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WGA Won't Award Waivers to Award Shows
Say that 10 times fast! Until they are handed their own prize — a new contract with the AMPTP — the WGA won't make it easy for awards shows to carry on, and has denied waivers that would allow scribes to scribble for the Jan. 13 Golden Globes and Feb. 24 Oscars. Independent producers, though, are holding out hope that they can hammer out isolated deals with the Guild. "The Golden Globe Awards, which has a long and friendly relationship with the Writers Guild of America, is obviously disappointed that the WGA denied its request for a waiver," says a statement from Dick Clark Productions to Variety. "However, we are encouraged by the fact that the WGA has announced that it plans to negotiate agreements with independent production companies."
Godspeed to all, because the inane banter between presenters doesn't write itself.
Update: The AMPTP has of course weighed in on this Tuesday headline, saying in a statement: "In the category of Worst Supporting Union, the nominee is the WGA. The union, which initiated this strike, continues day in and day out to make good on its commitment to, in the words of a leading WGA organizer, "wreak havoc," even though those being hurt include WGA's own working writers, the below-the-line workers and their families... and now the creative artists who deserve to be honored for their work."
More coverage in our Strike Watch blog:
• NBC's Writer-less Late-night Hosts Face Big Challenges
• SAG Backs WGA, Saying, "It's Time for the AMPTP to Return to the Table"
• AMPTP's Open Letter Calls WGA's Tactics "Unreasonable" and "Impractical"
Recommended reading:
• WGA Strike Primer: Understanding Misunderstanding (HuffingtonPost.com)
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Dec 18, 2007 9:10 AM
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Thank god ! The one reason I might not be on the side of the writers in this strike is the crap they write for award shows ! UGH! It is the worst stuff. I always try to assume that they aren't given too much free rein in their writing for these shows.
Wouldn't it be nice, just once, to have the presenters come out and just present the award ? Or to have these 'clever' hosts just be naturally clever rather than having professinally written drivel all night ?
Even better - these bloated 3 hour plus shows might actually end quicker now
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Dec 18, 2007 9:26 AM
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Can we please stop with this nonsense??? How hard would it be to come up with trite dialogue for an awards show??? So these are the same writers that come up with those God awful jokes that no in the audience laughs at? These shows might actually run 2 hours on the dot now!
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Dec 18, 2007 10:14 AM
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I know the writers for Billy crystal won emmys consistantly for the oscars when he hosted. THey beat out Jon Stewart. Stewart was not happy about it either.
Yes I agree. Maybe the show will end quicker and maybe they won't have to give 30 seconds for people who have just had a dream realized, have to thank everyone they can in under a half a minute.
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Dec 18, 2007 10:17 AM
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Couldn't have said it better myself....these hacks who are giving the finger to the hand that feeds them had better wise up! The audience that pays them will only take so much of their designer threads on the picket line.... And their dismissal of the non-writing staffs who are in danger of losing homes and livelihoods is so cruel ... no sympathy for you jerks! I
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Dec 18, 2007 10:26 AM
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I've been siding with the WGA on this, but now they are really starting to piss. me. off. I'm mad enough that my favorite tv shows are going away, but now to take away the awards shows too just because they can't reach an agreement with AMPTP. Geez, will they call the arbitrators in already and just let them handle it, because it seems crystal clear to the rest of this that they aren't going to do that on their on.
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Dec 18, 2007 10:33 AM
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I'm glad the writers are standing up for themselves.
I hope it hurts the ratings, and I hope there are many nominee no-shows. And hopefully those who do attend and win will show support for the writers in their remarks.
While people are bummed about it, sadly this is the kind of thing it takes to put pressure on the studios.
If you're really pissed, write letters to the studio heads urging them to return to the table, they're the ones holding everything up right now.
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Dec 18, 2007 11:09 AM
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It's funny how the Golden Globes -- who are currently being shut out because of this strike, provides a statement that is supportive of the writers, and it is the AMPTP who use this opportunity to once again make a smear attack on the striking writers.
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Dec 18, 2007 12:04 PM
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Thank goodness! They don't need writers. Just call out the fracking names and get it over with. No more, extra long, unnecessary musical numbers and terrible, unfunny jokes. Gee, this is one Academy Awards show I might actually look forward to watching!
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Dec 18, 2007 12:19 PM
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It's a STRIKE, guys. It's supposed to suck. Otherwise it could go on for a year or more.
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Dec 18, 2007 12:33 PM
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Eh, so what? Half the time, the presenters screw up the "jokes" as they read them off of the TelePrompTer, anyway. Just hire presenters who are good at off-the-cuff comments--Meryl Streep is always funny--and the awards shows are likely to be more enjoyable. And since many nominees aren't likely to show up if the strike is ongoing, the shows will really be short and sweet.
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Dec 18, 2007 12:41 PM
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I agree that a writer-less awards show would be a very GOOD thing. Let's stick to the awards themselves and maybe a few musical performances. All the banter is just a lame waste of time.
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Dec 18, 2007 1:04 PM
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I really wonder how long the WGA thinks public support will last. This is their most brazen move yet--snubbing a celebration of their own art. Right now, public support is the best thing the WGA has going for it, and they are crapping on that public support.
The AMPTP may be good at spin-doctoring, but they know the right words to use.
Mr. Schwarzenegger, it's time to call in the arbitrators before this gets more out of hand than it already is.
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Dec 18, 2007 1:41 PM
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**Blinks** Really?! Wow, I thought the WGA was smarter than this. Huh! Who knew! Well, they can kiss the public support goodbye. People are going to get sick of all this BS from them. I'm still supporting them, but I have to say, they are not handling this in the smartest way. You don't spit in the face of the people supporting you. It's not going to hurt the Producers, all it's done is give them a way to smear the WGA. This is a stupid stupid move on their part. I'm beginning to wonder if the leaders of this strike know what they are doing.
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Dec 18, 2007 2:37 PM
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Hmm, my post hasn't shown up, but is there any way for the ads to be changed so that the One Tree Hill background ad isn't advertising its "forth" season?
And re: the actual topic. As a writer, I support the WGA. The AMPTP simply doesn't get how crucial writers are. After all, look how their absence is affecting the awards. The writers are underappreciated. I miss my favorite shows, but at the same time, I've been doing other things.
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Dec 18, 2007 3:42 PM
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