If you were at the picket today at Universal, send your pictures and reports to unitedhollywood [at] gmail [dot] com. Thanks! Here's the first email I received after the march:"Craziness. Let's just say, it's easier to talk about which celebrities were not there."

Last week, State Senator Sheila Kuehl introduced a bill in the California Senate that protects all entertainment union workers.  Below, WGAw Secretary-Treasurer Elias Davis explains the bill and asks the members of all entertainment-industry unions to support it by sending an email to its sponsors in the California State Assembly. 

Over the past few years a number of TV show creators have brought suit against major studios in cases where the studios have sold TV series to companies owned by the studios themselves. The reason for the suits is simple - because of self-dealing, these shows have been sold for far less money than they could have brought in had they been offered for sale on the open market.

The last day of official picketing ended with a high point at Fox.

Writers were joined on the picket line by many supporters. The honking at the Pico gate reached new decibel levels as crowds of picketers filled the sidewalk and waved their signs at the passing traffic.

The signs told the story: "WGA-DGA-SAG", "The House is Not Divided," "DGA-WGA Member," "Union Solidarity".

The appearance of so many SAG and DGA members made the point that even though the AMPTP spin machine works hard to create the impression that there is dissension between the unions and in the ranks of the WGA, the opposite is true.

Of course the strike has created tensions. How could it not?

There should be tensions when so much is at stake and so much has been sacrificed in the fight with the congloms. But our common interests outweigh that tension, and our solidarity is real.

We've been hearing from supporters around the world about rallies and picketing in solidarity with our strike against the AMPTP.

An email arrived today from a good friend, Randa Haines (the director of Children of a Lesser God, Something About Amelia, and The Ron Clark Story), describing a very French demonstration of support:

Hello from Paris!

(We want to welcome SAG Member Justine Bateman as a regular contributor to United Hollywood. We hope to continue opening the site up to more voices from SAG and other unions. Justine reminds us that this fight belongs to all of us. We're all on the same page.)

Attention all SAG Actors:

I believe it's appropriate at this time to call all actors into action in support of the Writer's Guild on strike.
I know many of us have been walking the picket lines and attending the rallies, but I want to challenge ALL SAG members to see if they can commit an HOUR-A-DAY to walking the picket lines.
The AMPTP has been jerking the Writer's Guild around.
1. They offered nothing but insulting Roll-Backs to the WGA in the negotiations that caused the strike.

Have you ever wondered what a pallet-load of pencils looks like? This picture is your answer. Have you ever wondered what a pallet-load of pencils being delivered to a chagrined media mogul looks like? You'll find out soon!

This was sent out today by the WGA:

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK – The membership of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) today voted overwhelmingly in favor of lifting the restraining order and ending their 100-day strike that began on Nov. 5. 3,775 writers turned out in Los Angeles and New York to cast ballots or fax in proxies, with 92.5% voting

This is excerpted from the email that Warners strike captain Brian Hartt sent to other captains this week, with permission. Brian is an Emmy-nominated writer who coordinates all of the Warners picket teams, as well as being the showrunner on Mind of Mencia who helped get 4 West Coast and 2 East Coast shows on Comedy Central covered by the WGA contract . His tireless work and dedication are inspiring.

As I'm sure you all know, the AMPTP walked away from the table Friday.

You all should have, by now, gotten John Bowman's response to the "nice try" press release by the company's lap dog. Let me stress something that John mentioned - their press release came out minutes after they walked away.

WGA President Patric Verrone - who along with other members of the WGA Board and Negotiations Committee will be walking the various picket lines today - joins us for an interview on United Hollywood Live (12pm Pacific/3pm Eastern).

We also welcome actress Justine Bateman, who has spear-headed a SAG Call To Arms, and showrunner Bill Prady to the show.

• Paul Haggis: The Reality of Reality and Animation

• The First Delivery of Pencils2MediaMoguls. UPDATED with report from Jeffrey Berman.

• Laeta Kalogridis Weighs in on Reality and Animation

• David Milch: "The Idea of the Writer" Business Model Discussion

• A Reality Writer Responds to the AMPTP

Interesting things, facts. They are simply what they are. And yet sometimes you can read a lot into them.

Here's a fact:
On December 18, the Writer's Guild testified before the Los Angeles City Council about the economic impact of the strike.

Here's another fact:
The AMPTP didn't show up. [Gosh, just like at the negotiating table.]

Instead, they asked the MPAA to take care of it. The MPAA represents the AMPTP before all levels of government throughout the world. The MPAA also provides economic data and information on the motion picture and television business to the public.

And one more fact:

I'm sure many of you out there have a similar problem that I have. You get those stupid scam emails from "Africa" that are entitled "Beloved Friend," "Yours in Christ," and "Urgent Attention" are from "people" named John Alison or Daniel Vincent, or some woman called "Sister." (I doubt she's really a nun.) They give you some kind of sob story about how their father or husband was murdered by some repressive regime and they have money stored away in some bank and if you help them by sending them some of your own hard-earned cash you can make far more with them.

Do people out there REALLY fall for this crap?

Picketing with the Stars: More Great Photos
Photography by Hamilton is one of the best online photo galleries I've seen, and it's a great source for pictures of strike events.

Flickr continues to feature lots of strike scenes as well. Kudos to Flickr user ground_glass for her arty black and white shots. Nice!

The WGA just sent out an official email listing a few local businesses that support the strike. We captains have been encouraged to approach businesses in our neighborhoods, tell them what is going on, and ask for their help.

I'd like to expand upon the idea though: If you are a business owner who wants to offer discounts to striking writers, please consider offering discounts to IATSE members and Teamsters who may have been thrown out of work by the conglomerates' refusal to offer a fair deal. We're all in this together.

- Silverlake Yoga is offering a 20% discount to WGA members while the strike lasts.

The Red Sox are playing an exhibition game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night, March 29 in the Los Angeles Coliseum to mark the 50th anniversary of the Dodgers move to the city. That contest is also being played in the cavernous Los Angeles Coliseum, where the USC Trojans play and the Dodgers played from 1958-1961.

But on that night, the largest crowd to ever witness a baseball game anywhere is expected: an incredible 115,000 fans.

Over 90,000 tickets have already been sold, and about 25,000 standing room tickets will be sold. It will easily break the old record of 93,103 for a 1959 exhibition fundraising game at the Coliseum for Roy Campanella between the Dodgers and Yankees.

WGA Press release from yesterday:

Los Angeles – Paul Howes, national secretary of the 135,000-strong Australian Workers’ Union, joined striking writers on the picket line in front of Fox Studios today in Los Angeles. In California for various meetings, Howes asked to meet with the WGA and discuss mutual labor issues.

“The AWU is one of Australia’s largest and most influential labor unions, and

The short answer: more power.

The longer answer: a ruling that would allow them to own all the media outlets in a city. Currently, they can't own the newspaper, the TV stations, and the radio stations all in one town. That makes life complicated for them - they just can't... own everything. Which must be quite frustrating.

Check out this video from a November 2nd, Bill Moyers broadcast. Despite the public response to the media consolidation proposal, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin still wants to push it through:

However, public outcry, and concern on Capitol Hill has led to this:

UH News
• Contract Update from Verrone and Winship
• UH Live for 12/5

Upcoming Events
From the WGAw
THURSDAY, 12/6THREE GENERATIONS OF WGA MEMBERS: Sherwood Schwartz, (creator of "Gilligan's Island" and "The Brady Bunch"), his son Lloyd, (writer and producer of "The Brady Bunch" feature films and many television comedies), and Lloyd's son Andy, a story editor on "Scrubs" -- will picket together at the main gate of CBS Radford from noon until 1 p.m. Sherwood Schwartz, 91, was a founding member of the Television Writers of America, which merged with screenwriters to become the WGA.

I reviewed Splitting Harriet by Tamara Leigh a few weeks ago and I just got two more copies in the mail for a giveaway!

However it may take me a while to send them off as I need to pay for postage myself and it'll be expensive.

If you are interested in winning a copy, I have two to giveaway. To enter, sign the comments and either include your email or also send me an email so I have a way to contact you. Contest open to Canada/US only (unless you are willing to pay for postage yourself, sorry.)

(WGAw President Patric M. Verrone released the following statement a short time ago)

December 13, 2007

To My Fellow Members:

The AMPTP and each of its member companies have a legal obligation to bargain in good faith with the WGA. Their unilateral walkout from negotiations last Friday and their on-going refusal to bargain is illegal under the National Labor Relations Act. Therefore the WGA today filed Unfair Labor Practice charges against the AMPTP with the National Labor Relations Board.

The DGA’s announcement today that it may begin negotiations with the AMPTP in January in no way relieves the AMPTP of their legal obligation to negotiate with us. The only legal way for the AMPTP to remedy the Unfair Labor Practice charge we have filed is to return to the bargaining table.

This email was written by WGA member Tom Fontana, creator of the HBO series "Oz." Last week, the Artful Writer reprinted an email written to "Jim" from John Wells, unedited. The email below has also been reprinted in unedited form.

Dear Jim,

Yes, I, too, was left breathless by John's letter. As always, he makes many very valid points.

But there are a couple items which still trouble me and a

Someone tried to school me in the difference between verbal/written expression and visual expression today, and I feel like I am a much better man for it. Yes, I have grown today, if not professionally or... physiologiclaly, maybe spiritually. It's good to know that there are still brilliant, polite, thoughtful people out there who value the power of making positive connections and understand the importance of being cordial, positive, and friendly when reaching out to complete strangers.

Ahem.

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Exorcism at Warners,

United Hollywood Live (12pm Pacific/3pm Eastern) today will discuss the non-granting of waivers to awards shows like the Oscars and Golden Globes, the WGA meeting in Santa Monica Monday night and the City Council meeting this morning among other topics.

Tune in by CLICKING HERE (or by using the widget located along the right hand side of UnitedHollywood.com). The show, which airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday, is also available as a podcast immediately after each broadcast via the widget and on iTunes (search: United Hollywood).

Fans and WGA supporters are encouraged to become a part of the broadcast via live IM chats, video feeds and phone calls to the studio. They can also add the United Hollywood Live widget to their websites.

In last Monday's game against the Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers wore throwback short shorts for the first half. Kobe Bryant was quoted after the game saying:
“I don’t know what it feels like to wear a thong, but I imagine it feels something like what we had on in the first half,” he said with a grin. “I felt violated. I felt naked...."
The failure of Bryant, the media or fans to link his joking claim to his recent indictment for rape suggests that the world has moved on. As I've mentioned before, Bryant in apologizing acknowledged:
I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.
This is a more serious sense of feeling violated.