Strike Day One

Strike
Originally uploaded by Celluloid Refuge

WELL, THAT DIDN'T take very long. I'm starting to hear trickles from various people I know down in L.A. from the picket line and environs.

A Canadian writer L.A. transplant friend writes:

Spent the past couple hours on the picket line outside CBS. Yes! Lil' ol' me. Gossip I heard:

"Cane" is finally dead. They're blaming the WGA strike. Not the shitty ratings.

And Julia Louis Dreyfuss walked off the set of "New Adventures of Old Christine" today and promptly joined the picket line. Probably because of the fact that (duh) you kinda need a writer around when rehearsing a sitcom.

Yeah! You Go, Julia Louis Dreyfuss. You join Shawn Ryan on the Awesome list. (Edit: It may be hard to see without clicking on it, but a Flickr'r called Celluloid Refuge actually snapped that awesome pic. Yes, that is indeed Julia Louis Dreyfuss on the left. Cool pic, dood!)

Of course, remember that whatever bullshit Nick Counter wants to spill about the "average writer making 200 000 a year," remember, front and center that there are plenty of people standing up for principle today who have a lot more to lose than a pulled out of your ass six figure salary.

An aspiring writer who works in the Prod Office of one of the struck shows had this to say: (Some identifying details have been removed)

I can't tell you how tough it is. The costs are enormous for everyone, and it's clear this is going to be a long battle. The studios don't give a shit - and the writers (will always) care more about this than the studios. What's scary is that it's almost as if the studios want a strike.

Myself... I don't know how much time I have left. My freelance script is now in the garbage. I am getting married soon, and will probably be out of work sooner.

But I realize there are bigger forces at play. I most certainly support my boss and the writers, and I hope for the best.

But, you know, it's Jim Henshaw who has, I think, the best and most immediate action that you can take if you don't feel like siding with huge multinational media conglomerates:

As of tonight, I'm turning off all programming that's been served by WGA writers. No shows and immediately plummeting ratings are the only things that might bring studios and networks to their senses.

Sounds like an idea to me. Hmm. Guess tonight's the night I crack that new Charles Schulz biography.