I don't mean to imply that the WGA have been angels, either. I just have fewer examples of their petty, mean-spirited and spiteful actions. For instance, there has been no WGA picketing of the moguls' homes. But I do think that someone from the leadership should have immediately removed one striker's picket sign which had News Corp No. 2 Peter Chernin's home address on it for all the world (and the crazies) to see outside Raleigh Studios on November 15th. See the photo of the sign at left. That was despicable.
Bratty Big Media Moguls Are Beginning To Exact Revenge On Pro-WGA Hollywooders
Yes that is uncalled for. Posting ANYONE’S home address is not cool.
Comment by Troy — January 11, 2008 @ 10:16 am
Thanks for balancing the reporting/opinions a little, Ms. Finke. It makes for a more interesting site so please keep it up. Best.
Comment by Mark S. — January 11, 2008 @ 10:18 am
So, what do you think Nikki? Are the writers about 2.5 percent as bratty and obnoxious? Or more like .3 percent as bad?
lol.
Comment by Jimmy — January 11, 2008 @ 10:23 am
I also think it’s now pretty obvious the WGA picketers are not innocent in these car accidents. The Law and Order report yesterday specifically mentioned how things had been building for days; the strike captain had warned the picketers about the car; yet the picketers still found themselves in a position to be hit. The picketers wouldn’t get out of the way; they rode the razor edge of the law so that they could taunt the driver and still come across as innocent to the greater world.
Seriously, let’s be honest with ourselves here; how can we swallow that the WGA picketers were innocent in that scenario? What about the other times this has happened? Are we really to believe the studios are filled with people who long to commit manslaughter with a car? This was a cheap, staged opportunity for the picketers to come across as innocent victims while painting the opposition as criminal monsters.
Comment by DBHughes — January 11, 2008 @ 10:23 am
Love the site Nikki! But I seriously gotta disagree here. If Peter Chernin and his pals are going to cause havoc in my home life and financial stability by ensuring the WGA doesn’t get a fair deal, much less a deal, then his home is fair game. Yeah I know he has kids. I do too. My kids have not been shielded by this mess. It has seriously affected them. From the small like less holiday presents, to the big — moving because we can’t afford to pay our rent anymore. So why should his kid be any less affected?
Just sayin’.
Comment by writer of wrongs — January 11, 2008 @ 10:30 am
Also despicable is the WGA leadership encouraging the picketers to disrupt productions currently filming on location in the LA area, like intentionally chanting so loud there is no usable audio. If a film or tv show was written prior to the strike, then that production isn’t breaking guild rules and should be left alone.
It’s a bad political move by the WGA. They’re only creating more enemies and turning once-sympathetic members of the film community against their cause. They’re also hurting the quality of their fellow guild member’s projects and forcing productions to choose other cities to shoot in because nobody wants to cross the picket lines. Smooth move WGA.
Comment by pleasegodendsoon — January 11, 2008 @ 10:36 am
Yes, agreed. Not cool. Let’s not lose our focus or generous public support here.
Comment by PJ - Writers — January 11, 2008 @ 10:50 am
Was it despicable? The man (and his cronies) are directly responsible for the loss of many, many jobs and potentially careers. Since he (read: they) has chosen to hide behind the AMPTP rather than confront the issues like a man and a leader, perhaps a peaceful protest at his home would not be so outrageous.
Comment by Picket Boy — January 11, 2008 @ 10:56 am
That is so disrespectful!! This person should have been taken off the
picket line immediately. At this rate they will never get anything
settled with that kind of behavior. Some of these writers are lowering
themselves. Don’t they realize that this strike is affecting other peoples
lives!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Joan — January 11, 2008 @ 10:57 am
Thanks, Nikki.
Seems like there has been a great deal of difference between the plan and the implementation in regards to how the strike has gone. NY Times had a great article on that today:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/business/media/11writer.html?ref=movies
Comment by Jeff — January 11, 2008 @ 10:58 am
That is a pretty despicable thing, and if any nutjob did anything to Chernin and/or his home you might as well kiss all goodwill with the public goodbye.
The WGA has the moral high-ground, and it’s driving the moguls into childish public fits. The WGA must be militant in preventing any more behaviour like the squiggly-faced picketer in the picture, because it’s exactly the sort of thing that Fabiani and Lehane will cling to like stink on a donkey.
Comment by Furious D — January 11, 2008 @ 11:00 am
Aw, why’d you block out Chernin’s home address? I’d like to leave a burning sack of shit on his porch. Now THAT would be despicable.
Comment by WGAAvenger — January 11, 2008 @ 11:03 am
Completely agree. Should have had Nick Counter’s address.
Comment by KatieC — January 11, 2008 @ 11:04 am
While the mogul behavior is far from model behavior, the putz that held up chernin’s home address should be put in a corner with a dunce cap on his head.
After exactly how many bong hits did that seem like a good idea?
Comment by agreed — January 11, 2008 @ 11:06 am
Since you have finally brought up the fact that the writers are no angels I need to say that writers on the various blogs have been terribly unsympathetic.
If you read some of the strike blogs the writers or at least those participating come off as arrogant fools. They call people scabs, AMPTP plants, and a wide variety of other disparaging things. That crew members should have planned for the strike and saved money, that they are scabs if they don’t marched with them instead of their our own march, that they too are hurting. This is completely different they chose to go out on strike the crew members didn’t. Most writers make more money than crew members do. You cannot compare the crew to their plight it isn’t the same.
The writers participating in these blogs need to understand that they are doing permanent damage to their cause, and to the relationship the crew has with writers. They seriously need to be more sympathetic to those forced out of jobs by the actions of this strike.
Comment by Anonymous — January 11, 2008 @ 11:19 am
One stupid sign from two months ago? That’s the best you could come up with to show our evil ways. Does that equal the concerted effort of eight big media companies to provoke a strike then refuse to negotiate its end? Or their walking away from the bargaining table a month ago with a PR statement at the ready? They get millions of dollars in tax breaks from the city and the state and yet feel no responsibility to the thousands of people who’ve been put out of work by their refusal to negotiate a fair deal in good faith. Pardon me if I don’t get outraged by a minor bit of idiocy on the picket line. But these corporations are trying to take food out of my kids’ mouths and that tends to rile a fella up.
Comment by On Strike — January 11, 2008 @ 11:33 am
Don’t fall for false equivalency syndrome, Nikki.
While I agree that the picket sign you mention was over the top, the fact is that the kind of damage being done by the moguls who are threatening people’s livelihoods is far beyond anything the WGA or it’s members have indulged in.
Comment by boadicea — January 11, 2008 @ 11:51 am
Agreed.
Comment by mheister — January 11, 2008 @ 11:53 am
I agree. I think we in the WGA need to be as classy as possible throughout this thing, and our actions must be beyond reproach. We have to behave better than they do at every turn.
Comment by Anonymous — January 11, 2008 @ 12:00 pm
Unfortunately, in situations where emotions run high, there are always going to be people who let enthusiasm override good judgement. The trick is to keep such people from taking the helm and channel their energies into positive actions.
And I agree, that sign really should have been destroyed before it ever got stapled to a stick.
All I want is for the AMPTP to return to the negotiating table. Personal threats and attacks won’t further that cause. Let the AMPTP be contemptible if they feel that’s their only recourse; the WGA doesn’t need to sink to their level.
Comment by 4merbtler — January 11, 2008 @ 12:16 pm
Some percentage of people of all stripes are jerks. Sadly, neither side has a monopoly on jerkish behavior. There are thousands of writers in the writers guild, and thousands of employees of AMPTP organizations. They can’t all be as wonderful human beings as me.
Comment by Yeah, yeah, yeah — January 11, 2008 @ 12:45 pm
Despicable? Think you might want to go back to the dog-eared thesaurus.
Comment by StanHayes — January 11, 2008 @ 1:00 pm
The headline should be “A Writer’s Behavior Has Been Bratty Too” — it’s inaccurate to bring the WGA into it.
To compare the actions of one guy on one homemade sign (actions that I agree are inappropriate) to the systematic abuse perpetuated by the conglomerates and their army of employees is just misleading.
There have been instances — very few — of bad writer behavior, but you know what? They’ve been chastised by their fellows on the line. We writers don’t want to lose the overwhelming public support we have by doing stupid stuff.
Compare that to the behavior of the congomerates. They threaten writers for appearing on Letterman, they employ a small army of tools — oops, I mean trolls — to post false comments on websites in a pathetic attempt to undermine our public support… Heck, Rene Balcer is still waiting for an apology — or any acknowledgement — for that Fox employee knocking him with his car and then getting out and hitting him.
I think in an effort to be evenhanded, Nikki, you’ve unfairly disparaged the WGA and 99.99% of the writers on the lines.
Comment by Ashley Gable — January 11, 2008 @ 1:09 pm
While most of the WGA member behavior I’ve observed on and off the picket lines has been polite and focused on the issues, I do occasionally cringe at the few who go “too far.” We are, after all, looking toward the end result of working with the studios, so I don’t see how broadcasting someone’s home address helps us reach that goal.
And while I applaud the channeling of untapped writer energy into creative ways to bring attention to our cause (”Speechless,” for example), I wonder if next week’s “NBC Prom” in reaction to Silverman’s comments is really a smart way to go. It strikes me (no pun intended) as a huge over-response to a personal attack, which probably doesn’t help our cause at all no matter how funny the event turns out to be.
Then again, with nothing going on at the bargaining table, no one should be surprised at what the idle hands get busy with…
Comment by T — January 11, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
I am all for people getting their fair share and not being taken advantage of, but some of the things the WGA has done during the strike does not endear them to others within the industry. Particularly when production is occurring on scripts that were written under the previous contract. How do the directors, actors and below the line crew show sympathy for their cause when they have to do take after take because of visual or audible interference from the strikers?
Please get back to the table AMPTP and WGA! This county needs an agreement soon.
Comment by Dave — January 11, 2008 @ 2:07 pm
That guy is a moron and needs to be holding a sign with the address of the public lavatory that he frequents for some Larry Craig action. Seriously. What a fop.
In regard to the writers’ behavior, I think their actions when it comes to oncoming cars is just ridiculous. Didn’t all our mothers tell us to stay out of the path of cars? But these idiots want to play chicken with cars then go running home to mommy when they get hit.
Boo fucking hoo.
Comment by Ruby Redlips — January 11, 2008 @ 2:18 pm
OK, folks, let’s all calm down. I’m the “bratty”, “despicable”, “jerk” with “bad judgment” who wielded this sign one morning TWO MONTHS AGO!
Nikki, I’m an avid reader of your blog, but I have to take exception with your characterization of this sign as “despicable”. The address on this sign is not some private information that I secretly pulled off a Rolodex. It was listed among the addresses of ANYONE who makes a campaign contribution and is publicly available on fundrace.huffingtonpost.com and newsmeat.com, going back as far as they started recording contributors’ addresses. If you don’t believe me, go to those sites and see for yourself. If someone wants to avoid making their home address public, they’re welcome to use their office address, as many do.
This was not meant to be hurtful or despicable. I carried this sign for an LA minute two months ago, as a joke among friends on the picket line. My idea was to write your favorite mogul a holiday card–the other side of the sign said as much. And I did NOT seek out press for this sign or otherwise disseminate the information it contained–in fact, DHD is the first site to make it public.
And as for the others on this board who get the tongue-in-cheek nature of the joke, and who understand that this minor slight pales in comparison to the egregious behavior of the companies, thanks for your support and let’s all hang in there! Union power!
Comment by Despicable Guy — January 11, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
DBHughes, nobody’s claimed the studios are filled with people eager to commit vehicular manslaughter. Just as the faceless guy in the photo here is a jerk, so is the black SUV guy at Fox. He’s one guy. I was five feet away the other day when it happened, and I assure you, had anybody seen it coming, I would have been at another gate. I’m averse to being hit by cars, as are the other writers I know. I guess we should be flattered that you think writers are brave enough to get in the way of cars, but really, it’s not true. (Also untrue, or wildly exaggerated, are the reports that we all received warning about the SUV guy. Nobody I know had heard one.)
We’re talking about an action involving thousands of people on both sides. Not all of them walk lock-step with each other, and sure, there are enormous a-holes to be found on each side. But to suggest there’s an organized attempt by writers to be hit by cars… it’s absurd.
Comment by Oh please... — January 11, 2008 @ 3:00 pm
I agree with Ashley Gable’s comments:
It is inaccurate to lump in the WGA when it was just one or few writer(s) being despicable.
Comment by Len — January 11, 2008 @ 3:04 pm
Holding the whole membership of the WGA responsible for this one sign that appeared one afternoon two months ago –
– is like holding the AMPTP responsible for BROWN BUNNY.
Comment by sound and fury — January 11, 2008 @ 3:51 pm
I agree, except that I think all the writer’s are bratty and dispicable for striking! They gave absolutely no thought to the thousands of others who are losing out for the WGA’s selfish cause. From the barely minimum wage waiters and caterers losing out this weekend from the Golden Globe fall out to the PA’s, Writer Assistants and all the other low paid crew members, I think the WGA forgot about these people when they were worried about adding to their “average” salary of $60,000/year. These writer’s aren’t coal miners or factory workers, you know! Stop blaming the AMPTP and start looking at ways to end this NOW!!!
Comment by Anon — January 11, 2008 @ 4:33 pm
“Don’t fall for false equivalency syndrome, Nikki.”
Here, here.
Comment by Danny — January 11, 2008 @ 4:39 pm
Despicable Guy -
My mom taught me early on that bad bahavior by another doesn’t excuse my own bad behavior. I would have had more respect for you if you had just said, dumb thing to do, sorry.
Comment by ww — January 11, 2008 @ 4:42 pm
good job, nikki. try to keep the balance.
Comment by wants it all over with — January 11, 2008 @ 4:46 pm
That NY Times piece might as well have been written by Peter Bart. In the face of tremendous unity among writers, support among industry co-workers and really overwhelming public support (look at any poll) the Times decides to make a TREND out of one non-working writer, one guy pissed off specifically about the Globes and this Ridley guy who, while entitled to his opinion, is gaining more attention for himself as a lone dissenter than he ever did in his profession. Under any kind of objective analysis the thing crumbles to the level of gossip at best. Where is a comment from the Guild leadership? Where is a comment from a real A-list writer? Where is the comment from a show runner (so many of whom are stuck in the middle and threatened with lawsuits but STILL march every day with their fellow writers)?
It should be obvious to anyone who reads it that it is overlooking the real facts on the ground–writers are staying strong and continue to have significant support from within the industry and among the public–in order to prop up the absurd idea that support for the writers and a fair agreement is breaking apart.
I don’t know if the Times is distorting things and trying to make mountains out of molehills because of advertising (like that moron, Bart) or if the reporter just needed an angle, but either way as a piece of journalism it ranks beneath the National Enquirer.
I hope people who read you Nikki (which seems to be about the whole industry right now) appreciate you. But for your site the AMPTP party line would pass for news.
Comment by writer — January 11, 2008 @ 4:53 pm
I agree with Ruby Redlips. I’ves watched plenty of cartoons, and it’s perfectly eay to get out of the way of a car that’s deliberately trying to buzzz you. You just throw back your arms, spin your legs a few times until they blur, and take off faster than a rocket ship. The fact that you were unable to get out of the way of a 2 ton SUV that was coming after you proves that it’s your fault.
And it’s understandable, because who wouldn’t want to a) get pushed by a car then b) be treated to a host of idiotic commenst by mouth breathing imbeciles. That makes a great deal of sense.
Comment by Anon — January 11, 2008 @ 5:22 pm
Despicable Guy,
At least you got your name right!
Comment by SoonToBeUnemployed — January 11, 2008 @ 5:49 pm
From where I sit, the WGA’s bratty behavior was rushing to strike and putting thousands out of work in the hope that they could get a contract done before the DGA.
Oooops.
I guess putting your ego before your common sense isn’t considered “bratty” in Hollywood…
Comment by Unemployed and pissed — January 11, 2008 @ 6:49 pm
DId Barry Meyer guilt you into to this so you would be even minded.
A fascist is a fascist. We’ve never had a good deal. We just put up with it so we would have a shot at working.
I sincerely don’t buy your premise Nikki, a few writers acting stupid doesn’t compare to The Producers attempt to break the union and hold phony negotiations as an excuse to call Force Majeur. The WGA never had a chance and you print this crap as if it’s he said she said.
Comment by Jack\ — January 12, 2008 @ 12:51 am
>>I agree with Ruby Redlips. I’ves watched plenty of cartoons, and it’s perfectly eay to get out of the way of a car that’s deliberately trying to buzzz you. You just throw back your arms, spin your legs a few times until they blur, and take off faster than a rocket ship. The fact that you were unable to get out of the way of a 2 ton SUV that was coming after you proves that it’s your fault.<<
No, dear. You just have to STAY OUT OF A DRIVEWAY WHEN YOU SEE A CAR ENTERING IT!
Or didn’t your momma teach you that? You probably still go to bed with the front door wide open too.
This I-got-hit-by-a-car-while-playing-chicken-with-it-boo-hoo-fest reminds me of something that happened to me about six months ago. I was backing into my driveway on a dead end street and suddenly I glance in the rear view mirror and - out of nowhere- this three year old girl is riding her tricycle between my reversing car and my driveway. I slam on the brake. Look around. Check that the girl is okay. See that her stupid father is just standing there like an idiot apparently not caring that his daughter could have been crushed or killed.
News flash for everyone - if a “two ton” SUV or car is coming at you GET OUT OF ITS WAY! It’s a vehicle that you can see a mile off. It’s not a friggin’ asteroid the size of Texas.
Comment by Ruby Redlips — January 12, 2008 @ 5:57 am
The WGA did not strike in November out of some idea that they could “beat the DGA.” The contract was up, and working any longer would only have helped the corporations. One business affairs type told me outright in October, “The Guild will never have more clout than it does right now — if you’re going to strike, you should do it now.”
Many donations are being made to the Industry Support Fund — I hope people are contacting the Fund if they’re in trouble.
Simply: Everyone’s pension and health funds, above and below the line all across town, will disappear over the next decade if the AMPTP gets the deal it wants.
Comment by sound and fury — January 12, 2008 @ 9:07 am
DBHughes, quoted above:
“I also think it’s now pretty obvious the WGA picketers are not innocent in these car accidents. The Law and Order report yesterday specifically mentioned how things had been building for days; the strike captain had warned the picketers about the car; yet the picketers still found themselves in a position to be hit.”
Baby, you made me hit you. You shouldn’t make me mad like that, you get me so mad! Why do you do that to me? You walk across that crosswalk with that sign, I’m trying to get to work, bitch, and you cross that street? What did you think was gonna happen? What do you think happens when you cross the street in front of me? You brought this on yourself, baby, I had to hit you. I had to get out of my car and shove you. Don’t make me mad, baby, I hate to have to hit you like that.
Yes, when someone hits a picketer with a car and gets out and shoves the picketer, it’s quite clear the picketer is to blame. Thanks for that insight, DB!
Comment by Ashley Gable — January 12, 2008 @ 10:58 am
You can almost always find evidence to argue for a trend existing - or, for the opposite trend if that’s your bias. But that unfortunate New York Times piece STILL had to really stretch to find evidence of much so-called dissent within our ranks. We are so unified it’s incredible - a source of strength we all feel. It even somehow makes our feet hurt less at the end of the day!
Comment by George — January 12, 2008 @ 1:00 pm
Really? Are people on this site really feeling sorry for Peter Chernin and worrying about his personal safety? This guy is the 30 million dollar a year henchman to the one of the most successful union busters in modern history, Rupert Murdoch. This is the guy who bragged to his pals that the AMPTP were going to walk away from negotiations 4 days before they did (as reported first on DHD).
It sure as hell is personal for all of us BTL who are out of work — it’s about time somebody made it personal for these moguls who boast about destroying our lives.
I don’t think carrying that sign is 1/10th as despicable as Fox laying off assistants a few days after the strike began. I don’t support giving out home addresses, but I say it’s time we make it personal for all these moguls.
Comment by L.D. — January 12, 2008 @ 8:01 pm
Yeah, that’s pretty pathetic. I think sometimes writers lose site of crossing the line in real life, since they cross it all the time in their work. I know I sometimes go places I wish I wouldn’t have.
Comment by Trott Felipe — January 17, 2008 @ 3:08 pm