Writers Guild of America, East, shows Ellen no puppy love

The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), issued this statement today:

"Ellen DeGeneres went back on the air this week after honoring only one day of the writers strike. In anticipation of her plans to tape shows in New York City on Nov. 19 and 20, the Writers Guild of America, East, is extremely disappointed to see that Ellen has chosen not to stand with writers during the strike. Ellen's peers who host comedy/variety shows have chosen to support the writers and help them get a fair contract. Ellen has not. On her first show back, Ellen said she loves and supports her writers, but her actions prove otherwise.

"Ellen has also been performing comedy on her show. Even if Ellen is writing those segments herself, since those segments would normally be written by the writers on strike, she's performing "struck work." Ellen is violating the strike rules that were clearly explained to all of the comedy/variety shows.

"We certainly intend to let Ellen know our dissatisfaction in person if she decides to proceed with the shows she has scheduled in New York on Nov. 19 and 20. We will also make our voices heard the preceding week if she tries to pre-tape comedy segments on location.

"We find it sad that Ellen spent an entire week crying and fighting for a dog that she gave away, yet she couldn't even stand by writers for more than one day -- writers who have helped make her extremely successful.

"Every show and film set has a production staff and crew that is beloved by their writers. Ellen's staff is no more important than the rest of the industry. When shows refuse to stand with us they create huge revenue streams for the companies, and that prolongs the strike for the thousands of staff and crew members who are noble enough to honor our picket lines. We find this situation hurtful to those people and extremely unfortunate.

"The writers did not cause this strike....We ask Ellen to cease doing shows immediately. She should stand by all writers and help us bring this strike to a quick conclusion. We owe that to the thousands of people who are caught in the middle.

"If you agree that Ellen should stand with the writers on strike, please contact her and tell her so at: http://ellen.warnerbros.com/show/dearellen/. Or contact the show's production office at (818) 260-5600."

Comments

[Erin]

I'm disappointed in Ellen's decision and also, how stupid is it to say you support the writers and then totally scab? She's a lame hypocrite.

[Erin]

Also, to the people saying that Ellen supporting the writers would be shirking the studio audience, I'm sorry but how lame are you that you can't find something better to do in NYC than go to an Ellen taping?

EPIC FAIL.

[Michael Snyder]

Q: How many day-time talk show hostess does it take to change a light-bulb?
A: Just one. They hold onto the light-bulb and the world revolves around them.

[Richard Dean Starr]

How soon so many Americans forget the lessons of the past! Thsi equation is really very simple: unions HELP American workers, regardless of whether they're working on an assembly line, driving trucks, or writing a TV show. When there is a strike, your industry should support you. Period. If you support the workers of your industry, you do NOT cross picket lines. Period. And you most certainly do NOT do 'scab' work, showing your utter contempt and lack of respect for the striking workers. Period.

It really IS that simple.

[Madeline]

I am shocked bythe majority of the comments here! Do mosdt of you really think the writers' stike is based on petulance? You clearly don't know the facts. Of course Ellen is entitled to her own opinion but the WGA is correct to fire back at her. Rmeber the majority of Guild membership is made up or working class writers, not Ellens or Jay Lenos or Jon Stewarts. The high profile ones are taking the flack simply because they are high profile and when she acts this stupid it is selfish and undermines the cause of the whole. Pay attention people, I am shocked at YOUR ignorance and selfishness.

[mac]

ellen and her crew need to become more courageous and be more truthful.

if she signed her name on the dotted line, to stand with the union. THEN UNION SHE IS.

otherwise, dont claim to be union for your own benefit, but when the crap hits the fan, duck, hide, and take cover.

[PRO-UNION]

It's good to see that Ellen has commanded her staff to write good things about her on this comments board...

[laguna]

if you care about this woman, then you have no taste.

[Castulo Guerra]

Ellen wasn't crying and fighting for the dog, she was crying because of the heartbroken children the dog was taken from. Big difference there.

[Jaxon]

Like all Hollywood industry unions, the Writers' Guild is first and foremost in the business of keeping newbies out of the business. Every Hollywood union has the same catch-22: you can't join the union until you've either been hired or made a sale; but because of their contracts with production companies you can't get hired or make a sale unless you're a union member (unless, of course, nepotism rears its ugly head). Don't get me wrong: the studios are, if anything, worse than the unions. You can thank the Indies for just about all the original entertainment we do get.

[Jaxon]

Like all Hollywood industry unions, the Writers' Guild is first and foremost in the business of keeping newbies out of the business. Every Hollywood union has the same catch-22: you can't join the union until you've either been hired or made a sale; but because of their contracts with production companies you can't get hired or make a sale unless you're a union member. Unless, of course, nepotism rears its ugly head. Don't get me wrong: the studios are, if anything, worse than the unions. In my view, we can thank the Indies for just about all the original entertainment we do get.

I get a real laugh out of WGA members posting complaints here about Ellen's staff posting here. Now there's some original writing.

[sara]

Some people put a lot of dedication into TV, Erin. I'm sure some people look very much forward to going to an Ellen taping. She has fans, you know. Just like everyone in this "Support the WGA or BUST!" mentality is obviously too far invested in TV. There is a war going on, you know, teachers and sanitation workers striking... let's go show this kind of support for them, too!

[Paul Mendenhall]

The historical ignorance in this country is appalling. Without unions, there would never have been an American middle class. But when the unions ask people to make the slightest sacrifice to support them, they whine like babies. "We might miss an Ellen taping! Waaah!" Good God.

Ellen may think she is doing the right thing, but she isn't. Every time someone doesn't support a strike, it drives another stake through the heart of this country. American democracy is dependant on a thriving middle class, and the anti-union movement initiated by Reagan has been decimating that class for nearly three decades now. Wake up!

[Paul Murray]

It seems pretty obvious that an artist has a right to create and perform their own work. Even a comic artist. "Writing", in the sense of a writers guild, surely means writing material for another. If writers are as central to commercial sucess as they claim, then giving performers enough rope to hang themselves - allowing them to fall flat with their own material - would be a great idea.

[Aaron Rowland]

Therein lies the irony. The writers told Ellen how to act concerning the dog incident, but now that they are gone, there aren't any writers to script her reaction to the writers being gone.

[WORKING WGA MEMBER says WGA is FULL OF S#!(]

First. The WGA claims solidarity among all the countless who picket:
a) The WGA members do so out of FEAR not solidarity. The WGA has gauranteed sanctions against any members who do NOT picket.
b) the actors striking are doing so out of solidarity but in hopes that if they push hard enough, the WGA will fight the battle that SAG is dreading this coming June.
c) The non-WGA writer's and many of the actors out there picketing are only doing so in an effort to network. Intelligent: yes. Out of solidarity: no.

RE: ELLEN
1) Let's be honest and ignore WGA rhetoric. Ellen's show is a tlk show not unlike Oprah, Montel, Dr. Phil, etc. Yes, she adds minor comedy bit to stand out from teh crowd of talkshows. She now writes those bits herself. The WGA is now coming dangerously close to imfringing Free Speech writes by threatening her and attempting to force her to remain silent. Ludicrous and unacceptable.

I am ashamed of the strong-arm tactics my union is using... even against their own members (feature animation, pre-registering unfished work, etc, etc, etc)

[sunshine]

I find it rather telling when writers miss the point of ellen's angst. Imho it was due to the sadness she caused the two children to whom she gave the puppy, not the fact that her puppy was returned to the agency.

Further, i am wondering if the agency's motivation was more financial than altruistic in this particular case. Did the next family also have to pay for that same puppy? Don' t get me wrong, I realize that there are rules, but there also can be extenuating circumstances in many cases and moral justice goes a longer way than blind justice.

Sooooooooo writers, while i support your right to strike, i don't support your manipulating spin to further your cause. it has such a familiar ring to it..