Writers Guild of America – The News Desk

29Sep

By adminNo Comments

Entertainment

So Long, “Strike Force Five”

“What would happen if five of America’s top eleven most beloathed talk-show hosts all talked on top of each other for an hour?” Jimmy Kimmel says at the start of the first episode of the intriguing and short-lived podcast “Strike Force Five.” “We’re about to find out.” For a handful of episodes (currently eight, plus a few more in the can and on the way), Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver became a podcast-host supergroup—riffing, regaling, and reading ads—in a high-profile effort to support their shows’ staffs during the writers’ strike. As the W.G.A. negotiated for rights that its members should have had years ago, including protection against A.I. and fair pay for work shown on streaming platforms, “Strike Force Five,” on Spotify, reminded us why we’ve ...

Deal to end writers’ strike means some shows could return to air within days

25Sep

By adminNo Comments

Money

Deal to end writers’ strike means some shows could return to air within days

With a tentative deal between Hollywood writers and the major entertainment studios on a new labor contract, some television shows may return to air in a matter of days. The programs likely to return to production first are daytime and late-night TV talk shows, such as NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and CBS' "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," according to the Associated Press. Most late-night show producers are likely to return to work on October 2 or October 9, although some are looking to get back as early as this week, Variety reported. Staffers working on daytime talk shows will likely return to work during the second week of October, Deadline reported. Scripted shows, such as new seasons of Netflix'...

Drew Barrymore says she will pause the return of her talk show “until the strike is over”

17Sep

By adminNo Comments

Money

Drew Barrymore says she will pause the return of her talk show “until the strike is over”

Drew Barrymore announced on Sunday her decision to halt the upcoming season premiere of her namesake daytime talk series, "The Drew Barrymore Show," a reversal that answered to mounting backlash over Barrymore's initial plans to return to the show despite the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes."I have listened to everyone, and I am making the decision to pause the show's premiere until the strike is over," Barrymore said in an Instagram post shared on Sunday morning. "I have no words to express my deepest apologies to anyone I have hurt and, of course, to our incredible team who works on the show and has made it what it is today," she continued. "We really tried to find our way forward. And I truly hope for a resolution for the entire industry very soon." Barrym...

Bill Maher says “Real Time” to return, but without writers

14Sep

By adminNo Comments

Entertainment

Bill Maher says “Real Time” to return, but without writers

Citing the need "to bring people back to work," comedian Bill Maher announced Wednesday that his HBO political talk show "Real Time" will return to the air, but without writers amid the ongoing strike, now in its fifth month. "The writers have important issues that I sympathize with, and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only people with issues, problems, and concerns," Maher said in a statement posted to social media, indicating that the economic wellbeing of his staff played a role in his decision. "Despite some assistance from me, much of the staff is struggling mightily," Maher wrote. The 67-year-old also noted that although the show would resume, it would be without several writer-driven segments, including his ...

Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel and others start podcast about Hollywood strikes together

31Aug

By adminNo Comments

Entertainment

Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel and others start podcast about Hollywood strikes together

WGA rejects proposal from Hollywood studios Writers strike continues as WGA rejects proposal from Hollywood studios 04:17 Five of America's most famous late-night comedy hosts are banding together to create a podcast to discuss the ins and outs of the ongoing Hollywood strikes, Spotify announced Tuesday.The limited series podcast, titled "Strike Force Five," launched Wednesday and features the voices of Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Ji...

Billy Porter says he has to sell house due to financial struggles from actors’ strike

9Aug

By adminNo Comments

Entertainment

Billy Porter says he has to sell house due to financial struggles from actors’ strike

Actor Billy Porter said he is being forced to put his home on the market due to financial struggles stemming from the Hollywood strikes."I have to sell my house because we're on strike," Porter said in an interview with the Evening Standard published last week. "And I don't know when we're gonna go back [to work]."The star of "Pose" and "Cinderella" said most people misunderstand actors' wealth, assuming they have enough money to survive this strike without major lifestyle changes. He says he has "already been starved out." "The life of an artist, until you make f***-you money — which I haven't made yet — is still check-to-check," Porter said. "I was supposed to be in a new movie, and on a new television show starting in September. None of that is happe...

Hollywood strikes taking a toll on California’s economy

5Aug

By adminNo Comments

Entertainment

Hollywood strikes taking a toll on California’s economy

Los Angeles — Hollywood scribes met with studio executives Friday for the first time since the Writer's Guild of America went on strike just over three months ago. The more than 11,000 film and television writers that make up the WGA have been on strike since early May. In mid-July, they were joined on the picket lines by the approximately 65,000 actors in the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, SAG-AFTRA, a move that has shuttered nearly all scripted Hollywood production. It marks the first time since 1960 that both guilds have been on strike simultaneously. The economic impact has been especially heightened in California, where film and television production accounts for more than 700,000 jobs and nearly $70 billion a year in wages, according to the ...

Leaders of striking Hollywood writers union to talk with studios about resuming negotiations

2Aug

By adminNo Comments

Money

Leaders of striking Hollywood writers union to talk with studios about resuming negotiations

Los Angeles — Union leaders told striking Hollywood writers Tuesday night that they plan to meet with representatives of studios to discuss restarting negotiations after the first official communication between the two sides since the writers' walkout began three months ago.The Writers Guild of America sent an email to members saying the head of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents major studios, streaming services and production companies in negotiations, requested a meeting on Friday to discuss the resumption of contract talks. "We'll be back in communication with you sometime after the meeting with further information," the email read. "As we've said before, be wary of rumors. Whenever there is important news to share, you will hear it directly fro...