Yes, it’s true the Gorilla is a huge TV buff. And hey, what can you say? There’s some really good shows to watch on the tube these days. Look, you have some nice looking housewives, crime scene investigators, legal shows, shows about Vegas (the Gorilla never tires of that one), shows about psychics, vampire shows, and that’s just to name a few. Never in history has there been such diverse programming to choose from on the Tele.. the problem? Well, no writers of course.
It doesn’t do us a lot good to have all of these great shows, if you have nobody to write the new episodes now does it? Even Letterman had to be put on hold for awhile, until they brought themselves off strike. (Thank goodness!) But yes, the Gorilla understands the writers standpoint completely, and of course, he totally supports these talented folks- and without them, we’d have little to look forward to. Imagine not having the cleverly imagined law scenarios on ‘Boston Legal,’ or not having the very cute and entertaining jargon of ‘Pushing Daisies.’ Or how about the drama on ‘Entourage’ or the comedic relief of ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm?’ What a boring contemplation! Yes, thank goodness for the writers; those creative geniuses who make our lives so much more entertaining!
So, is the strike almost over? There is speculation and rumors that negotiations and talks are heading towards a resolution hopefully in time for the February 24th Oscar show. (Oh my, what would we do without our red carpet this year?) So, will the writers be properly compensated for their tremendous efforts? And what exactly are the terms to the negotiations? The Gorilla did his homework and here’s what he found out: the toughest issues were concerning compensation for projects distributed via the Internet. While the specifics were not disclosed, the proposal agreement is believed to include significant increases in the residuals that writers receive for online use of movies and TV shows. This will also include a deal with The Directors Guild of America to increase residuals for some paid Internet downloads and for ad-supported streaming of programs. But keep in mind that these are just informal talks, which are meant to act as a substitute for formal negotiations between writers and the Alliance for Motion Pictures, which broke off on December 7th.
Although the Guild and studios have repeatedly declined any comment on the talks, stars who attended the recent Academy Awards luncheon on Monday, seem optimistic that it will be resolved in time for their beloved February 24th event. Hmm. Could this simply be wishful thinking on the part of the celebrities, who wait all year long for the red carpet glam and glitz? No one knows for sure (except for those who are negotiating), but all the Gorilla knows is that he wants his shows back! Hey America- don’t you?