Television – Amusing, pointed rant against striking Hollywood writers (mainly TV). May not agree with every idea, but pretty good, intelligent, entertaining...
My thing is really, the writers deserve what they can get. But most of them (I've been there) have "sold out" to the Hollywood culture and corporate demands -- writing stuff that can be marketed, creating "product" not art, etc -- so it's hard to feel sorry for them either as 1) exploited artists (they're not artists) or 2) struggling laborers (they make a small fortune right now)...
Sorry, but I cannot support the idea behind this story. The finger of blame is pointing in the wrong direction for a change.
hey, no problem spadecaller. my view of this story is that the hollywood writers are to some extent a pretty pampered and spoiled group. they've linked their plight to genuinely struggling workers and laborers in ways that, to me at least, reflect a bit of a "disassociation" from reality. it's not to say that the companies they work for shouldn't pay them fairly -- they should. they actually do pay them a lot -- and they'll pay them more. but imo the writers (as do many in Hollywood) often lose sight of the real world, get a bit self-absorbed and forget that their experiences and troubles aren't generally as serious as many others'. it's one thing to negotiate with your company for more $. it's another to hold press conferences and rallies comparing yourselves to people & groups you really don't have any clue about. anyway...fwiw. figured this post might spark a little controversy. cheers.
I rarely sink a story, and it is purely symbolic, but as a writer, I find it disgusting that producers, who are strictly managers and money men, want to completely cut the writers out of a huge revenue stream while actors get a cut.
They want 2.5%.... jeeeeez.
If we say good riddance to the writers, say hello to more reality TV and more sensational news programming. I just puked a little.
Actually I strongly disagree. I'm also a writer, and have written in Hollywood and elsewhere. First, point isn't that writers don't deserve to be paid. They/we do. (And guess what, in TV & movies, writers are.) In fact, writers are paid a lot. They also deserve to be paid some percentage of ancillary revenue (online, etc.) -- and they will. In fact, the directors have agreed to defer the discussion of online % for now -- because, in truth, they (no one) has a real clue what it's going to be, how to calculate it, etc. And they'll be able to revisit it in a few years when there is real $. But, in any case, I completely agree writers and everybody have a right to get whatever money they can. Of course, in fact, in TV the writers are the producers too -- they are the executive producers, etc...so, in addition to their pure "writing" fees, they receive a significant piece of the shows, the backend, etc. Unlike most actors, in fact, they hugely profit from the syndication...
...But IMO to suggest that the Hollywood writers are struggling laborers or even struggling artists is absurd. To be honest, I'd have thought you would find it equally offensive that these largely highly paid folks have, at various times during their strike, tried to align themselves with causes ranging from the civil rights movement to worker/union groups whose constituents can barely make ends meet. I mean, yea, they should profit too. But draping the flag of the civil rights movement around their cause...I'd have thought even they would know that's just too much, offensive.
Again, I'm not suggesting the Studios or corporate producers deserve to make all the money--to the contrary. My objection --and really I think the thrust of the piece--is that the writers should stop whining and acting like an oppressed group. Of course, my view is also informed by the belief that Hollywood (including the writers) churn out way too much garbage--and so they're all in some ways grossly over-compensated...but that's more a philosophical question (e.g., why teachers make so little compared to sitcom writers compared to hedge fund managers compared to environmental activists).
This isn't a choice about having writers write TV series & movies or having no writers write them. It's about expecting that Hollywood writers (everybody in Hollywood, really) stop looking at themselves with such bloated self-importance & acting like bratty children. It would also be nice if they produced more material less reflective of immature children (IMO). But that's something else...
I have noticed the strike on some of my normal shows, like CSI, House, ER. But I have found other things to do with my time. I actually study more for school no that there is nothing to watch. I might actually read all of my text books. I agree with the article that most late night leaders are still funny. My favorite is Jay Leno. His jokes seem the same and not much has changed. Now with out writers they are getting new bits in to there shows.
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The Networks need to go.
ABC NBC and CBS don't cover any news that offends corporate agenda, FoxNews is universally recognized as an evil propaganda arm, Beck is on CNN three times a day trying to traitorously divide our country in time of war (like his "the people of San Francisco have a definite Anti-American agenda" lie that spits on patriotic San Franciscans who have lost sons and daughters fighting in this war) and Olberman is the only good thing on at MSNBC.
THEY MUST ALL GO.
Comedy writers are not to blame.