The Grinch Steals Back Broadway!

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Broadway, strike, Theater, unions

For those of you following the stagehands strike on Broadway, the Grinch is back! Wuhoo!

As you know, I’m a huge supporter of unions and solidarity, but this is the holiday season during which Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! has a special limited run. And anyway, the show has a previously-negotiated special contract with the striking union – and the union was cool with the show going on. Clearly, so is the judge.

There are a lot of happy kids and their families in Whoville tonight. Kudos to the union for helping make this happen. And boo to the producers for wrongly invoking “solidarity” as a reason to deny kids this show.

As the judge said “I think one Grinch in town in enough.”

From CNN: Judge ‘Grinch’ back on Broadway

Here’s my original post on this:

How “Solidarity” Stole the Grinch

How “Solidarity” Stole The Grinch

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"pete seeger", Broadway, strike, Theater, unions, work

The League of American Theaters and Producers seem to have forced the Grinch to stop stealing Christmas. At least for now. (Good news! See 11/21/07 update below.)

At first, the striking stagehands looked to many like the bad guys. After all, the strike called by IATSE (Local 1) shut down most of Broadway just as prime holiday season was gearing up. On the other hand, they’ve been without a contract since the end of July and the producers were showing no sign of coming around.

The picketers took their places in front of the St. James Theater, where Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! just returned for what was expected to be a sold-out, kiddie-pleasing holiday season. Didn’t do much to win support for their cause. But because the show’s producers had negotiated a separate contract with Local 1 last year, the union ordered the picketers to let the show go on. And so the picketers moved elsewhere – and all appeared well in Whoville.

Then came the real grinch.

C’mon Ronnie Ann…Why All This Strike Coverage?

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"Writers Guild", strike, unions

You may wonder why I’ve focused my last few posts on the writers strike and why I also mentioned the current New York City stagehands strike that has brought most of Broadway to a halt. I mean, it’s just entertainment, right?

These strikes certainly don’t seem as important as the war in Iraq, the horrible cyclone in Bangladesh and others natural disasters, the political crisis in Pakistan, the mortgage crisis here in the U.S. plus the falling dollar and the impact of both on world markets, global warming, drought, hunger, disease, etc.

I care deeply about all of that, of course, but these strikes deal with something I also care deeply about.

SNL and 30 Rock Take to the Stage to Support the Writers Strike!

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"30 Rock", "Writers Guild", SNL, strike, unions

Performers from striking Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock (both NBC) are putting their funny where their mouths are.

Although I’m sure they didn’t get the idea from my November 9th post Oh Ellen…You Could Find Another Way!, I am thrilled they coincidentally riffed on my idea suggesting Ellen do something similar.

Two Great Video Riffs on the Writers Strike

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"Tim Kazurinsky", "Writers Guild", SNL, strike

Look. I know a strike is no laughing matter to those feeling the pain. But thank god that doesn’t stop comedy writers from taking well-aimed pot shots at the whole thing!

I found these two vids on the Writers Guild East website and think they add some terrific perspective to even the most well-written, heart-wrenching corporate cries of outrage.

Some Thoughts About the Writers Strike

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"Writers Guild", strike

Since I was a little girl, I dreamed about being part of a creative writing team like Sally, Buddy and Rob on the mythical Alan Brady Show. I couldn’t imagine anything more exciting.

Sitting with bright, creative folks as ideas fly fast and furious, and bits, skits, and stories take shape. And getting paid for it yet!

I also think this kind of day-in-day-out writing that forces you to be funny or creative or inspiring no matter where your head is that day is one of the hardest writing jobs imaginable.

Oh Ellen…You Could Find Another Way!

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"Ellen Degeneres", "Writers Guild", strike, union

From the headline on AOL, I can see I’m not the only blogger saying “Tsk tsk tsk!” to Ellen DeGeneres. Seems, after showing initial one-day solidarity with her writers and the current writers’ strike by not taping on Monday, she went back to doing the show sans writers, with her sole concession being no monologue.

According to the article Bloggers Blast Strike-Breaking ‘Ellen‘:

“I want to say I love my writers,” DeGeneres said on Tuesday’s show. “I love them. In honor of them today, I’m not going to do a monologue. I support them and hope that they get everything they’re asking for.” DeGeneres goes on to say that she’s continuing her show because “people have traveled across the country” to attend and be guests on her show, and she wants to “do everything I can to make your trip enjoyable and give you a show.”

Now I’m a huge fan of Ellen and know she is not the only one crossing the picket line.