The 80th Academy Awards is set for broadcast, but if the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers do not strike an agreement, the Kodak Theatre will be quiet come Feb. 24.
Though the WGA has every right to picket for its fair share of Internet residuals and the ability for animation and reality TV writers to join WGA, they should allow a pass for the coveted show.
The Golden Globes was the writers’ strike’s first casualty since writers walked off the set Nov. 5, and the same fate looms for the Oscars.
The possibility of the press conference-like show the Golden Globes adopted is slim, and Oscar producer Gil Cates said in the Jan. 18 issue of Entertainment Weekly the Oscars are still going on.
But the telecast might be lacking the star power if the WGA pickets the show.
Smaller award programs such as Screen Actor Guild Awards and Critics Choice Awards remained unscathed with a back-door deal with the writers.
The Grammys got a pass to hire writers and allow performers and actors to attend without crossing a picket line.
As of yet, there has not been any leniency for the Oscars. The WGA is even making the Academy pay to use clips from the nominated films. In the past years, the WGA has allowed free usage of movie clips.
But if the WGA takes down the coup de gras of award shows, it might cost them the support of the SAG and the public.
In 2007, the Academy Awards came in third in the Nielsen ratings, only after the Super Bowl and its Post Game Show.
People might groan about the nominees or the show itself, but many still tune in to see who wins.
On the actor’s side, many nominees do not get the luxury of multiple nominations, nevertheless winning. To take away part of their Oscar moment is not the smartest thing for the WGA to do right now.
“I am just getting angry,” Hairspray director Adam Shankman said in EW. “I am finding this whole thing very distasteful. I think it is a shame.”
If the WGA does picket the telecast, actors will not attend, and this leaves many behind-the-scene workers without the money the Oscar generates for them.
“No stars means no red carpet, which means lost revenue not only for networks like E!,” the EW article said, “but for limo drivers, hoteliers, restaurateurs and jewelers—and most of the fashion press, stylists and clothing designers.”
The WGA probably sees these reasons as ammo for its cause.
Let us hope WGA sees that taking down this event will not destroy ABC. It probably will not even make a dent as much as the lack of new shows does.
The WGA should give the Academy Awards a pass to allow the host, Jon Stewart, to hire writers and allow the SAG card-holding actors to walk down the red carpet without crossing the line.
