Magnet #274 - Stupid Is as Stupid Does, Forrest GumpBought this magnet at a Bubba Gump. Shut it. The food wasn't bad, and yes, I had something involving shrimp.
I don't have a Kennedy magnet, otherwise, we would have talked about the 45th anniversary. But then I saw this Yahoo article about SAG (Screen Actors Guild) poised to call for a strike.
Really? Actors? Really?
Did you not know that the WGA strike cost YOUR industry $2.5 billion? Have you not seen the stories about how we're still feeling the effects of that strike - with a shit TV season forcing idiotic programming decisions, and a movie season with tentpole movies being switched, so that all the shit movies we're left with won't cluster up too much? Did you not see the ramifications of lost jobs and productions within YOUR industry?
Ok, never mind YOUR industry.
Let's talk about how overall the American economy's gone to hell. Have you not heard that America has lost A MILLION JOBS in 2008? Did you not see the financial and auto industries practically collapse? Have you not seen the billions and billions and billions of dollars that have been doled out to SAVE actual industries that keep our economy running?
Or maybe you're just not worried, because Obama's here to save the day. YOUR industry came out en masse making tons of videos and commercials and donations to call for change. Maybe you think that in exchange for all that work, that Obama and the new administration is gonna bail out the entertainment industry when you fly your private planes to Washington with your hats in hand.
Whatever it is, America's already in trouble. I fail to understand how a strike of 120,000 people in a multibillion-dollar industry will HELP America.
Apparently, SAG is going to "launch a 'full-scale education campaign in support of a strike authorization.'" I can't even wait to see what gets leaked to the public. You know, the public that's already suffering...for real.
eta:
This magnetpost really became more of a rant than I intended. But I really, really, really would like someone within the industry to make me understand why this strike is necessary.
Oh, and I would like to see whether or not the American public will give one ounce of crap about Hollywood actors whining about Internet and DVD rights.
eta2:
By the way, anyone who has read this blog for any length of time knows how deeply my love runs for all of the entertainment industry, and exactly how many movies and tv shows I watch. That's no secret. Hell, you can scroll down to the bottom of this magnetblog to see how much TV I watch.
But you know what? My TV and my movie habits are entertainment.
You don't keep me breathing.
You don't pay my rent.
My job notwithstanding, you don't actually make me money.
So, I gotta say, GO AHEAD. STRIKE.
I will be one of the American public who will not give a shit if YOU torpedo YOUR industry.
4 comments:
"Oh, and I would like to see whether or not the American public will give one ounce of crap about Hollywood actors whining about Internet and DVD rights."
*crickets*
I wouldn't care one bit... except for the makeup artists and the wardrobe assistants and the lunch caterers and the dry-cleaners and the vast quantity of accessory/non-union workers that depend on the movie industry for their livelihoods. They're not getting a cut of the DVD/internet windfall either, but they could get completely screwed by the actions of SAG.
Having said that, I do hope that some celebrity sticks his neck out and whines about having to sell a vacation home because he can't pay the rent. Or that she had to fly business class because she sold her private plane. Or that he was cutting back on designer duds. Because I will point and laugh. Loudly.
Idiots. Part of my anger at the current economic situation is the assumption by some (auto CEOs, AIG executives, etc.) that business as usual can continue. It's no longer that way for Joe and Jane Public; why should the upper echelon be the exception? There's a fundamental disconnect in American society.
Sigh. Now that I've depressed myself and taken over your blog comments, I'll exit stage right. Fade to black. Roll credits.
No worries, b13, I'm glad you posted. You've brought up a great point about the supporting artists and industries that will be affected. They won't feel a damn bit of change for the good over this strike. That's if they're still around over this strike.
I was over at The Hollywood Reporter, trying to see if anyone's making sense. There seems to be a few against a strike, recognizing that it won't really help anyone, particularly in this economy.
I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens. Maybe Obama will backroom broker a no-strike vote with Clooney at the helm.
I'm curious, did you do any research when the writers went on strike?
You are aware that the majority of the members of SAG (and the WGA) are the waiters and temps who are trying to make a living at their profession of choice (and making less than the average union or non-union crew member). You're snarky remarks about wealthy celebs selling vacation homes to pay the rent accurately reflect about 1% of the members of SAG (and WGA).
Have you heard of collusion, or 'price-fixing'. It's what the AMPTP (the studios) are currently engaging in. It's also one of the reasons they're facing multi-million dollar lawsuits. Another reason is that the minute the WGA contract was signed and the writers strike ended, the studios flagrantly went back on their word/legally binding agreement to pay the writers for streaming media residuals and failed to honor their end of the contract.
The next time you start a post about how creative is putting the poor IATSE (whose union boss, under the thumb of the AMPTP, strong-armed members out of striking when their contract came up last year) and non-union crew members out of work, stop and think about the real villans (the real private plane flying, vacation home owning whiners). Who's playing hardball, who refuses to negotiate, and who actually cuts the checks that the IATSE/non-union crew cash? One hint, it's not George Clooney.
BTW Brandy13- Imagine you spent years writing a novel, negotiated a contract, and later discovered that your publisher was selling copies under a pseudonym to avoid paying your residuals. That analogy covers just a portion of how the AMPTP is f*&^ng over EVERYONE involved. It's hardly the stuff of 'crickets'.
Dude. This blog is about magnets. Have you ever heard that term?
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