BAFTA Awards: What ‘Artist’, Dujardin, Streep … 
64th BAFTA Awards Winners: ‘The Artist’, Meryl … 
BAFTA 2012 Preview: Very British Affair Takes On … 
RECORD-BREAKING WEEKEND! 4 Films Open $20+M: ‘The … 
Remembered: Jennifer Hudson To Perform Whitney Houston … 
Live From NY, It’s Jean Dujardin On 
R.I.P. Whitney Houston 
TOLDJA! Indomina-BET Buy Sundance ‘LUV’ 
Midnight Madness For ‘Breaking Dawn’ DVD 
Saoirse Ronan Bigger Teen Action Queen 
WME Signs Writer-Director Jon Kasdan 
‘Glee’s Jane Lynch Joins Indie Film Comedy 
Universal Revives ‘Dracula Year Zero’ With … 
Jodie Foster Sending Mel Gibson Film ‘The … 
‘Roseanne’ Reunion: John Goodman To Co-Star In … 
UPDATE: Closing Arguments Conclude In Golden Globes Trial; … 
Series Adaptation Of ‘Legion’ With … 
Lionsgate Calms Investors With Talk About Charlie Sheen, … 
Ridley Scott Commits To Next Direct McCarthy’s … 
Marvel Studio’s Tim Connors Defects To Legendary As … 
UPDATE: Warner Bros Lawyers Dig In Garbage Over ‘The … 
Statement from Rob Burnett, president/CEO of Worldwide Pants and executive producer of The Late Show With David Letterman: ”We are meeting with the Writer’s Guild on Friday to discuss an interim agreement for Worldwide Pants. With the WGA now embracing a strategy of offering interim agreements to individual companies, it is inconceivable to us that there is any producing entity more deserving than Worldwide Pants, which has been and continues to be a staunch supporter of the Writer’s Guild and its positions.”
Loading ...
Give it up. If the post from someone who sounds like s/he is from the inner circle is to be believed, there’s nothing WWP can offer us, even a full agreement with a three year contract that stands regardless of the eventual strike settlement will apparently be rejected.
“Divide-and-conquer” apparently means we’re only interested in dealing separately with the Big 8, small companies are going to run up against vertical integration and limited distribution, so I hope the idea that one of them is ready to split off is more realistic than it seems right now.
Rob Burnett is a hugely talented writer and a hilarious one at that. But come on, Rob, let’s not position that WGA as the bad guys if they don’t give your production company an interim agreement. The Guild is out to help ALL it’s writers, and if the negotiating committee decides that giving Worldwide Pants an interim agreement doesn’t help bring pressure on other production companies to make a deal, then you won’t get a waiver.
The divide a conquer strategy isn’t one in which every production company who asks for it, gets it. Only when it will give the WGA leverage is it worth the risk of dividing our membership and allowing some writer back to work while others keep picketing.
If all the other networks were showing late night reruns and Dave came back and had new shows with writers, there would be leverage. But as Dave and the others all were planning to come back early January (with or without writers) then there is no leverage to be had.
Let’s keep our eyes on the prize — getting the major studios to come back to the table and make a reasonable deal, and NOT bicker over why MY writers can’t go back yet.
I think our Negs exercized an error in judgment earlier when they told Dave it wasn’t enough leverage to make sense for us because then Dave would have been forced to go on air without Writers — and without an advantage of having them to produce a starkly superior show that was cool with us. This after our guys told Companies we would be willing to do Interim offers with them independent of AMPTP.
Also, if John Bowman does announce other interim deals have been reached with other Companies, which he said he might in the next few days, this would add to it.
So, if it’s still ON or can still happen, it gives us a little leverage in that we can then picket Jay, Jimmy and Conan, etc. It also gives SAG members every reason to choose Dave for their appearances without feeling as if they crossed the picket lines.
Further, it would show Dave is genuinely supportive of Writers. I think he must have been pissed the last few days and insisted that they meet with the WGA and work this out because that is who Dave is. He actually does support us in heart and mind and I doubt he feels right about putting on a show when the “weasels” would benefit and not the talent who enriches them.
I don’t doubt that Mr. Burnett and Worldwide Pants are deserving, but unfortunately that’s not the criterion for getting an interim agreement. The criterion is whether the deal is _strategic_. And I fear that allowing Worldwide Pants to supply quality content to CBS while CBS gives us nothing is not strategic. Quite the opposite, in fact — allowing Letterman to continue his show with good writing actually would help CBS withstand the strike longer.
I think the essential question is–
how can the WGA help Worldwide Pants without helping CBS? Is it possible?
I polled a few other writers on the picket line yesterday and the day before about how they feel about WW Pants trying to get Letterman back on the air. Everyone agrees this is good. I, do not! While I miss Letterman, this is ultimately good for producers b/c it says to them that we (the Guild) can be broken and splintered. It’s sad that it’s come to this but is not solidarity the only way we can get what we feel we deserve? This is the first step to other production companies doing the same. Blink, and we’re screwed. I wish the Guild would be firm with WW Pants and others that wanna get back to work. But alas it probably won’t be. Am I the only one that feels this way? Discuss!
I think an important question is, What can Dave do for the WGA? Can he lobby other signatories (including Les Moonves et al) to deal individually? Will that be part of the deal the WGA brokers w/ Worldwide Pants? I adore Dave, but if he doesn’t have anything to offer besides employing his own select writers, going back on the air & talking shit about the AMPTP, it’s not worth the deal.
Why can’t the talk shows set up websites, financed by advertisers, and perform the shows on streaming video? Every theater in town has the lighting and sound equipment necessary for any monologue, interview, or sketch. Internet advertising dollars can be used to pay the shows’ employees, and the union guests have a non-struck forum to plug their wares. These aren’t sitcoms. They’re talk shows.
Ahh, but Mr Schmike we can only be splintered by us, not the guild… so if the majority of writers see their peers getting to go back to work as good than we are not splintered.
Reward those who are trying to reward us.
Worldwide Pants deserves an interim agreement. Their writers will bring our issues to the viewing public. That is what we need – a public shaming of the AMPTP for refusing to negotiate. Dave’s the only one who is going to do it.
“I fear that allowing Worldwide Pants to supply quality content to CBS while CBS gives us nothing is not strategic.”
CBS isn’t giving nothing, the writers going back to work on these shows will be doing it under a contract that meets many of the writers demands. They’re giving the writers exactly what they want.
So are there any more details about the specifics of what sort of contract the writers would be working under? The big things seem to be online and DVD residuals, will the writers get residuals at the WGA’s proposed rate for any DVD or internet reuse of this “interim” material?
I have to think that allowing an Interim Agreement would be beneficial in that SAG actors/celebrities will be more likely to shun the other talk shows and only go to Dave. This would hurt NBC. It might help CBS a little but these networks are competing with one another which I think would make them feel the pressure to step up to the plate. If all of the shows are back on, people may be more likely to go on the shows because they’re all in the same situation. I could be wrong but makes some sense to me…also, why not have Dave on our side? He’ll be more vocal about everything in OUR favor if he’s given a little, too.
“If all the other networks were showing late night reruns and Dave came back and had new shows with writers, there would be leverage.”
No there wouldn’t. THAT would just be purely handing money to CBS when by keeping everyone off we could force both networks to lose money. What leverage would be gained there? The other shows could always come back scabbing at anytime anyway, it would be lunacy to assume that we could cut a deal with WWP and somehow keep the other guys from scabbing. If we were negotiating with WWP on the understanding that the other shows wouldn’t scab, something neither we nor they have any influence over, we’re nuts. That doesn’t make sense.
The leverage we have now, is we can announce publicly that we’ll be willing to allow Latterman and writers back ONLY if they agree to sign a three-year contract. Not a waiver, not an interim agreement, a CONTRACT. If he refuses, then he’s the bad guy instead of it looking like we don’t know what we’re doing, announcing we want to make deals and then refusing to do it. If he agrees, then we let him come back and do absolutely everything we possibly can to keep the big names off the scab shows and try to keep their ratings as close to rerun level as possible. Nobody’s going to be watching those shows if they can’t get guests while the WGA shows are the only place to go to see the big names. We can demonstrate that we do have support and we do have influence and we can make a difference.
Or we can throw up our hands and say some more nice things about how warmly we feel towards Conan and Jay.
“This is the first step to other production companies doing the same.”
strike schmike, we said publicly that we WANT other companies doing this. We really need to clarify our position here. Either we want to make deals or we don’t. I understand not everyone is on board with this strategy but we just can’t put out public statements and then act like “what? huh? we said it but we didn’t mean it.”
I think the thing is that individual deals would be great- if they could start a domino effect. As for WW Pants, awesome as it is, there’s also the threat of people just being pissed that their coworkers get to go back to their jobs while they’re stuck on the picket lines. But something has to give at some point. If the AMPTP is going to be a brick wall, we need to start breaking them down ourselves.
the guild says they are willing to negotiate individually with companies and sign interim agreements. WWP says let’s sign one. tell me how is this splintering?
the late show profits alone are not going to keep cbs afloat. but another way to look at it, perhaps if they do well in the ratings it might encourage other nets/companies to sign the same agreements. all these people understand or care about is profits. if they lose market share to dave, ge will start to notice. if ceos see that viewers will flock to original programming provided by professional writers, they will notice. the best way to splinter the studios is to get them worried about who is going to be last, not who was first.
Strike, Schmike,
I and many, many, writers believe that giving WWP any kind of agreement does more strategic damage than good. Maybe, the writers you’ve spoken to need to hear both sides of the argument before reaching a decision. I’m not saying they will change their minds, but they should hear everything first.
I was open to both sides of the argument and heard both sides in detail. The arguments have already been posted on these boards. The bottom line for me is:
If we give WWP an agreement, it’s clear that CBS benefits greatly without agreeing to any WGA proposals and it divides the writers by not employing enough of them to make a difference in overcoming that downside. It’s not even a “jump ball” situation where all of us have a shot at work, even though we can’t all get the jobs.
After speaking to John Bowman and Patric, I personally would feel betrayed if they gave any kind of agreement to WWP, which in turn means CBS gets a partial pass. The strategy that keeps me picketing right now doesn’t include helping CBS make money. That will prolong the strike.
I’m getting tired of the euphemistic use of “interim agreement.” Everyone is now using that term to describe extended strike waivers. Worldwide Pants has been using it, Variety is using it, and now the frickin’ guild is using it to describe extended strike waivers.
It’s weasel language. It’s the same as claiming to agree to WGA proposals “that are within [WWP's] control.” That means agreeing to nothing. Even Variety states “CBS controls most of the new-media rights on those shows,” so the #1 issue in this strike wouldn’t be addressed in any type of agreement with Worldwide Pants.
I’m also annoyed about claims that Letterman is going to use the Late Show as some bully pulpit for the strike. His 30-seconds of support once or twice per week in banter with Paul Shaffer achieves nothing. His job is to entertain the public. He has ZERO INTEREST in using his hour for strike commentary. He only wants his writers back – AT ANY COST TO THIS STRIKE.
If Worldwide Pants gets their waiver, they’re out of the strike – and that is the ONLY goal of their waiver request.
The Late Show writers support going back to work without a contract to end the strike. They’re scabs, plain and simple, but scabs that may have a waiver for scabbing.
What bothers me are the rumors I am hearing about how all of this went down. I’ve been told that the WGA approached and agreed to a deal with Letterman’s Production Company but then backed off when they started to get hear some dissenting voices in the crowd. This exactly the kind of thing that makes people doubt the WGA leadership. I believe in this strike, we are doing the right thing but we can’t be afraid to make gutsy decisions and we can’t afford to constantly second guess ourselves.
Bottom Line is that if Dave comes back WITH his writers and is able to book GOOD guests then he will beat the other “writer-less” shows. That will put a lot of pressure on the competition to get a deal worked out quickly and get back in the game. It is a smart move with very little downside.
Sometimes good things happen to bad people, but it seems to me that if well-written Letterman, Ferguson and CBS start overtaking Leno and O’Brien and whoever’s on ABC in the ratings, it will give NBC and ABC a good reason to spur negotiations with the WGA — particularly if picket lines can keep quality celebrities from appearing on the NBC and ABC shows. I’ve always thought that it was a good idea for unions to divide and conquer whenever possible — it certainly seems to work for the bosses!
most of you seem to forget how good dave is at blasting his corporate masters. If the waiver is granted, you can bet dave will shed more light on the strike to the general public, then any of the major news outlets are giving the writers’ plight.
I guarantee granting that in granting this waiver, Dave will make it worth the writers’ while.
If Letterman’s writers are able to earn a paycheck while everyone else in the guild can’t, then this “strike” is a mockery and I refuse to picket or do anything about this so-called strike again. And I’m not the only writer who feels this way. There are a lot of us. So, if that waiver (or whatever the hell you want to call it) is given, prepare to see a lot less writers on the picket lines. And a lot more members going fi-core.
Having Letterman start up again on all cylinders puts a serious hurt on the ratings of it’s rivals. Plus these competing leaders in the arena of “Big Media” (being the dick measuring types that they are)are gonna feel well…diminished, and they will not stand for it long. Sure CBS gains a little, but overall the other less “vigorous” members in the AMPTP are gonna feel a lot of things – Envy, isolation, anger and ultimately impotence. (beat that theme to death didn’t I?)All because of their minders at the AMPTP and not the WGA.
I also love that the Golden Globes and Oscars are being thrown into this custody battle. Ego’s all over Hollywood will be more than bruised.
Sandy – I heard that if anything is given a waiver, the writers going back will be tithing part of their income to the strike fund. The idea is not to divide us, but to do things that might give us a strategic advantage. Writers who get to work will continue to make an economic sacrifice to show solidarity with the rest of us.
Any waivers given to anyone would be a smack in the face of solidarity. I’m glad I’m not the only striking writer who thinks so. And I’m optimistic our solidarity will prevail here.
Mike Baldwin,
You’ve been told wrong. WWP approached the Guild right before the strike and afterwards. They’ve wanted an agreement all along. The Guild’s position was “no” and hasn’t changed as of this comment.
Letterman wants everyone to know that he “tried” before returning to the air. That’s what this is about and nothing more. He wants to look good before returning. So don’t listen to the rumors.
The Guild leadership has not waivered on this. They made their gutsy decision a long time ago and they’re sticking to it. They’re looking to sign an agreement that’s a win for us, not CBS. It’s CBS who needs to come to do table and bargain with us.
Sandy Daley,
You’re being heard loud and clear. The negatives outweigh the positives on this issue. Don’t be fooled by disinformation and don’t be upset by some dissent.
There are opposing views, but, on this issue, a decision was made and the Guild is sticking to it. Those who want us to grant the waiver/agreement have to be heard, but don’t question their resolve. I don’t and I respect their opposing views. But like you, I came down on the side of no waiver, agreement, or whatever they want to call it, for WWP.