Ellen vs. the Writers Guild of America

I don't understand actors supporting the writers on strike? Why they are going to put you out of a job just so they can get some extra cash.

WOOT ELLEN! You show them!

-Nathiest

I believe in fair labor laws. I really do. I also believe that with the ever expanding web capabilities of tv on the internet, the writers are entitled to their piece of the pie. It's only fair in our free-market society (and producers make entirely too much money in the first place).

Ellen's show IS different. Her contract is different, the nature of her program is different. The fact that the unions seem to be pointing fingers at afternoon television is ridiculous to me. Most of her show is unscripted to begin with. Maybe she just stops doing monologues, or maybe she should go back to her roots and write her own material, a la her 80's stand-up comedy. I don't know. I don't care. It seems to me that there are other people, more powerful people the unions should be focusing on. I have a hunch that this has to do with her ever-growing popularity in the wake of People's Choice Awards. Writers, we get it. You don't need more lime-light.

And here's some food for thought: Why are we always so quick to believe the pissed off ex-employee? Because it's sensational, and it sells. What if the writer in question is really just an @sshole? What if he likes to kidnap puppies without even ATTEMPTING adoption?! I am the last person to worship celebrity and think a person is above civil rules of interaction. I just find it incredibly suspicious that this writer is publicizing these things NOW ....

...and she's called Henry and it’s a lot of explanation but don’t worry about it kids, Ok? Just tune in, turn off, drop out, drop in, switch off, switch on, and explode.

As much as I support the writers (and I do, 110 percent… What? I'm a writer and therefore bad with The Maths), I think it's unfair for the WGA-E to single Ellen out from all the other syndicated daytime hosts. It would be an awesome if she honored the picket line, no doubt. And she should stop doing monologues altogether to not violate the struck work rule. But A) her contract is different and B) hers isn't the only daytime gabfest to keep rolling. No one is going after Oprah or Regis & Kelly or Rachel Ray et al for continuing to work. If you chastise one, chastise all. Otherwise it seems like singling out based on the potentially disgruntled opinion of one former writer. And the dog thing was a low blow. We can disagree without being nasty. It doesn't really get either side anywhere.

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Why I Don't Sleep Much: Dorothy Surrenders

Ellen, and everyone else for that matter, is free to choose to work, just as those who choose to strike can choose to strike within the bounds of the law. And if she's under a legal obligation to produce her show, of course she should go ahead and do that. In fact, if (as I suspect) she feels political sympathy for the strike, her compliance with her contractual obligations is perhaps all the more admirable. But ultimately, it has nothing to do with who's nice and who isn't. She could be a complete raging bitch or Mother Theresa, and it wouldn't change the basic issue. For one of the striking (I assume) writers to come out and start attacking Ellen on a personal level for meeting her legal obligations is despicable.

I for one will always owe a personal debt to Ellen for putting my sexuality into the mainstream. One of my really good friends was inspired to come out to her family right after Ellen did publicly, because of Ellen doing it. Young women in many countries around the world looking at coming out to friends and family can take strength from Ellen's willingness to put her entire career on the line when she came out and in her own quiet way just making people realise that we're "normal". We shouldn't forget that, especially when others are quick to dump on her for following her conscience this time around.

Not Only But Also

i don't understand people who don't understand this strike.  i don't understand people in hollywood who don't understand or support this strike.  unless you own a major studio, you are subject to being screwed by them whenever they get the inclination.

writer's wanting more money shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.  tv, movies, game shows, reality tv, etc doesn't happen without writers so why shouldn't they be compensated on an equal pay scale as actors and directors.  if an actor or director gets paid residuals for a tv show then why shouldn't the writer?  writing a screenplay or teleplay is a difficult task that's why a lot of directors/actors don't write and certainly why some should stop writing.

as for ellen, she is a writer and i would think she would find a way to show more support for the wga.  ellen's show is on daytime and may be subject to different rules but she hosts a show in the same format as a late night talk show.  oprah and dr. phil don't do monologues or skits.  until anyone knows for sure what she's contractually obligated to do i guess we can't really judge.  i just hope she does more to show her support. 

I don't find any fault in Ellen's decision; it is ultimately her choice.  I feel she is taking her fans into consideration when making this decision -- Most American TV viewers probably are about as fond of reruns as I am.  As well as the show can possibly lure in new viewers who do not wish to watch repeats of their own show while in the interim.

Don't get me wrong, I support the Writer's Strike and I find it admirable that Hollywood stars are on the picket lines with them.  I felt the same way when NBC striked 20 years ago and I was out there with my dad -- When the unaffected public figures would show up, I thought that was just such an admirable thing and it's something I've always remembered.

I think this stuff about her treating her writers poorly is a smokescreen to get the public to turn against her.

_________

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKu_QA8Bn9o

While I wholeheartedly support the strike and believe that the writers should definitely be getting what they are asking for, many don't seem to understand the extreme complexity of what happens when writers go on strike and an entire show is shut down.

This was published in the LA Times , an e-mail from a key grip on The Office which I think it kind of highlights the difficult position that Ellen and others are put in when deciding whether or not to cross the picket lines:

“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 crew member makes. Everyone should be paid their fair share, but does it have to be at the expense of the other 90% of the crew members. 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.”

I'm not a professional writer, but I've been out there with them on the line. From what I heard with my own ears is, most of them can understand that so many people are in difficult positions, and none of them straight up called Ellen a scab. Mostly everyone was annoyed because Ellen made a huge deal about supporting the writers (she canceled one show in solidarity/talked about it on her show) and then she was back to work as usual, thus sending mixed signals. A lot of them said it wouldn't have become a big deal if she had said nothing at all. Basically, the sentiment was, if you're not really going to support us all the way, then don't say that you are.

Now, about Ellen being singled out versus Oprah, Regis, etc. The writers on daytime talkshows like Oprah, Regis, Dr. Phil fall under the news category and therefore are NOT WGA shows. These writers are not on strike. Shows like Ellen, Tonight Show, Kimmel, Late Show, etc. ARE WGA shows. It's not brain surgery. If she is writing jokes/skits and/or her producers are writing them, they are performing scab work. It's that simple.

It's true that her show is in syndication unlike the late shows, but since it is one of daytime's highest rated, it's damn unlikely that it would get canceled for going into repeats - hell all of summer is repeats. It's just about $$, the AFTRA letter spells it out: they need new shows for higher ratings so that they can set the advertising fees high, thus ensuring that her distributor (Warner Bros!) - keeps making $$ and therefore has one less reason to go back to the negotiating table. I personally find it uncool not only of Ellen, but also her team of advisers, and exec producers.

Sorry, for another post, but I wanted to add one more thing.

BTW, bigtime papers like the New York and Los Angeles Times are unabashedly biased toward the networks/studios - the guys that pay for their movie ads - FYI...

As for the crews and others that will lose their jobs because of the writers' strike. Yes, it sucks ass, but any resentment people feel about that should be aimed at the networks/studios and not the writers. It just so happened that they are the first union whose contract was up. They are the canary in the coal mine, if you will. If they get screwed every other union will be screwed. That means not just the actors, and directors, but those same crew people in other unions - editors, camera people, costumes, lighting, etc. While "below the line" people (crew) don't care about residuals, they should be afraid that if and when the writers lose, there's a better chance of them losing their overtime, health and pension plans.

It doesn't take a whiz to see that the studios want to break all unions. That's why everyone above and below the line, need to stick together. You know, in union.

I for one, am quite glad she's decided to put the audience and her fans first. It's selfish, I know, but it's her fans that really push the show forward and keep it on air. And at one point she mentioned that she was staying on air partially because of her fans (and also the different contract), she mentioned the fact that there are many people paying huge sums of money just to fly across the country to see her show. And I think it's great that she's keeping these people in mind as well.

Don't get me wrong, I also entirely support the writers and I think it's appalling how badly they're being screwed over by the studios and I really do hope this whole thing ends with them getting what they want and need. I also hope that all the rest of the crew and staff members don't get screwed over in the process.

Basically I just want everyone to shut up and be happy. Is that so much to ask?

I was going to make a long-winded post. Then I realized that you already did it for me. Thanks, and I agree 100%.

Go writers. Go Ellen. Both are being put in horrible situations and are doing their best to make as much right for themselves and the people closest to them.

Everything is better with a little bit of love.

You don't cross the picket line. Yeah I get it, but from what i understand Ellen has to do the show. Okay, maybe she shouldn't go and tape in New York as planned, but if her contract says that she has to tape new shows then she has to do it.

I also support the writers. My friend is one of those picketting and I feel for her. I hope they get what they are asking for, but attacking Ellen is just wrong. Even my friend says it. Ellen is just in a very bad position. I know I wouldn't want to be her right now.

Go Ellen!! 

But does anyone know if Ellen is in the WGA? If not, I don't see that she has any real obligation to go on strike. And even if she is in the union, she still can't be made to strike.

And anyway, the odds are she signed an iron-clad contract with her network and would find herself in a hefty legal battle if she hadn't gone to work, which would benefit no-one, especially the people on Ellens show who have bills to pay.

I could be being cycnical, but it seems to me that it's possible that half of the actors you keep seeing are only on the picket line because they've run out of scripts and therefore have nothing better to do.

Kaz

As much as people in the WGA might see it as blasphemous, Ellen should continue going to work. The WGA is striking because they want a fair contract. Presumably, if/when they get a fair contract, they should follow it.

Ellen has a fair contract or at least she's satisfied, so she ought to follow it. Also, FYI, she is not listed amongst the members of the WGA (http://www.wga.org) so she is not obligated to strike in any way, shape or form or even be supportive of said strike.

It is illogical to expect her to strike or quit working.

With all that said, it would still be a nice gesture for her to stop taping, but she probably has a lot of reasons besides the ones I just listed for not allowing that to happen.