Schwarzenegger meeting with WGA, AMPTP officials
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According to the Los Angeles Times, the Governator has held or is planning to hold separate meetings with the guild and studio officials:
Governor meets with guild officials
His spokesman says he also will talk with studio executives today.
By Marc Lifsher and Richard Verrier, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
November 13, 2007Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, responding to calls that he get involved in the Hollywood writers’ strike, which had reached its eighth day, held a private meeting with union officials Monday, a spokesman said.
The governor was scheduled to have a similar, informal sit-down with unidentified studio executives today, said his press secretary, Aaron McLear. Several studio representatives said they were unaware of any such meeting.
“The purpose is so he can talk to both sides and see what they are after and try to see how the state can be helpful,” McLear said of Schwarzenegger’s peacemaking initiative.
A person close to the union said the meeting in Los Angeles was attended by chief negotiator David Young and Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West.
“Anything that puts additional pressure on companies to come back to the bargaining table and negotiate a reasonable deal is a good thing,” said the guild official, who asked not to be identified because of the delicate nature of the talks.
I’ve said all along that anything that gets the parties talking again would sound good to me, and I stand by that. Nonetheless, I’m a little leery of getting my hopes up regarding this latest move by Gov. Schwarzenegger, as he hasn’t exactly appeared too eager to get involved in the dispute up to this point, which seems surprising, given the effect the strike is having on the economy of Los Angeles. More to the point, Nikki Finke’s post about this development over at Deadline Hollywood Daily voices ample skepticism:
Arnold Is Just Playing At Strike Mediating
I’ll believe it when I see it if The Governator settles the strike. Given Schwarzenegger’s past attitudes towards writers (saying to hell with them when he was an actor), his recent comments (equating writers with rich studio heads), and his anti-union political activities (trying to limit unions’ political clout during his first term), it’s hard to imagine he even knows what middle ground is supposed to be for this labor action. Especially since the Hollywood moguls gave big bucks to his re-election campaign; they tell Arnie what to do, not the other way around. It’s mere PR that he’s scheduled a few meetings. (Hell, at this frustrating point the WGA would accept an offer from Linda Hamilton to help restart talks…) I say the chances of his making any progress in this strike are like his chances of ever winning an Oscar: futile.
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11 Comments
November 13th, 2007 at 11:04 am
The first article hearkens back to the Governator’s comments during the CA wildfires (as featured on TDS just before the strike began), where he (when asked to comment about the fires) utterly ignored the thousands of burning acres and instead focused on a few dogs that happened to be in his vicinity. It was not to be believed.
I agree…Nikki’s on point here.
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November 13th, 2007 at 11:18 am
I am equally skeptical. And Ahnahld as a deft mediator? How would that scenario go exactly? ‘OK, you WGA guy stahnd heer..ahnd you AMPTP guy stand right heer..no closer..closer..gut, now grab my…and schtroke it..ok, now we’re talking, right?
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November 13th, 2007 at 11:25 am
@nousblet
LMAOOO!! Yes — exactly! I’m remembering what Jon’s comment was after they showed that news clip…I’m laughing hysterically in my own head.
*sigh* Writers, it just ain’t the same around here without you. But, we’re all remembering your work in our own ways though.
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November 13th, 2007 at 11:59 am
No. No. This could work. All he has to do is take a few writers aside and ask them to scribble down a few words for him to say.
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November 13th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
At least Arnold is trying! He realizes the economic impact & he’s a savvy enough businessman to realize that the talks need to happen. It would be nice if Mayor Bloomberg or the NY governor would put some pressure on the guys back East…
I think the only thing the studios are going to respond to is pressure from other bigwigs. Otherwise they’re just going to sit back & wait out the writers.
Fan protest obviously doesn’t mean anything & the fans aren’t going to really get freaked out until all the shows go dark and none are left in the can.
Just my ‘umble 2cents :-)
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November 13th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
@Lisa–right! But we will NOT go back and verify what Jon said exactly by looking at CC clips because we are Masters of Our Comedy Central Domain!
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November 13th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
@nousblet
Actually, I’m replaying it my head…but, I concur. Will not touch any videos on-line until the strike is over.
And, I saved the last few episodes of TCR> and TDS on my DVR just in case the strike went through. Good thing I did! At least if I’m terribly down, I’ve got something to feed my Jon/Stephen fix.
@Tina
“I think the only thing the studios are going to respond to is pressure from other bigwigs. Otherwise they’re just going to sit back & wait out the writers.”
You hit the nail on the head, girl. I think that’s exactly what’ll happen.
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November 13th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
@nousblet
“But we will NOT go back and verify what Jon said exactly by looking at CC clips because we are Masters of Our Comedy Central Domain!”
LOL! You have it exactly, trying very hard to be the Master of My Comedy Central Domain.
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November 13th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
I think I have the perfect Arnold quote for this:
“I live to see you eat that contract. But I hope you save room for my first, because I’m going to RAM it into your stomach, and break your goddamn spine!”
-From “The Running Man”
This could be interpreted in favor of either side.
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November 13th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
@ Sylak
Interestingly, not the only quote. Remember this dialogue?
Richards (Arnie): I’ll BE BACK!
Killian (Richard Dawson): Only in a RERUN…
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November 15th, 2007 at 12:56 am
Governor Schwarzenegger was a tremendous influence in ensuring that California received interstate, federal, and international support and resources for fighting this year’s wildfires and in ensuring that state interagency politics were minimized.
The rest of the world might see him as merely an actor playing a role, but those of us who witnessed his leadership firsthand recognize that Arnold Schwarezenegger is our governor and we’re lucky to have him.
By the way, the entire press corps obsessively covered pets during the wildfires. Pets this, pets that. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Governor was asked a question about pets and that particular segment of the interview was broadcasted with wanton abandon.
The trick to understanding the behind-the-scenes and vanguard activities with respect to the wildfires is to ignore what was said and to focus on what was done.
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