At the NBC rally last Friday, I had the pleasure of meeting Asterios Kokkinos. Asterios has been working as a researcher (kind of like a writer’s assistant) on MAD TV for the last 4 years. I hear a lot of great strike-related stories on the line, but I felt Asterios’ was worth singling out.

Asterios continued to work for MAD TV during the first week of the strike, while still finding time every day to march alongside the writers at various studios. On Friday, November 9, while on his way into work, Asterios was invited by a picketing friend to help a group of writers attempt to disrupt a nearby location shoot. A location shoot for MAD TV!

So what did Asterios do? Asterios grabbed his saxophone and joined the marching writers. That afternoon, Asterios helped shut down the MAD TV shoot, and, in the process, got himself fired on the spot.

Asterios told me that he did this because he knew in his heart that it was the right thing to do. He understands one fundamental concept, and that is - the sooner this town grinds to a halt, the sooner the strike will end.

You can read Asterios version of the day’s events on his blog here, and his transcript of the conversation he had with his (former) boss Scott Sites the following day here.

There is a happy ending to the story. Asterios was quickly offered an assistant editing gig - on an independent documentary not being struck by the guild - and his new boss is scheduling him so that he can continue to strike every day. I’m sure when the strike is over, Asterios should have a lot of job offers.

And on his resume, under "Special Skills", it should say "Balls Of Steel".

AP photo of Asterios Kokkinos by Reed Saxon