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DGA in "shouting distance" of a deal; writers with the big mo
It seems as though the AMPTP finally woke up to reality and realized they’re going to have to give ground on new media. This weekend’s serious negotiations about new media revenues with the directors’ guild (DGA) suggest that the moguls’ spa getaway did them some good to clear their heads.
United Hollywood has the scoop and perspective for what it all means:
The WGA’s sister guild the DGA began formal negotiations over the weekend and announced it was within “shouting distance” of a deal. That being the case, many writers believe it is important to let the DGA negotiate in an atmosphere of utmost seriousness backed up by large, forceful pickets from the WGA.[...]Essentially, the DGA is the debate team, and they have an important away meet. Everyone hopes the debate team brings home the big trophy, and we can celebrate together in the next few weeks. Until that happens, come out and support the writers by wearing your school colors of red, white and black. Go team!
Meanwhile, the writers are showing some good momentum in their quest to break the AMPTP by negotiating for and receiving their same demands with small to medium sized production studios – in addition to David Letterman’s Worldwide Pants, the Weinstein company, and United Artists, today the WGA announced a deal with Media Rights Capital, an independent studio with significant corporate financial backing. It’s good news for writers that can go back to work, but it’s also good news to see yet another defection from the AMPTP conglomerate.
The deals have been announced in rapid succession over the last couple of weeks, and the writers are picking up some good momentum. This latest news about the DGA negotiations progressing is promising – but it is just the first of several battles to be fought over the next weeks and months.
The moguls still have yet to fully emerge from the steam of the saunas – with any luck, they’ll be struggling to keep their towels on when they finally realize everyone is serious about new media.
Jimmy Kimmel is an idiot.
The Huffington Post put together a montage of how late night hosts addressed their return to the air, largely without their writers.
Jay Leno expressed his support for the writers, but did mention that “19 people [writers] put 160 other people out of work,” and that’s why he returned to the air. Conan also expressed his support and said he stands with the writers.
Meanwhile, Letterman brought out a chorus line doing a Rockette rendition holding up strike signs, and had a “top 10” list of writers’ demands. The top demand: producers should immediately remove their heads from their asses.
The biggest idiot of them all: Jimmy Kimmel, who expressed frustration that actors can “do movies like the Sex and the City movie,” but can’t come on his show. Well, Jimmy, one has a picket line, the other does not, and you’re a selfish bastard.
Watch the full montage
As Late Night Returns, Who Will Stand with the Writers?
I have my first post up on FireDogLake, where I’ll be writing about the ongoing WGA strike. -MW
After seven weeks of silence, late night talk hosts return to the air tonight – but without their writers, who promise to picket outside the shows until the strike is resolved. While David Letterman negotiated a deal for writers to return to his and Craig Ferguson’s shows, Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert must improvise monologues and sketches to fill air time without their writers.
Letterman likely took the lead from Johnny Carson’s efforts during the 1988 strike, in which Carson eventually negotiated a deal for his writers to return while the strike continued. While Carson briefly mentioned the strike in his return to the air, he did not use the strike for material for his show, instead filling time with musical performances and skits.
Letterman took a different route in 1988 – one that he will hopefully resurrect tonight.
“The producers happen to be, in my opinion, money-grabbing scum,” he said in one of a number of skewering references to the studios. “I want to make sure people understand I’m in favor of the writers guild.”
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