Sunday, July 20, 2008

WGA MIA?

By shutting down the Golden Globes (and threatening to do the same to the Oscars), SAG helped the Writers Guild close its deal and end the writers strike earlier this year. SAG members -- both rank and file and a number of stars -- walked the picket lines and were vocal in their support of the WGA.

With this in mind, I asked the WGA for a statement on the current status of the SAG negotiations ... does the WGA support SAG's positions ... and why haven't WGA leaders made any public statements of support (other than a brief appearance at SAG's small anti-AFTRA rally in June)?

The WGA's spokesman responded with a short statement: “As we have stated many times, and as everyone in Hollywood knows, the Writers Guild supports SAG’s efforts to achieve the best possible deal for its members.”

Everyone in Hollywood may "know" that the WGA supports SAG's efforts, but everyone in Hollywood also knows that the writers are nowhere to be seen in the current debate -- which suggests that they, like most of the industry, are unsupportive of a second work stoppage.