The Writers Strike

I am a huge fan of films. I love awards season. This writer's strike has pissed me off to no end. I understand what they want and I don't care. Let me tell you why.

You and I can think of some writers by name. They wrote our favorite movies or a few of our favorite TV shows. This strike isn't about those guys. Those guys do something that not everyone can do. So when it comes time for them to get paid, it happens. They can negotiate. They can make demands because they're worth it. So in the years to come if those people are in contract negotiations they can ask for royalties from whatever they want and they'll probably get it.

The people this strike is about is those that don't have that power. Now that may make some people feel for them and think that all these stars striking for the little guy is a wonderful thing. But I don't feel bad for them. Because I probably don't watch their shows or movies. Because they probably suck. How often do we all complain about the lack of anything worthwhile to watch on television? We watch reality TV sometimes because it's the best thing on. Not because we're morons. On television the past few years I basically watch "LOST", "The Amazing Race", "South Park", "Dancing with the Stars", and beyond that it's mostly CNN or talk shows or something like that. That is not a lot of scripted television. I go to the movies all the time. But I wait for awards season mostly. That's when the worthy movies come out. My Netflix subscription is mostly about watching foreign films. Most of the American films I watch are written by the same guy who directed it. And he or she probably has a producer credit as well. So all those people are gonna get paid.

Now these people that the strike is about are ruining all kinds of stuff. They ruined late night for a long time there. (Jay and Conan seem to be doing fine without writers. And Dave's Top Ten List hasn't been funny since forever). They've ruined award season. They're ruining the economy of California. That guy who makes the knock off dresses from the awards show is probably going to have to sell his family.

Now you're thinking. 'Wait a minute, Rita, this is about the studio bosses. They're the ones being jerks.' Yeah I don't really know about that. Why should they pay for something they don't feel is worth it? They obviously feel the same way I do. If these people were giving them such quality stuff they would be paying for it. But this union business protects people who don't do that great of a job. It's true. You know it is. So I don't blame the studios for not backing down. Why should they if they could get other people to write scripts just as good as the ones they're already getting? They know there are a million talented people out there who just aren't in the union. People who haven't gotten a break. They know that they're better off not having a union at all. So why back down? If the writers get what they want it will be because the studios are tired of all the nonsense not because they think that these people are worth it. So what will that prove, that writers are important and valuable or just stubborn and self-centered?