Writers Strike - Day 24
a writer's perspective
After giving the 5AM shift a shot yesterday, I decide to actually get some sleep and “work” the 8-11 shift today. I feel rejuvenated and energized when I show up to relieve the exhausted morning crew.
Not a lot happens today. People seem in extra-good spirits, but I’m not sure why. The latest “off the record” word is that negotiations didn’t go great yesterday. There is talk that the AMPTP is using stall tactics, and while they are being more cordial, their position hasn’t really changed from where they were before the strike began.
All day people say hello to me like we’re good old friends and that they’re happy to see me. People are loose. Even the security guards, who have always been professionally polite, save for a few days at the end of week one, seem extra amiable. One is chatting me up when a lady pulls up and honks. When we wave back, the lady gives us the finger, and the security guard is stunned. She seems upset and can’t believe that people are actually that angry at us. For a brief moment, I find myself defending the finger-givers.
Which reminds me, I’ve heard a lot of people say that the writers are ruining Christmas, but how come no one talks about how we’re ruining Hannukah?
A journalist approaches and asks me if I’ve had any experiences with tourists coming to visit the picket line. There have definitely been a lot of fans walking alongside us, and there were certainly tourists snapping pictures at last weeks Hollywood Rally, but on the whole, I haven’t really seen it. The journalist says she’s heard stories of tourbuses pulling up at the studios so that tourists can get out and snap photos.
The second the journalist leaves, as if on cue, a writer who has no idea what we were talking about walks up and tells me the story of how some tourists showed up and marched with him at Disney a couple weeks ago. They were interested in knowing more about Hollywood and thought walking with the writers would be a great way to learn. The tourists’ favorite show was Scrubs, and by sheer coincidence, several writers and actors from Scrubs showed up at Disney that day. Sorry journalist, you missed your scoop.
I’d never really thought about it, but people are snapping pictures of us all the time. Cars are always slowing down, drivers leaning out the passenger window, to get a shot. I’ve seen people talking on their cell phone while holding their cameras high out their sunroofs.
We talk about Carson Daly. The announcement that his show is going back into production, and that he has encouraged his friends and family to provide him with jokes has left a bitter taste in a lot of people mouths. I half-expected to see a statement from him saying that’s not really the case, that the story is false, but so far he’s been silent. He’s not winning any fans on the picket line. We all miss The Daily Show. Nobody I know cares about the Daly Show.
I’m not sure of the significance, but the WGA and AMPTP have agreed to continue negotiations tomorrow. (they were originally only scheduled to meet Monday - Wednesday) Hannukah is definitely been ruined, but I’m still hopeful that we can get this thing done before Kwanzaa.
photo from last weeks rally by Heath Biter for LAist