There are several obvious parallels in the work of Jonathan Demme and Steven Soderbergh. Both have made comedic crime films (Married to the Mob/Something Wild, Out of Sight/Ocean's Eleven), period dramas (Beloved, King of the Hill), concert films (Stop Making Sense/Storefront Hitchcock, Yes: 9012 Live), and a Spalding Gray monologue film (Swimming to Cambodia, Gray's Anatomy). Both have also dealt with social and political issues in their films (Philadelphia/Cousin Bobby, Traffic). Like Melvin and Howard, Soderbergh's Erin Brockovich is a light-hearted drama about blue collar Americans, in conflict with corporate interests. Universal even used the trailer-music from Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven (which I think appeared in Snatch, originally) in the trailer for The Truth About Charlie.

In 1988, Steven Soderbergh mentioned Jonathan Demme in two entries from his sex, lies, and videotape journal:

21 AUG 88 (pg. 191)
"Saw Married to the Mob, which I thought was...I don't know. I'm a big fan of Jonathan Demme (during high school, I literally watched Handle With Care a dozen times inside a week on cable) and there was a lot to like in this movie, I just...have to see it again, I think. I remember in 1980 seeing Raging Bull three times, and only after the third time did I realize what a great film it was. I'm just slow, I guess"

4-11 SEP 88 (pg. 205)
"Saw Married to the Mob again, and liked it much better this time. I've borrowed David Foil's copy of Swimming to Cambodia to watch in the editing room whenever I need inspiration or just a plain old break from sex, lies.