On September 16, 1998, it was announced that Howard would direct and co-produce a live-action adaptation of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" with Jim Carrey attached to star. It was also reported that Universal Pictures, who had acquired the distribution rights, paid $9 million for the film rights for an adaptation of "Grinch" and "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" to Geisel. Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman (of both "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and "Doc Hollywood" fame) wrote the final screenplay following eight drafts, but Geisel also had veto power over the script. She objected to several jokes and sexual innuendos in the screenplay, including one about a family who did not have a Christmas tree or presents jokingly called the "Who-steins" and the placement of a stuffed trophy of the Cat in the Hat on the Grinch's wall. Alec Berg, David Mandel and Jeff Schaffer (who were also writers on the television series "Seinfeld") did an uncredited rewrite of the script.