Gawker
scabs
Kimmel Carson Daly [whoops]—is a WGA member.) We caught this when we flipped over to Leno for a sec during Letterman's punchier, Made In America By Union Labor monologue, and Nikki Finke confirms its odd interpretation of WGA guidelines. [Deadline Hollywood Daily]
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media
Village Voice's Collective Suicide Threat
Is the entire staff of the Village Voice preparing to jump off a cliff together? The NY Press reports that the once-mighty downtown alt-weekly, which has seen its editorial and business-side staff hacked to pieces since it was bought by New Times two years ago, is on the verge of a walkout over contract issues. Voice stalwart Tom Robbins says if the union there doesn't get what it wants, "all bets are off." The problem here: this paper is in dire economic straits and would surely welcome a good excuse to lay off its entire staff and start over with an all-24-year-old writing staff, at $30,000 apiece. Strikes at shaky print outlets have become totally counterproductive. New Times boss Mike Lacey is probably rubbing his hands in glee at the prospect. But hey, we hope we're wrong! (UPDATE: We're told a strike is set for July 1 if a suitable contract isn't in place). [NY Press] -
webtards
Times: BREAKING: The Internet Is A Place For Funny Videos
This weekend, the Times TV section broke the news: "Sidelined by the Strike, Comedy Goes Online." The paper then pointed to several good comedy sites that, during the writers' strike, have continued to publish the same stream of comedy that they published before the strike, except now with Fred Armisen. The SNL star surely bolsters public opinion of online comedy by telling the paper it's "kind-of comedy" (so what did he think SNL was?). Armisen also shares the burden of keeping track of all the online entertainment, after being overloaded with fifteen e-mails. But to be fair, there are also quotes from web-based comedians that explain real benefits of the strike for original web comedy. More » -
critical stalker
Diablo Cody's Very First Stalker
We love to love smartass Juno screenwriter and ex-dancing girl Diablo Cody. But not in a weird way, like this guy. He wrote an essay about the "at least nine things" they have in common, and recently accosted a lookalike screenwriter on the WGA picket line, mistaking her for Cody. "My sign today on the picket lines at NBC," he blogs. "ASK ME ABOUT THE NINE THINGS I HAVE IN COMMON WITH DIABLO CODY." OK, fine. What are they? More » -
books
"I Always Wanted to Write Novels Anyway:" Striking Screenwriters Explain It All
Now that they've conquered the market for snarky/bemused strike commentary, hungry screenwriters are finding new ways to pass the time and earn small amounts of money: novel-writing, as the LAT reports! What do we learn? Well, writing a book is different from writing a screenplay, for one. Also, we have projects like this to look forward to: the Rune Warriors, a "Viking saga that's a mix of Harry Potter and 'The Princess Bride' with a little Python thrown in." More » -
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evil corporations in action
WGA Strike At Viacom: "The MTV Freelancers, What?"
We sacrificed vidkid Alex Goldberg to possible pneumonia and sent him to check out the joint WGA-Viacom protest outside Viacom this afternoon. There was some confusion among WGAers about what exactly they were doing in midtown, other than, you know, trying for the 39th day in a row to get paid or something. "The MTV freelancers, what?" said one guy, dismissing us swiftly by explaining that "It's the Viacom building so it's very high-profile." You don't say! Any thoughts on the never-ending writers strike, the length of which is inching us closer and closer with each passing day to watching The World's Most Smartest Model? "I thought they resolved that a couple weeks ago," someone walking out of the Viacom building told us. "I don't really go to Broadway shows," he apologized. Uh.... -
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analysis
How To Tell If You're A Freelancer Or An Employee
Is anyone confused by all the fuss over freelancer benefits in the Viacom mess? Freelancer, permalancer, part-time employee, full-time employee: What's the difference anymore? Why are Viacom's independent contractors complaining about having their benefits cut when the general impression is that freelancers don't qualify for benefits in the first place? Where does the actual, you know, law come down on this issue? And do most media companies abide by it? Let's learn more! More » -
More photos from today's Viacom walkout—a crowd of about 200 rallied.
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A photo from the Viacom walkout going on now in Times Square.
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From the mailbag: "The Viacom Walk-Out seems to have disintegrated into a dance session in Times Square. The chanting is sooo catchy!"
