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Lucia

de Vernai

 

 

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January 28, 2008

The Writers’ Strike: Only in America

 

The list of “Only in America” jokes has been circulating on the Internet for over a decade, spreading such wisdom as “Only in America . . .do people order a double cheeseburger, fries and a diet coke,” and “. . . can banks leave all doors open and chain the pen to the counter.” Still, the ultimate proof that our country stands apart is that only in America can writers go on strike.

 

Around the world, coal miners, medical personnel and teachers engage in a never-ending tug-of-war with ministries to secure a living wage. The Writers Guild of America strike began on November 5 of last year after months of negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers over royalties from Internet-streamed content.

 

The last time the writers walked out was in 1988 and it cost the industry $500 million. The repercussions of this strike are resonating with the studios that have had to put popular shows like “CSI: Miami” and “Grey’s Anatomy” on hold and cancel the Golden Globes. The Oscars are currently up in the air.

 

Many actors, including George Clooney and Katherine Heigl, have been vocal about their support for the strikers and have promised not to cross picket lines. The threat of getting pelted with rotten tomatoes in your vintage Valentino may also be a deterrent, but let’s give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

Only in America does the entertainment industry’s involvement in politics usually amount to people with multiple rehab stints giving unsolicited advice on foreign policy. Or winning the governorship of California. Whatever. The writers’ strike, however, is different.

 

On one hand, writers going on strike is an affirmation of the seriousness of the profession and the significance of the underappreciated art. On the other hand, while having Hollywood writers go on strike may seem frivolous – is the $100,000 you got for the last screenplay just not enough? – it may be an indicator of a disturbing turn of events.

 

After all, if Hollywood writers have to go on strike – an original screenplay will fetch a minimum of $106,000 dollars from major studios – then maybe I need to give some serious thought to my job security.

 

In reality, the strike is proof that behind the smoke and mirrors of awards shows and TV drama are thousands of people who, like other workers, have to seek agreeable conditions and respect from their industry. This too is their last resort – besides the lucky few whose work and talent provide us with the brilliant dialogue in “Ugly Betty” – 48 percent of the Guild’s members on the West Coast are unemployed.

 

If the writers have something going in their favor, it’s that they are the grey eminence that runs show business. Unlike assembly workers, they cannot be outsourced (though I’d like to see the “Saturday Night Live” skits written by Bangladeshi comics). While only in America would the studios cancel profitable shows enjoyed by the world public instead of giving writers their due, they need to recognize that without the writers, the show can’t go on. Even in America.

 

© 2008 North Star Writers Group. May not be republished without permission.

 

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