job pays ten dollars less per day than a research position.'

'...ehm... that'll be fine.' She said after working out her living expenses in her head.

'If you can get by on fifteen dollars less per day we'll make ya a Producer.'

'No, no... I think all I can afford is Associate Producer.'

'You can start tomorrow.'

'Oh... that's just wonderful... so I'll... seeya tomorrow...' As she left the office she thought to herself 'Wow!... Associate Producer on TV News...'