The Ellen Controversy:
The Writer’s Guild of America released a statement on Friday, criticizing the talk show queen for crossing the picket line.
Now, the talk show queen wants people to really know her side of the story.
In response to the WGA, DeGeneres’ publicist released the following statement to PerezHilton.com:
“Ellen has not done anything in violation of the Writer’s Guild of America agreement, or the WGA’s internal ‘Strike Rules.’
Telepictures Productions, through its distributor Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, has contractual obligations to continue to deliver original programming to the 220 stations that carry the program.
We have asked Ellen to come back to work to fulfill her contractual Obligation, as host of the show, because without original programs the stations can move the show out of its time periods or ultimately hold the company in breach of contract. The company, in turn, expects Ellen not to breach her contract to host the show. We also wish to preserve the 135 jobs of the staff and the crew whose livelihoods depend on the show continuing. We regret the Writer’s Guild has chosen to strike and we wish for a quick resolution.
It is unfair and incorrect to compare The Ellen DeGeneres Show to late night shows such as Leno, Letterman and Conan, all of which are late night network owned and controlled programming. Ellen is a daytime talk show carried on a syndicated basis across individual television stations, no different than, and in direct competition with, Oprah, Rachel Ray, Phil, Live with Regis and Kelly, Martha, Tyra, Jerry, Maury, and Montel, all of which are in first run daytime syndication and are continuing in production.”
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While controversy continues to swirl over Ellen DeGeneres‘ decision to cross the picket line in the writer’s strike, one of her former writers is coming out in her defense.
She says:
“First, let me say that I wish that Ellen hadn’t crossed the picket lines. I wish that she would stop making new episodes in solidarity with her writers. I know she is under intense pressure from her affiliates and production companies. Her show is syndicated, and she faces challenges that her late night compatriots do not. But these are excuses and I cannot defend her actions against the strike.
But I can defend her character. And I feel that I must.
Ellen hired me to write for her talk show even though I had little experience. In fact, several of her writers got their start on her show. She’s not afraid to hire green writers. She certainly took a chance on me. She was always patient and supportive. I never felt like she was mad or disappointed when a first draft didn’t pop. In fact, she often told me she was proud of me. She always challenged me to write better jokes, encouraging me to “beat” a joke that didn’t pack a strong punch. She made me a better writer by not settling for average. And I am grateful.
I wrote for her talk show for two seasons. I also wrote for the Oscars with her last year. Ellen loves her writers, that’s the only reason I got to write for the Oscars. She asked the Academy to hire me and two other staff writers from her show, in addition to the 6 other writers already on board. The Academy asserted that they could only pay us less than half of what they were paying the other writers. We all agreed to do it anyway. Right after the show, Ellen gave us each a check. She paid us the difference out of her own pocket. She said it was only fair and thanked us.
I no longer work on the talk show; I quit at the end of last season to pursue my career as a writer/performer. It was a difficult decision because I really loved working for her. Ellen let me move on with grace and kindness and support. She introduced me to her agent, her managers, and offered to help me in whatever way she could. She wished me luck and success. I was incredibly touched by her generosity.
When she was hiring writers for her upcoming special on TBS, I got a call. I took the job, more than happy to write for her again. Of course, I have stopped working on “Ellen’s Really Big Show”, because I am on strike.
I will admit that Ellen had long been a hero of mine before I ever even met her. And I can honestly say, that after working for her for two years, she still is. She is a kind, generous and caring person. She was wonderful to me, and I am grateful.
Liz Feldman ”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Networks Strike Back
The real effects of the writers’ strike is starting to be felt in Hollywood.
NBC has just fired all the production people on their hit show The Office.
While the writers rightfully demand an equal share of the pie, 102 people are now out of work on The Office. People that don’t make as much money as the writers.
And when the networks air repeats because of this strike, the writers will get paid residuals. No such luck for the out of work crew.
Now we understand the difficult decision Ellen had to make this week.
All the networks will soon be firing people, to guilt the writers to come back to work.
Why can’t they just go back to the bargaining table and reach a fair new deal????
The LA Times just published the following email from Dale Alexander, a key grip on The Office, which puts the severity of this strike into clear perspective.
It reads:
“Our show was shut down and we were all laid off this week. I’ve been watching the news since the WGA strike was announced and I have yet to see any coverage dedicated to the effect that this strike will have on the below the line employees.
I respect the WGA’s position. They probably do deserve a larger percentage of profit participation, but a lengthy strike will affect more than just the writers and studios. On my show we had 14 writers. There were also 2 cameramen, 2 camera assistants, 4 hair stylists, 4 makeup artists, 7 wardrobe people, 4 grips, 4 electricians, 2 craft service, 4 props people, 6 construction, 1 medic, 3 art department, 5 set dressers, 3 sound men, 3 stand-ins, 2 set PAs, 4 assistant directors, 1 DGA trainee, 1 unit manager, 6 production office personnel, 3 casting people, 4 writers assistants, 1 script supervisor, 2 editors, 2 editors assistants, 3 post production personnel, 1 facilities manager, 8 drivers, 2 location managers, 3 accountants, 4 caterers and a producer who’s not a writer. All 102 of us are now out of work.
I have been in the motion picture business for 33 years and have survived three major strikes. None of which have been by any of the below the line unions. During the 1988 WGA strike many of my friends lost their homes, cars and even spouses. Many actors are publicly backing the writers, some have even said that they would find a way to help pay bills for the striking writers. When the networks run out of new shows and they air repeats the writers will be paid residuals. The lowest paid writer in television makes roughly twice the salary than the below the line crewmember makes. Everyone should be paid their fair share, but does it have to be at the expense of the other 90% of the crewmembers. Nobody ever recoups from a strike, lost wages are just that, lost.
We all know that the strike will be resolved. Eventually both sides will return to the bargaining table and make a deal. The only uncertainty is how many of our houses, livelihoods, college educations and retirement funds will pay for it.”
--------------------------------------------------------Tisk tisk.
NBC is trying to strong arm Jay Leno back to the Tonight Show, the very same program they are basically forcing him to leave against his own will in a year and a half.
The funnyman with the heart of gold has been supporting his writers by walking out in solidarity and not crossing the picket line.
But, now, NBC has informed all nonwriting staff that they will be fired at the end of next week if Leno doesn’t return.
Ewwww. That’s all sorts of wrong!
“I talk to Jay every day, and he will not be the first [late-night host] to cross the picket line,” said Tonight Show head writer Joe Medeiros, also a strike captain for the Writers Guild of America.
So, in an attempt to save people’s jobs and also lure Leno back, NBC is “looking into” the possibility of having guest hosts fill in while Jay is gone.
How shady of NBC!
--------------------------------------------------------Strike Roundup from United Hollywood:
As Veterans Day draws to a close, we've got a group of links with some of the latest news and analysis:
- We quoted from Damon Lindelof's contribution to the NY Times Op-Ed earlier today. The full text can be found here.
- Here's another excellent and concise YouTube explanation for what the writers are asking for. It's called Fade to Black.
- TV writer Ken Levine wrote a Simpson's parody on his blog.
- Commentary from reviewer Barbara Barnett, who had been linking to Amazon Unbox episodes of "House" as part of her reviews.
- An excellent post about the lack of mainstream media coverage of the writers' strike.
- A really, really great article profiling a striking writer who's feeling the cash crunch after having adopted a new baby.
- An excellent visual breakdown of what media is owned by the 10 major conglomerates.
- And finally, an interesting item about Jason Bateman, who's made a decision to support the WGA without violating the "no strike" provision of the SAG contract.
URGENT! Glimmer Of Hope That Agents Bringing WGA & AMPTP Back In Touch
EXCLUSIVE: This is one of those stories where I don't want to put the kibosh on possible progress by reporting on it. But I also need to post news as it comes to me. I just learned tonight that certain Hollywood agents are "really in the middle of this right now." A source tells me that a partner in one of the major tenpercenteries is having "much conversation" with WGA negotiating committee topper Dave Young. At the same time, a partner at a different major agency is talking to AMPTP president Nick Counter. (For the moment, I'm not going to reveal the names of the agents involved.) Together, the agents' goal right now is to just bring both sides back in touch with one another. A phone call is about to happen, or may have already happened, between Young and Counter today, I'm told. "Apparently, there will be a chat," the source said. I'm told the agents involved are "encouraged by the activity today." There's also hope the agents can help clear away side issues and facilitate the re-start of settlement talks, now at a standstill.
Back on November 7th, I expressed the opinion in my post, It's Time To Seriously Solve This Strike, that Hollywood should "Bring On The Agents." Let me excerpt what I wrote: "For crissakes, these people negotiate for a living on behalf of clients like the writers. And they're licensed by the state. And they make multi-million dollar deals based on their word. They could, under the auspices of their Association of Talent Agents, mediate this dispute. Look, I respect these guys. I have confidence that they could work out a proposed settlement lickety-split which at least could provide the basis for bargaining."
Late last week, I was tipped about a secret meeting Thursday between the WGA and key partners of Hollywood's five major agencies, but told only on the condition that I not write about it. So I didn't. Then I picked up Friday's Los Angeles Times and saw a Business section story about it. The truth is, there was nothing especially newsworthy that came out of that meeting.
WGA president Patric Verrone and chief negotiator Young conferred with CAA's Bryan Lourd, United Talent's Jim Berkus, William Morris' Jim Wiatt, ICM's Chris Silbermann, and Endeavor's Rick Rosen. It wound up being more of an informational confab where the agents shared their concerns on behalf of their clients and offered their help and support to get both sides back to the bargaining table. The tenpercenters said it had been the worst week they'd ever had as agents, especially dealing with striking clients who'd been threatened with lawsuits, or suspended, or crying on the phone out of fear for what would happen to them. With negotiations at a standstill, the agency partners offered to do anything possible as a "collective resource."
My understanding is that this latest activity I describe is a direct outgrowth of that meeting but involves just a few of the participants. Please, may they make progress.
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