Dispatches From The WGA Picket Lines, Day 18: David E. Kelley, ‘Cobra Kai’ Creators, Rep. Adam Schiff & (Happily) More Food
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There was come old-school writer cred on the picket line outside the Fox lot in Century City today. David E. Kelley, he of the 11 Emmys and 30 nominations, is a veteran of multiple WGA strikes going back to 1988. Introducing himself as “David E. Kelley, old writer,” the Love & Death creator — whose many credits also include Big Little Lies, Big Sky, The Lincoln Lawyer, The Undoing, The Practice, Ally McBeal, and Picket Fences — told Deadline why he’s striking this time.
“All the strikes have had merits on the writer’s behalf, but this one more than any other,” said Kelley, holding a picket sign with “Sow Me The Data” handwritten on it. “This is a real unprecedented time, especially when it comes to sharing the data. When one side is not wanting to be forthcoming, that kind of tells you all you need to know.”
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Streamers’ lack of transparency on series’ performance is among the issues writers are pursuing as it impacts everything, from pickup decisions to residuals and profit participation.
“All the strikes have had merits on the writer's behalf, but this one more than any other,” David E. Kelley told Deadline at the Fox picket on Friday. “This is a real unprecedented time, especially when it comes to sharing the data.” pic.twitter.com/3Mg9Qnvb2i
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 19, 2023
Also kicking up a ruckus at Fox today were Cobra Kai creators Hayden Schlossberg, Josh Heald and Jon Hurwitz.
“It sucks because we should be shooting right now, but we’re not because a strike is happening,” Schlossberg said of the Karate Kid spinoff series that’s been renewed for a sixth and final season at Netflix. Added Heald: “We were supposed to go into production the day that the strike began in Atlanta. We had visited the set the day before, but when the strike was called, we pulled back and have been on strike ever since.”
Hurwitz added: “There’s a good reason for this. At this point, many of you know the issues we’re talking about: It’s about the future of the writing career and about people getting paid appropriately for what they do. It’s also about the threat of the big bad robots.”
"We were supposed to go into production the day that the strike began in Atlanta…but when the strike was called we pulled back and have been on strike ever since," said Cobra Kai’s Josh Heald alongside fellow co-creators Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg at Fox Studios on Friday. pic.twitter.com/4wyrYk2rBA
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 20, 2023
And the guys brought along some pretzels:
Series star Alicia Hannah-Kim, who plays Kim Da-Eun, also spoke with Deadline.
WHY I'M STRIKING: "We have our showrunners out here, our writers out here…I think it's important for union solidarity" – Alicia Hannah-Kim, Cobrai Kai #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/KvvonnyfHA
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 21, 2023
Elsewhere today, “the Star Trek family from shows past and present” beamed down to the Paramount lot in Hollywood and Netflix offices in New York, boldly looking for a new contract:
The Star Trek family from shows past and present are out at Paramount right now (in New York too, at Netflix!), supporting a fair contract! Or as my favorite sign I’ve seen so far says, FIRST CONTRACT. #WGAStrong pic.twitter.com/OydJG4q3D9
— Bill Wolkoff (@flying_lobster) May 19, 2023
Rep. Adam Schiff of California, who is running for a Senate seat, turned up at the picket line outside Paramount to rally the picketers:
🪧🪧 “Live long & pay up!” @RepAdamSchiff joins the picket lines at @paramountplus 🪧🪧 #WGAstrong #1u #WGAstrike pic.twitter.com/5zQKt48ufY
— Writers Guild of America West (@WGAWest) May 19, 2023
Drew Carey is offering striking writers some free chow at a couple of L.A. area eateries for the duration of the strike — but bring your WGA card:
🚨Ateention #WGA Folks! 🚨
Show your WGA card at Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank or Swingers Diner on Beverly (near Fairfax) and your meal is free.
For the duration of the strike.
Dine-in only, Tip included.#WGAStrong #WGAStrike
Spread your the word 🙏❤️— ʎǝɹɐƆ ʍǝɹᗡ (@DrewFromTV) May 19, 2023
The Schmigadoon! cast kept with the Apple TV+ series’ theme and set their words about the strike to music. Hear how the likes of Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski, Ann Harada and Jaime Camil feel about (hint: pay the writers!):
The cast of Schmigadoon! says "Pay the Writers"! @WGAWest @WGAEast @KChenoweth @jaimecamil @annharada @Instatituss #WGAStrong pic.twitter.com/RRKyR8knQS
— Cinco Paul (@cincopedia) May 19, 2023
Writer and WGA captain Chandra Thomas thanked some former BU Terriers for their support on the line:
Thanks Boston University alum for joining us on the WB picket line! Amazing Boston Terrier solidarity. #WGAStrong pic.twitter.com/MeomzeZHxq
— chandra thomas (@chandra7thomas) May 19, 2023
WGA’s South Asian writers showed up en masse at Disney with Mindy Kaling at the center of the celebration.
Wowowow! What a turnout at the South Asians in Solidarity @WGAWest picket at Disney! This is just HALF of the group! S/o to the Queen, @mindykaling, for supporting and being so generous w/ her time! So much start power! See pics in thread ⬇️ #WGAStrong #SAWCWGAPicket pic.twitter.com/CklSt11WOG
— Natasha Chandel (@Natasha_Chandel) May 20, 2023
Scabby loomed large over a group of picketers at Netflix HQ:
Made a new friend on the picket line. Come on down to Netflix HQ and take a pic with the rat, the myth, the legend…
SCABBY! Courtesy of our friends @LindsayD399 & The Teamsters 🪧❤️ #WGAStrong #TUDUM pic.twitter.com/qFgye5m7GU— Danny “Netflix AM Coordinator” Tolli (@dctolli) May 19, 2023
Some more scenes from the picket lines:
WHY I'M STRIKING: "In support of my brothers and sisters in the Writers Guild" – Nick Zano pic.twitter.com/35AryecJjB
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 20, 2023
1923 star Sebastian Roché joined his wife Hannah-Kim on the picket line, both representing SAG-AFTRA
WHY I'M STRIKING: "Without writers, us actors wouldn't be there, directors wouldn't be there, producers wouldn't be there, and networks wouldn't exist" – Sebastian Roché, SAG-AFTRA #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/9ST9Q1k9qy
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 21, 2023
Veteran TV producer Steve Paskay (America’s Funniest Home Videos) came to the picket line carrying an old sign from the 1981 WGA strike.
WHY I'M STRIKING: "I understand that we have to watch the budget…but you can have no budget, or no need for a budget, until somebody writes something…" – Steve Paskay, WGA, DGA #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/CmP3YpipjG
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 21, 2023
WHY WE'RE STRIKING: "If you look at the history of deal memos, writer compensation has been cut by half or even three-quarters over the life of my career" – Loraine Despres and Carleton Eastlake #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/TQVULOTMaL
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 20, 2023
WHY WE'RE STRIKING: "We were in the middle of writing Season 6 [of 'Virgin River'] and we want to get back to it…" – Thomas Ian Griffith and Mary Page Keller, WGA #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/QbNHlHoXuN
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 21, 2023
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