Tina Fey, big-time "Office" "showrunner" Daniels picket; Carrell in; Jon Stewart salary story untrue

[DeepModem Mom]

WRITERS GUILD STRIKE NEWS AND NOTES:

TV Squad: Tina Fey joins picket line
Posted Nov 5th 2007, by Bob Sassone

As if I didn't already have a dozen reasons to love Tina Fey, here's another: she has actually joined the writer picket lines in New York City.

While several celebrities have spoken out in favor of writers (most notably David Letterman on his show last week), this is the first celeb I've seen on the picket line. I wonder if more will follow....

http://www.tvsquad.com:80/2007/11/05/tina-fey-joins-picket-line/


Tina Fey

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TV Week: November 5, 2007
Daniels, Carrell Picket ‘Office’ Production
By James Hibberd

“The Office” showrunner Greg Daniels has joined the picket line at his production company’s Van Nuys location in an attempt to shut down production of his show. “We’re trying to shut down ‘The Office,’” Mr. Daniels said. “We have the star of our show and the entire writing staff behind us.”

Mr. Daniels says he arrived at 4:15 this morning and none of the show's actors have crossed the line. “The Office” cast includes several performers who are also writers on the show, like B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling and Paul Lieberstein. “Office” star Steve Carell is a WGA member and is not showing up for work as well, he said.

Mr. Daniels is one of many writer-producers facing the decision this morning whether to continue acting as producers on their shows. Sources say a group of top showrunners met this weekend and largely decided to not cross the picket lines. Studios maintain showrunners should continue working to fulfill their production duties.

“We have non-writing producers on the show who are perfectly capable of doing any non-writing producing duties,” Mr. Daniels said. “They want me do to writing-producing and just pretend it’s producing. Every decision you make has a writing aspect to it. If they really just thought it was producing, they could just as easily get somebody else to do these tasks.”

Mr. Daniels said there’s only one unproduced “Office” script that’s ready to go, but it’s a good one. “Last week we had our best table reading of the entire run of the show, and that’s what we were going to shoot this week,” he said.

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2007/11/daniels_carell_picket_office_p.php

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givememyremote.com: Monday, 5 Nov 2007
World’s Best Boss: Jon Stewart

UPDATE: I’m not taking back what I said about Jon Stewart being the world’s best boss, but there is an update on this story. Despite earlier reports from “a well placed source," Portfolio.com is now reporting that Jon is in fact NOT paying his staffs’ salaries while they are on strike. Here’s the official statement from Jon’s publicist:

“While I hesitate to knock down every rumor that comes up, the assertion that Jon and/or Busboy Productions will be paying for the staff is false and we have no further comment beyond this at this time.”...

http://www.givememyremote.com:80/remote/worlds-best-boss-jon-stewart/

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Hollywood Reporter: Writers on sidewalks outside nets, studios
By Carl DiOrio, Leslie Simmons, Nellie Andreeva and Kimberly Nordyke
Nov 6, 2007
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i4d5efe43d62fdc4509fab74c982dd81e

In this article: "Simpsons" executive producer James L. Brooks is picketing at Twentieth Century Fox lot; Julia Louis-Dreyfus at the Warner Brothers lot; more.

[Lerkfish]

1. I would point out that Tina Fey IS a writer and a writer's guild member, I believe

so her being on a picket line, is laudable but not unusual.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Not at all unusual. Just thought it was of interest, and photoed. nt

[Lerkfish]

3. oh, absolutely I'm not dissing bringing it up, just wanted to be clear she has

a rightful place in the picket, instead of as the link implies, that she joined in just out of unrelated support.
Actually, I think its a BETTER story because she's a guild member I think.


I'm a big union guy here, myself.

:)

[DeepModem Mom]

4. You're right, she is quite a writer! (Also, I love "30 Rock"!) nt

[Captain Hilts]

5. I LOVE 30 Rock. nt