Wednesday Writers Strike Update
Thanks to Variety’s Scribe Vibe blog.
Today, the LA City Council is having a hearing on how much the WGA Writers Strike is impacting the local economy. As feature films are being made everywhere else it seems, TV is king in LA. Did you realize that there are 52 dramas and 19 sitcoms (not) being produced this season? Geez, I think I could name maybe half. I wonder if Telemundo shows are included?
John Bowman, the head of the WGA negotiating committee, estimates that if the remainder of the 2007-2008 season is scrapped, the loss for both the “industry” and LA will be upwards of 2.5 Billion with a B dollars. That makes the writers’ demands seem fairly paltry when the WGA is basically asking for a 3 percent raise, or $150 million.
On the plus side of the Writers strike, CNN (as well as everybody else) reported yesterday that the WGA is not allowing its members write any of the delightful quips and witty bon mots for the Golden Globes. Oh, poo. Then again, if I have to listen to quasi-celebrities adlib their way through handing off the statuette to Ernest Borgnine for his portrayal in A Grandpa for Christmas, I may puke up all that grenache I’ll be sure to be imbibing.
No, seriously, it should be quite a blow to both the Golden Globes and the Oscars if the writers sit this year out. Will the actors follow suit in a show of solidarity? Will their egos allow them to stay at home rather than talk to Joan Rivers? Hmm, that is a tough decision. I’d stay home.
Variety, WGA, writers strike, Los Angeles, Telemundo, CNN, Golden Globes, Ernest Borgnine, Oscars, Joan Rivers
December 21st, 2007 at 3:52 pm
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