WGA To Writers: Still Talking To Moguls

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1. Know there is not a snowball’s chance in hell that this will be printed but when they say we are all in this together do they mean the negotiators who are still receiving paychecks and the writers who have gone back to work or do they mean the unemployed people walking the line (and yeah I know some of those who are working walk, but you have to admit there is a difference).

   Comment by AW — February 3, 2008 @ 2:04 pm

2. It delights me when people who are convinced that there’s a conspiracy to silence opposing voices find their comments printed.

   That said, any chance we can all stop bashing and put good thoughts toward a resolution, folks? Conspiracy theories to the contrary, everybody wants to get back to work.

   Comment by velveeta — February 3, 2008 @ 3:43 pm

3. AW - every writer will have to live with this contract no matter if they are working or walking. Everyone’s fate is tied together.

   And did the guild go on strike against itself? Why would employees of the guild stop being paid? Verrone and Young didn’t authorize the strike. The membership did. These negotiations were what they are elected and paid to manage.

   When I meet writers, they aren’t usually shelfish, narrow-minded people. So I’m guessing you’re not one.

   Comment by Jimmy — February 3, 2008 @ 4:06 pm

4. Pigs have flown, Nikki - might have to rethink my opinion of your blog - thanks for the equal time and take care of those hammer toes.

   Comment by AW — February 3, 2008 @ 4:06 pm

5. I want to volunteer my leadership to this guild. Writers without leaders are like a foot without a big toe. And Verrone isn’t always gonna be here to be that big toe for us. I think that we owe a big round of applause to our newest, bestest buddy, and big toe… Patric Verrone.

   Comment by John Winger (writer) — February 3, 2008 @ 4:09 pm

6. Velveeta, the poster above you isn’t the only one surprised that his/her posts appears. I’ve written countless posts that have never appeared. It seems that one in ten posts actually appear in fact. Even though I’m pro-writer (but don’t think the sun shines out of Verrone and Young’s asses). So even though I continue to write posts, I never expect they’ll show up and am always surprised when Nikki deems them admissable.

   Comment by Sandy Daley — February 3, 2008 @ 4:41 pm

7. The huge difference with the talks this time is that the WGA smartly brought in attorney Allen Wertheimer to negotiate, eliminating a lot of personal rancor. Although this was mentioned in Variety, it has been under-reported. We are close to a deal. There is some disagreement between the board and the negotiating committee, but they’ll be ironed out in time for the Oscars.

   Comment by THE TRUTH — February 3, 2008 @ 4:41 pm

8. velveeta, anonymous, other assorted shills, and ‘end the strike now’ cry babies,

   There’s just one problem. No deal exists. You see the ‘informal’ talks we read about through second-hand sources have not been printed in the form of a binding legal contract. Even WGA leadership says as much here. So you see, writers have to actually have an agreement to look at before they can agree to it.

   It’s counterproductive to call for an end at this point. If you need to light a fire under someone’s ass, ask the AMPTP to get back to the table, formally, and with legal contracts in hand, instead of pushing out rumors as breaking news over their puppet media.

   Comment by Jon Raymond — February 3, 2008 @ 5:12 pm

9. “when they say we are all in this together do they mean the negotiators who are still receiving paychecks”

   It’s my understanding that the negotiating committee position is an unpaid one…

   “…and the writers who have gone back to work or do they mean the unemployed people walking the line (and yeah I know some of those who are working walk, but you have to admit there is a difference).”

   I write for Family Guy, so I’m a working writer, and I walk, and so does every other Family Guy writer. I’ve met tons and tons of Simpsons writers, including the showrunners, on the picket lines. They are working writers, and they walk.

   You haven’t been to a picket line lately, I take it.

   Come on out to the Fox picket line tomorrow. That’s where I–a working writer–walk.

   Patrick Meighan
   Culver City, CA

   Comment by Patrick Meighan — February 3, 2008 @ 6:45 pm

10. Patric Verrone and the Negotiating Committee are not being paid for their service to the Guild. David Young is an employee of the Guild and acting as Chief Negotiator is just one of the duties he was hired as Executive Director to do.

    Comment by Charly — February 3, 2008 @ 6:54 pm

11. What a deuche. Yeah folks, go back and picket. It’s like watching the Patriots go back onto the football field with :01 seconds left. YOU LOST! We ALL LOST because of your union leaders unequivicable ignorance. You have and never have at any point had leverage. Do us all a favor and take your coffee drinking, piece of paper on a stick holding, stupid sheep following a stupid shepard, poor excuse of a cause and park your tired, frost bitten butts on Patric Verrones front lawn. We don’t want to see you anymore or listen to your own union honking for you out in front of our studios anymore. You are the new poster children for the word PATHETIC.

    Hope your feeling better Nikki. I appreciate and enjoy the site.

    Comment by another strike casualty — February 3, 2008 @ 7:46 pm

12. So now Patric Verrone is lucy, The WGA is Charlie Brown, and the rest of us BTL are the footbal????

    Comment by TranspoBill — February 3, 2008 @ 7:51 pm

13. Velvetta,

    I never thought I would hear an enlightened comment from processed cheese, but thank you for stating what has been missing in all this conjecture. You hit the nail on the head. Let’s all start hoping for the best and lay off the negativity. Nobody is saying everyone needs to be dancing for joy yet but there’s nothing wrong with guarded optimism. Well said Velvetta!

    Hooper

    Comment by Hoopersx — February 3, 2008 @ 8:02 pm

14. Thank God that this clusterfuck might soon be over. Now I have to think about what to do with my life. I have spent 20 years representing writers and hate them with a passion now. I absolutely don’t even want to go back to work. This is no victory for your guild…a guild that is 80% people who write unreadable drivel. This is the end of a very costly, ridiculous sad moment in time. A time where I have repeatedly heard writers make the idiotic claims that they, and only they, are why movies get made. The idea, the writing. Gimme a break. That’s why there are 50 writer credits on every movie. Because, truth be told, MOST of you can’t really WRITE. 10 percent of the WGA is the brilliance, the rest of you have are exactly what Ben Silverman said. A bunch of ugly nerds, with no talent, who have held up the prom. I hope you love going back to work. You will feel the backlash. Trust me. My hatred is minimal compared to that of those that buy your scripts and sign your paychecks. Everyone, everyone hates you. Good job. Now, can you pay the mortgages and college tuition, etc. of all the blameless people you screwed over (and seemed to be proud of it)? Just curious. Now, you untalented twits will no longer have the spotlight on you and have to just repeat all day “would you like non fat milk in your latte?” Ugly, ugly, ugly fucking WGA.

    Comment by Writers Suck — February 3, 2008 @ 8:39 pm

15. Wow. Why is there all this sudden vitriol toward the writers - on every thread. It’s very odd. I’ve read almost every post on this site since the strike began and these attacks are new. There have always been a few here and there, but nothing like this.

    Everyone wants to go back to work - there’s no doubt about that, but attitudes toward writers haven’t changed overnight. This is coming right along with these rumors, and the temporal relationship is obvious.

    So hey, everyone. Let’s just hang with some guarded optimism. It’s okay to be optimistic, but lets keep level heads, and be ready to carefully examine whatever happens next. All this shoe leather hasn’t been spent to take a crap deal, just because a few people get on the boards and sling mud at us, trying to soften us up.

    This could definately go either way, there is posturing going on. This may well be the mogals last great push to stick it in our rumps, but if we hang tough and get through whatever comes next. The deal writers need will be right around the corner.

    Stay tough, stay cool, ignore the crap slinging, and smile - the fair deal is coming, even if we have to survive one more turd hitting the fan.

    Comment by Tentoes — February 3, 2008 @ 9:50 pm

16. Fewllow Writers

    It ain’t over…

    There is NO deal.

    Don’t believe the hype.

    Now is the time to picket in greater numbers and apply more pressure…

    Moguls are using the Media to divide the Guild, don’t fall for it. Read what Larry Gelbart and so many other wiser heads have said on UH, HUff Post, etc.

    It sounds like this thing may be only 60% done but that is the difference between getting a decent deal and a less than crappy one…

    Remember SAG is with us too…

    And time will soon be on our side to get a better deal.

    Comment by PJ - Writer — February 3, 2008 @ 9:55 pm

17. To Writers Suck,

    I’m good looking. I really am. Actually, I hear the word “hot” a lot, and it has nothing to do with my non fat latte. Oh, and, I was prom king. And I have a pretty big dick too. And, yes, my scripts a good. Really good. You’ll probably see one of my films really soon and wonder who wrote that. Anyway, enough about me, you just wasted 20 years of your life being an angry fuck. Sad. Really sad. I hope you find something else that makes you happy. Like a gun barrel in your mouth. No, no, I’m kidding. Don’t do that. It’s going to be ok, angry agent. It is. Well, actually… probably not for you. I hate to say that, but it does seem pretty bleak for you. And soon when you go back to work your writers/clients will there, and, whoa, that’s gonna really suck for you. But, hey, that’s just life. We can’t all be good looking and talented like me. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… Anyway, take care. Have a nice a week.

    Your friend,
    Brad

    Comment by Brads Pitts — February 3, 2008 @ 10:21 pm

18. “Remember SAG is with us too…”

    Yes we are. But will you be with us???

    Comment by Working Actor Who's not Working — February 4, 2008 @ 10:01 am

19. “It delights me when people who are convinced that there’s a conspiracy to silence opposing voices find their comments printed.”

    Really? Since about 80% of comments start out whining about how their message will never be approved, I find it tiresome. If I were Nikki, I’d delete all those messages, give the people what they ask for. In this case, an excuse to further indulge their martyr complexes.I also enjoy the ones that whine about how not all of their posts show up. Neither do mine, neither do anybody’s. I guess outside of conspiracy theories, approving thousands of messages gets to be too much for one person to handle, go figure.

    Comment by Anon — February 4, 2008 @ 11:07 pm

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