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Striking Writers Whack at Eva Longoria Parker
Eva Longoria by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com
Desperate housewife Eva Longoria Parker took some flak on Tuesday for crossing picket lines to go to work — while a bevy of other TV stars, like Old Christine's Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Wanda Sykes, didn't. "I understand she is in a really tricky position, but it would be awfully nice if she'd said she wouldn't work today," the New York Daily News quotes Louis-Dreyfus as saying. "She's certainly in a financial position to be able to say that."
Longoria at the end of the shoot day tried to make nice with striking scribes by delivering pizza and explaining, "We are done [filming available scripts] and we'll be on the lines supporting you." Alas, ELP's gesture was rebuffed with such chants as "No justice, no pizza!" and "This isn't the piece of pie we meant!" (Not quite on par with "Marcia's cross and so are we," but... ). — Ben Katner
New to our Strike Watch blog:
• Lost May Be Lost Until February 2009
• Strike KOs Two and a Half Men, Six Others; Big Brother Fast-tracked
• Network Exec: Even a Week-long Strike Will Impact the Season
• Smallville Ready to Fly with 15 Episodes
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Nov 7, 2007 9:00 AM
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How are they crossing picket lines? They are working on material written by the writers before they went on strike, correct? If they were working on scripts written by scabs, I'd understand, but they aren't, at least not yet.
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Nov 7, 2007 9:42 AM
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I am not a union supporter, but I think the writers deserve their share, so I am in support of their job action. However, I don't think it's right for them to admonish people who are doing their jobs, which they are contracted to do. I think what Eva said is perfectly appropriate, and I hope the writers don't shun people who are offering them support.
One of the reasons I have managed (mostly) to avoid becoming a union member in my career is because this kind of pettiness and divisiveness always comes up, and it often drives away support from people who are sympathetic to their cause.
I also agree with filegirl that if they were working on scab-scripts, that would be a whole different situation.
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Nov 7, 2007 9:53 AM
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This article doesnt make any sense. It sounds like she was trying to make nice and your headline was just a way to get people to read a non existent story.
If a picketer had actually hit her with a pizza, now that would have been a story.
I'm sure theres a million real stories related to this strike that you could write about.
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Nov 7, 2007 9:55 AM
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It sounds like she was trying to make nice and your headline was just a way to get people to read a non existent story.
I have edited Ben's item to offer further detail and context. — MWM
I'm sure theres a million real stories related to this strike that you could write about.
Hence, our dedicated Strike Watch blog. 
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Nov 7, 2007 10:11 AM
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It's a strike people. As strikers, it's their duty to do whatever they can to disrupt production. They don't have anything personally against Longoria. She's doing her job, and they're doing theirs.
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Nov 7, 2007 10:34 AM
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As strikers, it's their duty to do whatever they can to disrupt production.
I disagree. I dislike unions in principle, but I do agree that writers deserve more recognition (and that actors frequently get too much money, but that's another subject.) As union members, they are required to strike, but I don't think that they should interfere with the work of those not in their union. They're already disrupting production by not writing, and I don't think that they should, or should be required to, actively try to stop others from working. Whether she is financially able to not work is not the point, nor is it anyone else's call to make.
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Nov 7, 2007 10:53 AM
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First of all, let me start off by saying that I completely side with the writers in all of this and I think its great that all of their co-workers are supporting them, however that said unless they are writers they are not obligated to walk the picket line and are obligated to do the work that they have to do and I think that with the exception of those that are writers they should have to (and be able to) finish production on any and all episodes that they can up until the point that the current scripts run out. I completely agree with ELP saying what she did and I think JLD & WS were in the wrong to try to stop actors from doing their job. They are actors NOT writers and they still have a job to do!
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Nov 7, 2007 11:08 AM
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Well let me share with you about unions, if it wasn't for them we would not have 40 hour work weeks, with overtime pay, along with many other perks that we as working class people get. I completely understand why the writers are striking, they are the lowest paid. BUT if they had to live in the real world on real wages they would not be able to afford the lifestyle they have now.
That being said, the unions aren't what they used to be. They are more about the bottom dollar anymore.
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Nov 7, 2007 11:17 AM
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Eva has every right to do her job: acting, just as much as the strikers have every right to do their current job: disrupt production. Each side is fulfilling their obligation so I don't see how either one is in the wrong.
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Nov 7, 2007 11:27 AM
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Hey Matt - I appreciate the info about the strike blog that TV Guide has created.
The title was misleading, thats all I meant.
Keep up the good work 
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Nov 7, 2007 12:45 PM
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One more thing - I feel bad for all the hair, makeup, prop design, catering services and other extra staff that will REALLY be affected by this. And its not just Los Angeles thats effected. Anywhere they shoot shows and movies, the "little"guys will be hit big.
The stars should relax, they make so much money they would be totally okay not working till the strike ends. Cut back on the gucci hoodies and the first class seats, you will survive.
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Nov 7, 2007 12:48 PM
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What about an update on how the strike will be affecting Moonlight? I read where Joel Silver said the strike would kill Moonlight, so is Moonlight a target of the strike shutdown? I think they have about 13 scripts, with maybe 3-4 left to film. For the shows and the actors' sakes, lets all hope the strike gets over quickly for all shows.
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Nov 7, 2007 12:53 PM
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Isn't Longoria a member of SAG? If she is, then she'd expect the same respect for her union as the writers expect. As a union member her decision should be a "no brainer". You don't cross picket lines, no matter who's strike it is.
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Nov 7, 2007 1:23 PM
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"No Justice, No Pizza"?????!!!!???
Wow the writers must really be on strike if the best they could come up with is a ripoff of an actual slogan.
Ever notice that the loudest mouths in a strike always seem to be the ones who have the most money? You don't see the writer of some cheeseball teen horror flick with a budget of 50,0000 bucks talking about the issues. No it's Tina Fey or some such.
It's a bit hard to feel empathy for a group when the chief spokespeople make a crapload more money than I do.
As for the actors, they should be at work. Legitimate scripts need to be filmed. I'm fine with not working on scab scripts, but it the scripts are from before the writers went on strike, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Wanda Sykes, Alyson Hannigan and every other actor should be at work.
And please don't feed me that overused BS about crossing a picket line. I'm sorry but for me crossing a picket line only applies to the people who are actually on strike.
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Nov 7, 2007 1:46 PM
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