December 16, 2007

Dear Writers Guild of America Members,

I am writing to you on behalf of 120,000 proud members of Screen Actors Guild who stand with you in solidarity as your strike continues. We believe that now more than ever, we must remain strong and even more committed to achieving our common objectives. We are proud to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with you and SAG will be there for as long as it takes.

Your fight is our fight. Our National Executive Director Doug Allen and I are working around the clock with Patric Verrone and David Young to coordinate our strike support efforts. I'm sure you have seen some of the thousands of Screen Actors Guild members who've been walking the picket lines in Los Angeles, New York and around the country for the last six weeks.

This letter was just sent out to SAG members by Doug Allen (Executive Director and Chief Negotiator) and Allen Rosenberg (President). Emphases in red are from us at UH -- LK.

Dear SAG Member:

Everyone hopes the WGA strike will end with a fair deal for the writers. There has been much speculation about the impact on the WGA strike of the tentative agreement between the Directors Guild of America

“RECONCILIATION” BENEFIT!

WHEN: Tuesday, March 4th at 8 p.m.

WHERE: The Laugh Factory

PROCEEDS WILL GO TO THE WGF INDUSTRY SUPPORT FUND

To celebrate the end of the strike, Laugh Factory owner Jamie Masada will host a “Reconciliation” Benefit at the Laugh Factory, Tuesday, March 4th at 8 p.m. Proceeds go to the Writers Guild Foundation Industry Support Fund to assist all those NON-WRITERS

Norman Borisoff (Academy Award winner Titan: The Story of Michelangelo, writer: Ironside, Quincy, I Spy) was one of many who attended The Homecoming Picket outside of Sony yesterday.

The picket was a small way for newer members to pay tribute to the veteran writers, actors, and directors who helped form and shape the unions we are protected by today.

Other attendees included:

Christopher Knopf (president of the WGA 1965-1967, The Dick Powell Show, The Big Valley, Dr. Kildaire, and Equal Justice.

What we have been calling the "Union Solidarity Fund" is now officially called the Writers Guild Foundation Industry Support Fund. Our friends at the Foundation have stepped up to coordinate the tremendous outpouring of generosity from businesses, fans, writers, actors, directors and the public to help non-WGA professionals affected by the strike. We will link to information on how to apply for assistance as soon as it is on the Foundation site.

The Foundation is accepting donations now. Send them to 7000 W. Third St. LA 90048, and indicate "Industry Support Fund."

HUMANITAS PRESENTS: “THAT’S NOT FUNNY! TURNING LIFE’S LITTLE TRAGEDIES INTO COMEDY”
TO BENEFIT WGA INDUSTRY SUPPORT FUND FOR NON-WGA MEMBERS

Join us for the panel discussion “That’s Not Funny! Turning Life’s Little Tragedies Into Comedy” and the book signing of five-time Humanitas Prize winner Gary David Goldberg's autobiography Sit, Ubu, Sit: How I Went from Brooklyn to Hollywood with the Same

The Industry Support Fund, founded by the Writer's Guild Foundation to provide financial relief to non-WGA industry members impacted by the strike, has raised over a quarter million dollars, and has already given away more than half of what they've raised. The fund anticipates continuing to donate $40,000 - $45,000 a month over the next several months as industry members find their feet financially.

The Writer's Guild Foundation is working closely with the Actor's Fund to help distribute the money. Separately, The Actor's Fund has spent half a million on strike-related relief since the beginning of the strike. A non-profit that offers an array of services to all performing arts professionals, The Actor's Fund is not just for actors. For more information check out their website at www.actorsfund.org.

To find out how to get help from the Industry Support Fund, or to make a donation, go to www.wgfoundation.org/supportfund.html.

Oscar-winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler released this statement in the wake of IATSE president Tom Short's letter to Patric Verrone, president of the WGA. Wexler is a legend, and when he evaluates the state of our unions, he does so with authority. Without minimizing the difficult decisions that everyone faces in a strike, we found this note stirring and wanted to share it. -JA I walked the WGA picket line along with 6000 film workers demonstrating in front of Fox Studios.

The spirit I saw in that demonstration is exciting to me, it gives me hope. These strikers are resisting further concessions, concessions which compromise all our futures.

I caught the eye of a couple of grips and electricians driving through the line. Although I understand why our guys go through the line, it saddens me.

As the Industry Support Fund and The Actors Fund (which administers the ISF) continue to help industry workers who lost income and health care coverage during the strike, we offer this helpful post from freelance journalist and United Hollywood lover Becca Bryan. -TES

DON'T GET CAUGHT WITH YOUR PANTS DOWN! THE ACTORS FUND IS THERE FOR EVERYONE.

by Becca Bryan

As someone who has lost a few

This article was submitted by WGA member Michael Arkof. It runs today in Writers: On The Line, a weekly print newsletter distributed at picket locations.
AND A CHILD SHALL READ THEM

Sabrina Batchler didn’t write the book on supporting the WGA strike, but she is reading one. Lots of them, actually. The eleven year-old is conducting a Read-a-thon to raise money for the Writers Guild Foundation, to

Jamie Masada has offered to host a weekly show at the Laugh Factory (8001 W Sunset Blvd at Laurel, 323-656-1336) to benefit the Writers Guild Foundation Industry Support Fund. The first show will be held tomorrow, Wed. Dec. 19 at 10pm. Entrance to the show is free for anyone who makes a contribution to the Fund. Checks made out to the Writers Guild Foundation will be accepted at the door. The shows will continue for the duration of the strike. Donations of new toys and/or new winter clothing will also be accepted and distributed to those affected by the strike.

Cast from THE OFFICE: Kate Flannery, Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez and Ed Helms, along with Kate Walsh (GREY'S ANATOMY, PRIVATE PRACTICE), Mo Collins (MAD TV), and Robert Ben Garant (RENO 911) join the cast of the "Armando Show" at iO Theater to raise money for the Industry Support Fund.

Cast from THE OFFICE backstage at the show:

Kate Walsh:

Robert Ben Garant:

A special message from organizer

It's Thanksgiving week, and in the spirit of that we hope all our readers will take some time to help those in need to whatever extent they can.

The excellent LiveJournal community wga_supporters recently ran this note from David Rambo of CSI:

Tomorrow night Jerry O'Connell ("Carpoolers," "Crossing Jordan") Kerri Kenney ("Reno 911," "The Ten," "The State"), and stand-up comedian Dan Mintz (writer, "Luckie Louie") will perform in Talk Show: The Talk Show at iO West Theater. Half the proceeds go to the Industry Support Fund - a fund set up by the WGA for non-WGA members affected by the strike.

Here are the details:
11pm THIS FRIDAY,

The following letter was sent today from some of the most powerful publicity firms in entertainment to Jeff Zucker of NBC. Thank you, everyone, for supporting us in our struggle to get a fair deal.

Dear Jeff,

We represent a majority of the actors, writers and directors nominated for a 2008 Golden Globe Award, as well as many of those invited to appear as presenters on the January 13, 2008

Strike TV is an Internet fundraiser. It's an online "channel" featuring original video shows created by working professionals in the TV and Film Industry. These shows are self-funded and owned by their creators. Funds raised by ad revenue will go toward the Writers Guild Foundation Industry Support Fund, assisting union directors, actors and below the line members who are affected by the strike.

StrikeSwag.com - the non-profit site which donates all profits to the Writers Guild Foundation Industry Support Fund to assist non-WGA members of the industry who are in financial distress as a direct result of the strike - is out with its January 2008 line which Fashion Week boldly called "the black and white shield tee." This 100% cotton shirt a variant of the official WGA West strike shirt.

UPDATE: WGAw membership meeting this Saturday, February 9, at 6:30 PM. Shrine Auditorium, 649 W Jefferson Blvd 90007.

Last Friday, WGAw President Patric Verrone gave this interview to United Hollywood's Jeff Berman. When asked about rumors, Verrone says flatly, "They're never true."

Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) President Patric M. Verrone has issued the following statement in response to the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) statement that actors will not cross WGA picket lines to appear on the Golden Globe Awards as acceptors or presenters:

We are grateful to our brothers and sisters in SAG for their continued solidarity and support.

The entire awards show season is

Hot in Hollywood and Strike Swag have teamed up to produce limited edition Benjamin Silverman High School t-shirts.

Orders placed by Monday the 14th will be ready in time for the Benjamin Silverman High School Winter Prom outside NBC on Thursday the 17th. Profits from the sale of these shirts will benefit the WGA Foundation Industry Support Fund.

See you at Prom. Go Fightin' Cocks!

Which one of these two guys do I despise more? The Texas Con Man or You're With Me, Leather?

As much as I can't stand Berman, The Carpetbagger's in a category by himself.

(Thanks to Awfulannouncing.com for the pic.)

Compiled from WGA and United Hollywood emails. -JA

TUESDAY DECEMBER 11TH:

PENCILS2MEDIAMOGULS: It's here! The first delivery of pencils will take place today. Over 500,000 pencils have been shipped. Please join us as we deliver the pencils to NBC CEO Jeff Zucker, Robert Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, and to Universal Studios for GE's CEO Jeffrey Immelt. Writers slated to appear include: Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica), Joss Whedon (Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly), Carol Barbee (Jericho), Alfred Gough (Smallville), Miles Millar (Smallville). We will meet at 11:30 am at Johnny Carson Park, 400 Bob Hope Drive in Burbank.

(With all the best to Frank Pierson and thanks to Jon Avnet)

The latest AMPTP offer, Thursday's "groundbreaking" proposal, certainly wasn't what any of us hoped for. If we assume the AMPTP sincerely wants to end the strike, then everything they've done so far is counter-intuitive. Given the stakes, their behavior is crazy-making. Most members were shocked and demoralized that the offer was so inappropriate.

But when has anyone enjoyed a negotiation?

Personally, I hate negotiating. At first it feels good when I'm thinking about what I want. My mind's racing with the possibilities. But when the process starts and the first counter-offer comes in, I go through the seven stages of grief. If I want a deal that I can live with, I have to tough it out.

Three of the original Munchkins from THE WIZARD OF OZ will be joining striking writers on the picket line Friday morning at NBC Studios in Burbank. Among them will be Jerry Maren, the original Lollipop Kid who uttered the famous line, "We represent the Lollipop Guild."

Unfortunately for Jerry and his co-stars, the Lollipop Guild didn't have any better luck than other Hollywood guilds of the era in getting the actors or its screenwriter any residuals for their creation which has earned an untold fortune in the years since.

Friday night, a benefit comedy concert featuring Tenacious D., Eddie Izzard, Sarah Silverman, Patton Oswalt and Andy Dick was held at UCLA. All proceeds from the event went to the WGA Union Solidarity Fund to suport those affected by the strike.

But even if you weren't able to attend, StrikeSwag.com gives you a way to both get a great souvenir from the event and help those in need. All profits from each one of the shirts pictured here - and all items on Strike Swag - will be donated to the Fund.

So stock up and stuff a stocking!

Life on Strike was originally produced for The Strike Show, a live comedy-variety show that raised money to benefit members of the industry who are affected by the strike via the Motion Picture and Television Fund. and features Ana Ortiz (UGLY BETTY), Nick Kroll, (CAVEMEN), and Kat Foster (TIL' DEATH).

Many interdisciplinary law scholars feel like we live Aesop’s fable of the bat who told the birds he was a beast and the beasts that he was a bird. I never feel more like a lawyer than when I attend political science conferences. I never feel more like a political scientist than when I am attending the American Association of Law Schools annual affair. . A good many institutions feel similarly. Friends in the social sciences who study law report that their chairs and deans often feel that interdisciplinary legal scholars should really be teaching in law schools. Apparently, a great many law professors believe we should really be teaching in social science, history, or other related departments. Everyone agrees we belong in the academy, but somewhere else. Not surprisingly, given these sentiments, a great many interdisciplinary law scholars have trouble getting jobs anywhere.