Strike update: Tom Hanks and George Clooney speak out, Les Moonves drops some hints, etc.
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Some very high profile actors just spoke out about the writers’ strike in what I hope will be the first step toward forcing the AMPTP back to the negotiating table. In a Reuters article released earlier today, Tom Hanks publicly stated that the fate of the Oscars rested on the AMPTP’s willingness to engage in “honest bargaining”:
Hanks urges end to writers’ strike
Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:24pm EST
By Michael DavidsonLONDON (Reuters) – Actor Tom Hanks is keen to see the Oscar ceremony held as usual, and urged studios to return to the negotiating table to end a writers’ strike that threatens to disrupt the climax of Hollywood’s awards season.
. . .
Hanks said corporate bosses should remember that many people, from carpenters to caterers, were suffering as a result of the strike by about 10,500 Writers Guild of America members over their dispute with major film and TV studios.
“There are caterers and carpenters … and electricians and gaffers,” the 51-year-old said. “There are a lot of people out there associated with the industry, for whom the sooner this work stoppage is over the better.
“I just hope that the big guys who make big decisions up high in their corporate boardrooms and what not get down to honest bargaining and everyone can get back to work.”
. . .
Hot on the heels of that interview, Deadline Hollywood Daily reports that George Clooney has also weighed in, offering to set up a “Mediation Panel” and locking everyone in the room until they reach an agreement.
EXCLUSIVE: George Clooney Offers To Set Up “Mediation Panel” To Solve WGA Strike
Hollywood’s Triple-A list actors have started becoming integrally involved in trying to solve the Writers Guild strike against the Hollywood CEOs. I’ve just been told that George Clooney today is volunteering to personally set up a so-called “mediation panel” including himself and with plans to ask Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and John Wells (the executive producer of ER and ex-WGA president) to be part of it, plus 3 or 4 bigwigs who are siding with the producers. The offer came in a phone call today with Harvey Weinstein who promptly volunteered to be part of the panel. Clooney suggested its purpose should be to oversee the talks and tell the WGA as each term is bargained “you have to live with this and get over it,” and tell the AMPTP “you have to live with that and get over it”, Weinstein quoted George as saying. It’s also Clooney’s idea that everybody would be locked in the room together and not leave until the deal is done.
. . .
Nikki Finke speculates that other A-listers may also speak up (” … Will Smith, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Reese Witherspoon, Russell Crowe, Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster, Julia Roberts and other AAA-listers may follow their lead”), which certainly seems like it would be a good thing.
And Multichannel News is reporting that CBS chief Les Moonves may be interested in returning to the negotiations:
CBS Chief Moonves Wants to Get Back to Table With Writers
Says “Steps Being Taken” to Restart Talks
By Mike Farrell — Multichannel News, 1/10/2008 1:27:00 PMCBS head honcho Les Moonves hinted at an industry conference Thursday that the television giant is trying to restart negotiations with the striking Writers Guild of America, but offered no details as to what that those efforts entail.
Moonves, speaking at the Citigroup Entertainment, Media & Telecommunications conference in Phoenix, stressed that the writers strike is not having an adverse impact on the network so far.
“We sincerely hope that the talks begin shortly and that there is a resolution,” Moonves said. “I can tell you there are some steps that are being taken to push that ahead, and we hope that reasonable people prevail and that we can make a go of it in the near future.”
But later in the conference Moonves said that he is “guardedly optimistic that it [the strike] will be over in the next few months.”
One can only hope that that’s so.
Any pressure that can be applied to bring the moguls back to the table would be welcome, because tensions and ill-will are running as high as ever. Earlier today, Law & Order’s Rene Balcer was physically attacked by a Fox employee during the day’s picketing. And it’s hard to believe that the AMPTP is truly worried about negative PR when I’m reading about Disney/ABC nickel-and-diming the stars headed to the SAG Awards and other moguls’ small-minded power trips just a day after I read about the division heads of Viacom, CBS, and Paramount heading to what UnitedHollywood.com reports as:
“award-winning accommodations,” “world-renowned” spa treatments,” “AAA Five Diamond” gourmet dining, and round after exhilarating round of “championship quality” golf during an executive retreat at The Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa.
End this, AMPTP. Start negotiating again (in good faith, please!), and let the industry get back to work.
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2 Comments
January 10th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
I met Mr. Balcer last month- very, very nice man. I heard he was okay, but I’m sorry he had to go through what he did. Physical violence is not cool..at all.
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January 10th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Thanks for posting an update — I’m not going to get my hopes up about Les possibly making an effort to negotiate, but having Tom Hanks step in might have potential. *fingers crossed*
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