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Friday, November 30, 2007

The Writer’s Strike Just Ain’t Working Out for Leno’s Staff

This leaves more questions unanswered than answered:

Today was the last day for most of the 120 staffers on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” who left with an early Christmas bonus check and no guarantee of a job when the strike ended.

“Do we have a job when the strike ends? That’s what everyone keeps asking,” one former staffer said. “They’ve guaranteed no one a job. They just keep saying, ‘The letter explains it.”

That letter is a notice from NBC’s human resources department that says, “If your services are needed, we will contact you.”

The article doesn’t say what these laid off staffers have been doing.  Have they been staying home because of the strike?  If so they have no one to blame but themselves.

Or are they out of worker because of the greedy union writers?  If so they need to blame the writers.

I just think it’s funny that a big money show in the big money industry like television is so cheap:

[O]ther staffers received only Leno’s traditional bonus of $100 times the number of years the staffer has been on the show.

Merry Christmas.  Wouldn’t Hollywood be all over anyone else doing this?

Comments

That’s a cheaper bonus than many Wal-Mart employees get.

likwidshoe on November 30, 2007 at 07:06 pm

greedy union writers?

I guess its greedy to demand payment priced at the value of your work. Don’t believe that their demands reflect the value? Okay, keep watching reality shows until you do.

I suggest you research why the writers’ union exists (read: why they are excepted from Sherman Antitrust) before you toss them into any particular category.


“Behind Communism, Fascism, behind all occupations and invasions lurks a more basic, pervasive evil… a parade of people marching by with raised fists and shouting identical syllables in unision.” - Milan Kundera

Hairy Polemic on November 30, 2007 at 08:39 pm
Avatar for dannyboy

Bukher!  WHIIIINNNYYY

dannyboy on November 30, 2007 at 08:45 pm

What can I say? I feel for the writers.


“Behind Communism, Fascism, behind all occupations and invasions lurks a more basic, pervasive evil… a parade of people marching by with raised fists and shouting identical syllables in unision.” - Milan Kundera

Hairy Polemic on November 30, 2007 at 08:47 pm
Avatar for dannyboy

I assume you’ve seen Young Frankenstein.  If not, you need to.

dannyboy on November 30, 2007 at 08:49 pm

In high school, I barely remember it.


“Behind Communism, Fascism, behind all occupations and invasions lurks a more basic, pervasive evil… a parade of people marching by with raised fists and shouting identical syllables in unision.” - Milan Kundera

Hairy Polemic on November 30, 2007 at 08:50 pm
Avatar for k_lunch

That’s a cheaper bonus than many Wal-Mart employees get.

Not quite - Wal-Mart employees typically get a 20% discount on any one item.  They’d have to be able to afford a $500 item just to get the hundred bucks which most of them can’t, not to mention it’s not really a bonus if it requires you to spend your own money to earn.  Just thought I’d clarify that.

On another note - those greedy bastards had better get back to work ASAP - we’re running out of episodes of House fast and I’m starting to get nervous.

k_lunch on November 30, 2007 at 09:27 pm
Avatar for syn

David Mamet called it years ago, Hollywood lost the art of storytelling to eye-candy images which explains why everything coming out of Tinsel Town’s closet these days are tired cliches in re-tread costumes.

When writers rely on DDD-sized siliconed breast with stiffened botoxed faces in order to be taken seriously then you know their writing sucks.

In any case, Hollywood’s end time has arrived; the unions have seen to this demise.

syn on December 1, 2007 at 06:30 am

I saw that $100 business…
I figured it was a typo and they meant $1000…
What’s HE get, 30 million or something?

Hell, it costs $100 in LA to PARK!

golfmann on December 1, 2007 at 07:09 am

This strike isn’t about job
security , there is none.

It’s about DVD, net etc residuals.

WOOF on December 1, 2007 at 07:40 am

Woof is right, the strike is about DVD and net residuals—a product of the writers’ efforts for which they are not being compensated. How much more money they earn than average Joe is irrelevant (at least to someone who doesn’t believe in the “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need” philosophy of thinking).

As for Syn’s rant. I dunno what kind of movies he’s watching, but I suggest picking up a few that don’t have the word “busty” in the title.


“Behind Communism, Fascism, behind all occupations and invasions lurks a more basic, pervasive evil… a parade of people marching by with raised fists and shouting identical syllables in unision.” - Milan Kundera

Hairy Polemic on December 1, 2007 at 07:57 am

about DVD and net residuals

Goodbye outtakes and deleted scenes from DVDs.  Nobody’s gonna want to track down every writer and grip for permission just so they can add a 30 sec blooper to a DVD.

electnixon on December 1, 2007 at 09:10 am

And I happen to think that a $1000 Christmas bonus after 10 years with a company is quite a lot of money.

electnixon on December 1, 2007 at 09:11 am
Avatar for pparets

So… why the sudden spate of strikes?  Draws attention to the liberal Democrats and why America NEEDS them in office to help the poor working stiffs. They all smell a victory here.

pparets on December 1, 2007 at 09:26 am

That’s maybe true Nix, but we’re talking about a VERY high paid industry here.


What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.


The Whistler's signature
The Whistler on December 1, 2007 at 09:36 am

This just goes on and on.

Let’s get it over with. Find the first rich guy you can and give him all your money and possessions.

Why be slowly tortured into a serfdom with a when you can just get it over with. Then, instead of having to constantly fight for everything you get and being called greedy because you want your share, you can just accept your place and suffer.

By the way - why pay all of those professional sports players the big bucks when you can just enslave them, keep them locked up in the basements of the coliseums, and just let them out on game day.

ews48 on December 1, 2007 at 11:49 am
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