According to Reuters, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is in talks with the WGA to allow the Golden Globe Awards to be broadcast as planned. They are trying to get an "interim agreement" such as the one negotiated by David Letterman's company Worldwide Pants.Letterman's agreement does pave the way for individual organizations to directly negotiate with the WGA. Since the Golden Globes are Hollywood's second biggest self-aggrandizing party (the Oscars being the first), it's easy to see how such an agreement would benefit both sides.
When I first read the article, I thought the HFPA was more concerned with picketing and/or celebrities unwilling to cross picket lines than actually getting writers for the awards, but it seems that they are actually trying to snag writers for the gig. Probably a good idea, since most of the actors in Hollywood aren't that much into improvisation.
If this goes through, it opens the possibility of the Oscars doing the same thing (although given the lame jokes at the most of the Oscars I've ever watched, I wonder if a lack of writers would improve it). Perhaps even the production companies of scripted shows rather than the studios could directly negotiate with the WGA and the scripted shows could return. I can dream, can't I?
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-03-2008 @ 2:43PM
Joey Geraci said...
Does anybody know how many dramas/comedies are owned by independent production companies that might be able to negotiate?
Reply
1-03-2008 @ 2:54PM
GigG said...
One would think that since a lot the people who are nominated for GG and Oscars are WGA members that the WGA would cut them some slack.
Reply
1-03-2008 @ 3:24PM
ac said...
If Lost is able to work a deal through Bad Robot (JJ Abrams production company) I would be soo hapy.
Reply
1-04-2008 @ 2:23AM
Brent McKee said...
The Golden Globes can't get an Interim Agreement on their own. That would have to be Dick Clark Productions, which produces the Golden Globe telecast, and presumably the WGA would insist on a deal that would cover everything that Dick Clark Productions does, and would be similar to what they got from Letterman. And of course, if the show is done by DCP in partnership with NBC or the other networks that is simply not going to happen because the networks won't shot-circuit AMPTP like that.
Reply
1-05-2008 @ 9:53PM
D-Bo said...
Not gonna happen:
SAG released the following statement about their decision:
“After considerable outreach to Golden Globe actor nominees and their representatives over the past several weeks, there appears to be unanimous agreement that these actors will not cross WGA picket lines to appear on the Golden Globe Awards as acceptors or presenters. We applaud our members for this remarkable show of solidarity for striking Writers Guild of America writers.”
Reply