SAG Election: Live Teleconference Sept. 2

COMMENTS (15)

• As SAG membership is probably unaware, there has yet to be a debate between the two main candidates running for president – ever. In this election or indeed any other SAG election.

  Oh the horror!

  If I were Ken Howard, I wouldn’t stand on the same dais with someone who is suing our guild and every member in it. Suing out of spite, because she didn’t get her way. She doesn’t deserve vote one. Or a debate.

  Comment by Amy — Monday August 31, 2009 @ 1:24am PDT  Reply to this post

  • She is sueing because some UFS members violated California Business code 72.11 b — you need 100% (thats unanimus) of the entire board to pass an assenting vote and acoording to the by laws 2/3 of the board must vote yes on that assenting vote.

    Neither happened and as a result we were fed and told to ratify the worst contract in 60 years. Its members like you who post emotional diatribe with absolute ignorance of the facts who are responsible as your lack of involment garnered a yes vote most likely without reading the contract you voted on.

    Comment by Pete Antico — Saturday September 5, 2009 @ 5:47am PDT  Reply to this post

• So it’s now the next morning after this news posting and still no explanation of why Howard refuses to debate live. Is it that U4S/Freed are still doing damage control for their non-existent campaign?

  It seems they had no idea that Anne Marie Johnson would be so incredibly popular and electable, so they thought they could just slide Ken Howard in place like they did with the new U4S faces on the board takeover last year. Thank you, fellow guild members, for a little bit of common sense.

  Comment by Gary A — Monday August 31, 2009 @ 9:53am PDT  Reply to this post

• Hey members – go to the Unite For Strength website and call them up or email them and ask why Ken Howard won’t debate Anne-Marie Johnson.

  His attendance record is pathetic as a national board member, he has been seen asleep in meetings, and it’s entirely possible (seriously) the guy has NO idea what he’s talking about.

  Let’s get him up there and see, shall we? no audience, unbiased moderator, asking tough questions with follow-ups, candidates able to question each other with tough follow ups? streamed live, then archived immediately at sag.org, so members can watch anytime, decorum enforced, nice clean, but tough debate? you know, to, like, INFORM the members, and give them a sense who they are voting for, what they stand for, and why? Not in some position paper, or answers to 30 questions with pre-coached, pre-researched (by somebody else), pre-determined written answers, but live, on his feet, exposed, with no safety net?

  Why would ANYONE vote for a guy with this attendance record, because he was “out of town” playing CEO’s who are glorified extras in movies like “Michael Clayton?”

  out of 10 Hollywood board meetings,Ken has attended 2.

  and out of 9 National board meetings, he’s attended 3.

  Is that the kind of person to lead this union? A total of 19 SAG board meetings since Oct 2008 and he’s only attended a total of 5.

  FIVE?!

  AMJ- 100% attendance. With a long list of credits throughout, some out of town. Check IMDB if you doubt that.

  Don’t – even if you are leaning towards voting for UFS and USAN candidates – don’t you want to see and hear if the guy, with no safety net, given the chance to prove he is at least conversant on sag precedent, defense of his thoughts on the direction the union should take and why, and able to put together a coherent answer to a tough follow-up question?

  Seriously. Ken Howard may be a nice guy, but, he will be the person advocating policies that either make your lives as SAG middle-class actors BETTER or WORSE.

  He will be the guy who, if he gets his way, will merge with AFTRA, thus, ENDING the Screen Actors Guild.

  Isn’t that, in and of itself, a VERY ODD position?

  “Hi, I’m Ken Howard. I’d like to be the President of The Screen Actors Guild and then, I’d like to kill it dead as quickly as possible by merging with AFTRA into a bureaucratic morass called AIMA, never to be seen again, THEN, I’d like to get to work immediately on taking the vote away from tens of thousands of members from the FORMER union known as SAG, (“qualified voting,” which UFS FORMED as a group over, with Ken Howard as a member) in the NEW union known as AIMA, where the same people run unopposed every year (just like AFTRA) and we get a much more NY-centric body, that lets the “working actors” (code for, “not-losers- like-you”) make all the decisions so we can move forward into an even cozier relationship with the people currently robbing us blind – the AMPTP.”

  As the Republican “word” specialist Frank Luntz would advise, if UFS had the money to pay him (maybe they have?)

  “Friendlier” is a good word. “Tough” is a bad word. “Better relations with our sister unions” is a good phrase.

  “AFTRA lying in front of the president of the AFL-CIO, then splitting from SAG for the first time in 27 years from phase one bargaining, hopping into the AMPTP’s lap, and severely undermining SAG’s negotiating position by signing the worst contract in the history of AFTRA or SAG, with SHAMEFUL new media terms, where all content is going, and giving away clip consent, product placement protections in TV and film, (this was tough to get) so you can shill for products as a condition of employment – AND – NOT GET PAID FOR IT! – AND if you do commercials and there’s a conflict with a product you DIDN’T get paid to endorse as a condition of employment in a film or TV show – you can NEVER audition for it or a similar product ever again!”

  “That entire paragraph? Bury it. Like nuclear waste. THAT DEEP. Luntz out.”

  Now THAT is tough as nails negotiating.

  Want MORE of that? Vote for ME – Ken Howard, for President of SAG. And remember:

  “I may not know what I’m talking about, but I LOOK like the President (of something).”

  Comment by Matt Mulhern — Monday August 31, 2009 @ 10:02am PDT  Reply to this post

• The site actually says that the call was organized at that time so people’s free cell phone time might apply – it doesn’t necessarily guarantee a free call.

  And the time is Eastern, because it’s really for NY SAG members.

  I applaud the pro-activeness Anne Marie is showing by doing this, and I think this indicates that she will be a forward thinking president.

  Comment by FYI — Monday August 31, 2009 @ 12:30pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Ken Howard and Amy Aquino flew in for a meet the candidates event in New York on 8/24/09, admittance was free and it was very well attended.

  Comment by BlueMel57 — Monday August 31, 2009 @ 1:17pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Nobody gives a crap about SAG…Clearly, not even it’s own membership…they’ve been talked and debated to death…

  Comment by lb — Monday August 31, 2009 @ 1:39pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Ken Howard does not need to debate. His campaign is so well funded, and his mailers are so slick, how can the 78% fail to be impressed.

  Comment by Simon — Monday August 31, 2009 @ 2:17pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Ken came to NY and attended a full fundraiser?

  YOU ARE KIDDING ME! THAT IS THE KIND OF KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, INTELLIGENCE AND PREPAREDNESS WE NEED.

  Don’t worry SAG middle-class actors! Ken came to a FUNDRAISER IN NEW YORK!

  TALK TO ME NOW!

  Did anyone ask him any tough questions?

  Like, “why aren’t you debating Anne-Marie Johnson?”

  I’m truly interested in his response.

  Comment by Matt Mulhern — Monday August 31, 2009 @ 4:22pm PDT  Reply to this post

• See, Simon, I’m not sure if that was sarcasm or if you really believe that. (Forgot which side of the fence you’re on.)

  Again that “78%” is getting thrown around and it’s a misnomer. 78 is the percentage of the 35% of the membership who voted – not 78% of the entire membership. The percentage of SAG members who supposedly voted ‘yes’ is about 27, not 78.

  In other words, 73% of the SAG membership did NOT vote ‘yes’. Mr. Howard (and U4S) is in for a rude awakening later this month.

  Mr. Howard, if asked any questions at all, probably had to lean over and let Sam Freed whisper in his ear before answering. He is, as Matt stated previously, an “empty suit”.

  Comment by Gary A — Monday August 31, 2009 @ 5:23pm PDT  Reply to this post

• We were all waiting for Anne Marie to show up at the Howard event and ask a question from the open mike. She was sent an invitation, wasn’t she?

  Comment by truthteller — Monday August 31, 2009 @ 8:19pm PDT  Reply to this post

• This communication outreach by Anne-Marie Johnson to NY SAG members is unique because one can be ON SET and yet take a few minutes to call in to the live, free teleconference with Anne-Marie.

  Some can’t get out to a “meet and greet”, some are elderly or ill, some will be working…yet EVERYONE can call in from the comfort of their homes, hospitals or dressing rooms.

  The teleconference is designed by and for NY actors, yet all are invited to participate.

  Comment by Erik-Anders Nilsson — Monday August 31, 2009 @ 8:47pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Ken Howard does not need to debate, he was endorsed by one the greatest and most successful actors of all Tom Hanks, and that’s good enough for the 78% who vote, and all the rest who trust the good judgement of those who are involved enough to vote. Ken Howard does not need to attend board meetings to know what’s good for SAG. Presidential candidates who attend 100% of board meetings are clearly obsessive complusive and lack a well-rounded life. Tom Hanks endorses Ken Howard. That’s all you need to know. Send in your ballot today. Trust in Tom Hanks. Look how well he’s done for himself. Want what he wants and you will do well too.

  Comment by Simon — Tuesday September 1, 2009 @ 12:28pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • You mean Tom (Producer) Hanks who most call turncoat Tom for not paying SAG actors residuals per our contract on “Band of Brothers”?The one who pisses down Actors backs and tell us it’s raining? Sure I trust Tom Hanks…Tom endorsed this sellout producer friendly contract as well. Smart guy that Hanks! He smiles as he steals your wallet…Yea I trust him… He’s done well for himself…the actor is the best bargain in the world… you guarantee it don’t ya Tom? Thanks for standing up for us…

    Comment by Pete Antico — Saturday September 5, 2009 @ 6:05am PDT  Reply to this post

• Anne Marie, I’m voting for Mr. Howard. I’m an individual, not a “collective.”

  Comment by Tracy — Tuesday September 1, 2009 @ 9:31pm PDT  Reply to this post