Writer Jeff Greenstein, right, with ABC's Desperate Housewives joins striking writers outside the NBC Studios in Burbank, Calif. His sign refers to comments made by NBC Entertainment Chief Ben Silverman. Copyrighted Associated Press photo by Damian Dovarganes.
We hinted a few posts back that NBC News essentially presenting the Golden Globes "press conference" Sunday may raise some hackles in journalistic circles, and sure enough . . .
The Los Angeles Times has a pretty comprehensive story this morning about the issue, which is basically this: Yes, the Golden Globes are certainly a newsworthy event. But, should NBC News be scripting and staging said event, essentially to save the network and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association after the striking Writers' Guild of America refused to give the Globes a waiver so union members could write for the show -- yes, a lot of that stuff is written. The writers also threatened to picket, and most of the stars, who are members of the Screen Actors Guild, said they wouldn't cross a picket line to attend.
Our own George Clooney told Access Hollywood, "All I know is I belong to the six unions. I am a union guy. I will do what the Writers Guild says or asks."
Yesterday's LA Times had a piece about how this union tag team is really giving the Writers' Guild the upper hand in this the strike.
One quote in today's Times piece about the NBC News controversy gives you an idea of how nasty things are getting:
"It feels like the nerdiest, ugliest, meanest kids in the high school are trying to cancel the prom, but NBC wants to try and keep that prom alive," NBC entertainment chief Ben Silverman told radio host Ryan Seacrest on Monday.
Wow, way to reach out, Ben.
Strike website United Hollywood responded, "maybe it's the fault of the 'big, jock bullies' who won't return to the bargaining table."
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