new thoughts on the strike

Random thoughts here, people. Stick with me, if you dare:

So, this strike is fascinating. It seems pretty obvious that the writers walk the high ground on this, but Michael Eisner says that it is a "stupid" strike. This from the man who nearly destroyed Disney. Didn't Forrest Gump have something to say about stupid? Hmmm...

So my beloved show The Office officially shut down today. Good for them. Bad for me. They only have two more shows in the can, so I only have two more fixes for the foreseeable future. Since nature abhors a vacuum, I feel I need a new favorite distraction. That distraction is quickly becoming ... this writer's strike.

Seriously, it has all the drama, comedy, and heart tugging pathos of a great show, like Brothers and Sisters (my other favorite). I think a real case could be made for all of us consumers that this strike is the alternative to our favorite entertainment. That is, unless your favorite entertainment is American Idol. If so, you will very soon be a pig in mud.

Last year was really bad, and I really don't like Jordin Sparks. My two cents.

Check out www.unitedhollywood.com. When you get there, watch the video from The Office's picket line. Promos. Hilarious.

A loyal reader says I am on "a tear." I am! I get so into things. Like Marvin the Martian, Thai food, or the 2000 Presidential election. The Office. I had a brief affair with celeb gossip magazines once (I am convinced that their stories are all true) but that ran its course. I am currently considering a new obsession with men's messenger bags.

Writers took DVD residuals off the table, so now they are simply fighting for residuals on new media (i.e. iTunes, Amazon, internet streams). They know that this is the future of the industry. The studio moguls say that they don't know how much money is there so how can they agree how much to pay out? This reminds me of - now this is just off the top of my head, folks - this sounds alot like a guy who doesn't pay child support because he only has alternative forms of income. No job, just unemployment and maybe the sympathetic loans of gullible friends. But he can't give any to his children because he doesn't know how much he will have, and he needs to eat, you know. That's just an example of what that sounds like to me.

I could really go for some chocolate ice cream right now.

Some are saying that the average writer stands to lose more in this strike than they will ever make in any residuals from future work, no matter what negotiations gain them. But whoever said that is: A) most likely not an artist, because artists are very protective of what they create and they should be; and B) most likely not getting ripped off on a regular basis. Like the writers of shows that are streamed online, with advertising, but they don't get a dime for the streaming or any viewings. Sounds like they were working for free anyway. Might as well pick up a sign and get some exercise.

I read that a guy got run over! Yikes. It's hard out there for a writer. I guess.

Sorry, I just don't post links. I'm too lazy. All four of you know your way around Google better than I do, anyway.

Another loyal reader threatens to scab and send in a script. To this I say: Write it, but don't send it! The strike will last so much longer! But in the meantime, let me be your beta.

Can't wait for more strike coverage tomorrow.