Elvis Costello and The Attractions essential 1978 record This Year’s Model was re-released for the twenty-third time earlier this week as a deluxe 2-CD set. This year’s model of This Year’s Model includes a bevy of previously released bonus tracks, and a previously unreleased live concert. I was going to review it, but instead I decided not to buy it. On Tuesday, I found myself at Amoeba records. After an hour or so, I’d amassed......

Photo courtesy of United Hollywood For those of you who've been reading Nikki Finke's blog Deadlinehollywooddaily, the "Speechless" videos are old news by now. For those who haven't, they are a series of pro-WGA videos that demonstrate just how vital writers are to the creative process. Conceived by filmmaker George Hickenlooper and writer Alan Sereboff, the videos have been appearing sporadically since November. They all feature A-list talent appearing in what are essentially silent......

Astra Heights, who is this week's iTunes Latino “Single of the Week,” will play tonight at The Echo. Lemon Sun will also be there. Yesterday was Xena: Princess Warrior picket day at the WGA Strike. Tonight, Xena herself, Lucy Lawless, will be bashing heads and belting out songs over at the Roxy. And earlier this morning, we interviewed Talib Kweli who will be at the House of Blues down the street from the Roxy......

Jessica Morgan and Heather Cocks. Have you ever wondered why the very people that have tons of cash to drop at swanky stores can be such fashion trainwrecks? Often celebrities have the nerve to flaunt both their big paychecks and free designer clothes. Lucky for us, it's always fun to watch. That's where you'll find Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan of the super-popular Go Fug Yourself. Every day they skewer the super famous and......

Bob Kushell is at it again. The man who brought a big dose of humor to the WGA strike with his "The Strike, Your Marriage and You" follows it up with "The Strike, Your Marriage and You: The Healing". Anyone who thought Christina Applegate was a good sport in the first video will see her in a whole new light. Watch for the homage to Lily Tomlin and David O. Russell. Please to enjoy! (NSFW)......

So most of the shows are either about to run out or have run out of new episodes (raise your hand if you're sad that there wasn't an Office Christmas show this year!) What will you do instead? I could suggest that you knit quilts for poor children, invent a plausible substitute for gasoline, start that novel you've been thinking about. But you're not going to do that. You're going to watch tv. So let's talk about what you can do to not get caught up in the increasingly noxious diet of reruns and reality tv. ...

The Guardian has an irritating blog post about LA writers. The gist: LA poet and novelist Rob Woodard wonders where all the good novelists in LA have gone. He points to the well-known "great" LA writers (Chandler, Nathaniel West, John Fante, Bukowski) and a few others, then deems LA literature mostly dead for the past thirty years. His reasoning? Would-be novelists have been lured by Hollywood into screenwriting and joke-writing for the late night shows.......

Despite the ominous stormclouds looming overhead, last Friday, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly creator Joss Whedon and an estimated 350-400 people, comprised of former Mutant Enemy Productions staffmembers, actors, and fans (mobilized through Fans4Writers, with some flying in from across the country and as far away as the United Kingdom and Australia), picketed in support of the ongoing WGA Strike in front of 20th Century Fox. Mutant Enemy staffers at the rally......

Heath is out of town this week, so I thought I would take up the reins covering the strike. Yesterday, I was at Heath's stomping grounds -- Warner Brothers. Though I'm hearing from below the line friends that the negotiating committee should table the reality and animation writers issue as well as the no-strike clause (which would keep us from supporting other unions when they strike), it's hard to trust that doing that would......

On November 27th, the striking members of the WGA held a rally on Hollywood Boulevard. As I walked towards the rally from my car, I could feel the sound of the helicopters beating down around me. It was one of those silver fall afternoons, the sky distant like winter, but it was still warm. Walking up a side street, all the different Hollywoods crowded up around me – each taking its turn in a......

In the photographers own words: "The City of Burbank tries a new method of deterring striking writers from walking the picket line outside of Warner Bros." Photo by movie lover via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr......

This strike photo outside of Warner Bros. was taken last week on November 27. If they waited a few days, it would have been witty to play off the 28 Days Later reference... oh well, maybe they have that new Will Smith movie in mind... or maybe they just like to eat people. That or they have dermophagia (gross!). Photo by movie lover via the LAist Flickr Pool (join and add your own photos!)......

Due to the recent writer’s strike, the popular mockumentary TV series, "The Office," is now being produced as an actual documentary of a real office. "An Office" is just like the real show, only far more boring. This parody was created by my good friend, and Upright Citizens Brigade alum, Charlie Todd. You can check out more of his pranks and videos at Improv Everywhere, and here's the link to the original post. One......

Photo by movie lover found in the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr. Feel free to join and add some of your photos of our city.......

a writer's perspective I imagined that I would begin Week 4 of the strike full of energy, completely rested and rejuvenated after nearly a week of Thanksgiving festivities. The reality was quite the opposite. I am tired! The WGA has officially shortened our shifts to 3 hour blocks, Monday through Thursday. Fridays are being reserved for rallies, meetings, or heavy drinking. I signed up to do the 5am to 8am shift this morning, but......

The ever talented and lovely Alicia Keys performed just before the massive 4000+ strong march down Hollywood Blvd. Keys, with the #1 album in the country As I Am, said "As a SAG member and a writer, she was there to support the cause." After the mini-concert of two songs, "No One" and "Go Ahead", the red army took to the street. March and chanting from Vine to right in front of the Chinese......

Day 5 of the Writer's Strike was by far the most powerful. After being spread at various lots and productions throughout Los Angeles, all 3000+ members united in front of Fox Studios for a rally and march greater than any seen in the week old strike. They brought some help as well, with a mini performance from Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello who sang a "union song" and was then joined by RATM......

While some of the most creative people in Hollywood were striking for the right to get a cut of residuals from Internet sales of the shows they create, some of the biggest local losers have decided to try to take advantage of the situation. Defamer has a nice little rundown of many of the Craigslist postings of would-be writers who are more than willing to cross picket lines to get theirs. Selfishly. No offense......

Sure, two members of Rage Against the Machine helped the writers rage, but this photo essay will focus more on the thousands of people who showed up to march, and the churros. Yes, churros of support were rolled into the Nakatomi Plaza for anyone who needed some churro love. And if people-watching is your thing, the Avenue of the Stars lived up to its name this morning. After the jump, a nice photo essay......

All your favorite writers of all your favorite shows gathered this morning around brunch at Fox Plaza to celebrate the first week of their strike. Some of the fellas from Rage Against the Machine showed up and played, Jesse Jackson pressed the flesh, and Tom Arnold heard there would be free food so he came too. Of course your pals LAist were there, so expect more team coverage from insiders, actual striking writers, and......

For those who aren't sure what the fuss is about, The Office writers clarify things while giving us some much-missed entertainment.......

From the Front Lines I bring you "Day One of the Strike." The mood is very light and almost jovial; this shift has only been out here three hours. I think that is going to change fast. They caused a lot of rubber necking traffic but no real problems. They did get a lot of attention. There was lots of food to go around, and an official station for people to check in. It's a......