Good thing the morons at Universal aren’t in charge of Homeland Security. Because I’ve learned that studio bosses Ron Meyer, Jim Waters, and many others only recently discovered a security breach that has existed on the lot for decades — even throughout all the beefed-up security in effect post-9/11. The bigwigs had no idea non-employees have been able to go onto the lot without showing any ID by telling security guards they’re “a friend of Bill’s” and then heading to the 12-step meetings held in a building near the front gate.
Meyer personally found out about the situation by accident 3 weeks ago and immediately ordered a stop to a 27-year-old practice. “Ron went ballistic. He was out of his mind. And it was embarrassing beyond belief that this was allowed at the same time people were using mirrors to check under cars,” a source tells me. No one is suggesting the 12-step members themselves were security threats. But the possibilities for abusing the system by anyone intent on doing harm are obvious. Now 12-step meetings on the lot are for employees only. Universal is still trying to find a nearby meeting room off-lot for the non-employees. (The studio has offered to pay for space but most 12-step programs stipulate that each group be fully self-supporting and not dependent on outside contributions.)
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.






Ron Meyer should be more concerned about the bombs coming out of his studio than the ones coming in.
Guess the 12 Step Program will be changed to the “13 Step Program”
What is the 12 step meetings?
I told them I was a “Friend of Steve” and not only did they let me on the lot, they gave me my own golf cart.
I have discovered another security breach! Do they know that everyday giant trams drive through their lot, filled with foreigners! Who cleared that?!!
The only “bombs” around Universal are the ones they are releasing.
Security Breach?
So that’s why there’s been so many bombs at Universal.
‘They are supposed to be fully self supporting’ so they can’t have the room paid for by Universal? Who was paying for the room they used on Universal’s property then? Universal I presume.
I’m an aspiring writer/director. I snuck onto the lot twice two years ago. Right after I moved out here, inspired by Mr. Spielberg’s classic tale, I went to the Universal theme park with the plan to sneak on the lot and find a job. I found my way in through an open gate behind the Jurassic Park ride. The gate said an alarm would go off if opened, but the thing was wide open so I just slipped through. As a movie geek, it was heaven. For four hours no one stopped or checked me. When I passed the Orci/Kurtzman offices, I came close to walking in and asking for a job but wussed out. I went down to the Hill Valley courtyard (a dream come true and a few months before it burned down) and helped with the catering on the set of a movie that was filming on the New York sets. I walked through the Verna Fields building and Alfred Hitchcock theatre. I walked around every soundstage, editing office and production boutique asking if anyone was hiring to no success. I almost got a gig on the ‘Land of the Lost’ stage helping with the foam trees. As I was waiting for the manager on the stage, security rolled up and asked me if I had a pass. I told them I didn’t. They asked me how I got in and I told them the truth. They took me in their SUV to the security offices and was padded by the head guy there. At first he thought I was crazy and asked if I had “any weapons like knives or machine guns” on me. When he realized I was just a dummy inspired by Mr. Spielberg, he let up and turned out to be a very nice guy, offering me his card (which I still have) and his help should I ever need it in the future. So yea… not that I’m complaining, but security was not one of Universal’s strengths.
Wow. That’s nice. A truly remarkable story. You can go now.
Has anyone given a thought for poor Bill in all this. 27 years and still in the program. Not sure if that’s good or bad?
Poster Roy Batty hit it on the head:
The studios level of self importance is beyond belief. 20 years ago, you could get on any studio lot (save Disney) with little trouble. After 9/11 everything went on Double Secret Probation. Favorite story: a couple months after 9/11 I pulled up to enter Uni and in front of me a car was being inspected by security. After the mirror underneath the car the driver had to pop the trunk for inspection. The trunk was filled to the brim and covered with bubble wrap. The inspector looked it over for a few seconds and shut the trunk.
It worked only if you said you’re “a friend of Bill.” Ask what happened to the guy who said he was a friend of Osama.
I used to wander in and out of Universal all the time in the ’80s, I got my first job in show business by walking into the office of the person I wanted to hire me. I had no idea it was still just as easy these days.
These people are not my friends
Bill W., as in the founder of the twelve steps of AA. I’m surprised more people aren’t getting that reference. Thought it was really pretty clever myself.
does saying,”i’m a friend of dorothy” still work?
I wonder what the big deal is. I know a way that gets you including your car onto the WB lot that has worked since at least 1995, which is when I found out about it for myself.
Another Big Studio security gap:
During/after 911, I worked as a Hollywood ‘messenger’ as research for a script. With just a company T-shirt and a cardboard placard any mook could make at Kinkos in 2 minutes in the windshield, most of the time I didn’t even have to stop the car – just rolled right onto the lot.
Then, with official-looking clipboard and envelope in hand, I was free to roam anywhere and everywhere. Just to say I did it, I made calls from the Amblin offices, hopped the Uni tour trams a few times, ate lunch at all the Studio cafeterias, etc.
Once Kevin Costner caught me at his desk, feet up, talking on his phone about how I was in his office talking on his phone.
Not just the studios, either – gave myself many self-tours of CAA, UTA, ICM, etc. And not once did anyone ever check to see if I was an actual messenger, or if the company I supposedly worked for even existed.
Security is 99% show, 1% enforcement.
So, was the existence of the 12-step program an element that helped swing the Seagram take over, or was that another unseen security breach?
As the program says, “I won’t co-sign your bullshit.”
reminds me of the border patrol, mess in this country/put the two of them together, spells for deep problems,DIASTER/