WRITER’S STRIKE – DUELING STORIES

The WGA strike is into its second week. That is a fact. In LA everyone takes that fact very personally because the loss of paychecks to writers (and to the crews of the TV shows shutting down prematurely, not to mention the loss of the mega-budgeted feature films thinking of filming in Australia to avoid picket lines) has an enormous ripple. Hollywood is a company and a union town. Nothing makes you quite as emotional as the thought that you won’t be able to feed your family. Facts + Emotions = Stories.

There are two dueling storylines coalescing. The studio story is simple, effective and tailored to the mainstream media that these same six media conglomerates own or control. It is easy for everyone to stay on message.

“The writer’s are spoiled, rich kids – the kind you never liked in high school because they always did extra homework and said snotty thing behind your back – and they need a firm parental hand or their silly little tantrum over “residuals” – whatever the hell those are – will cause chaos and spoil a good thing.”

It is George Lakoff’s “firm father” model of conservative framing without the saving grace of Frank Luntz’s brilliant words. It is no coincidence that Rupert Murdoch’s current lickspittle (and I mean that in a good way), Fox Group CEO Peter Chernin, is the most virulent proponent of this position. It is bad ass Big Daddyism at its most blatant.

For the writer's story JUST CLICK HERE. If like me you get most of your news from “The Daily Show” it will help ease your comedy jones.