Archive for October 29, 2008

The Top 10 Things Nick Counter Has to Say to Juan Carlos Gonazales

As we told you, the AMPTP has agreed to meet with the federal mediator the Allens asked to step into the stalled TV-Theatrical negotiations. The Allens have met with Gonzales already. The AMPTP meets with him tomorrow. With apologies to David Letterman, here’s our list of the Top 10 things we expect Nick Counter to say to Gonzalez:#10. Loved your work on the WGA negotiations.#9. The last best and final offer is on the table.#8. No, I won’t change the DVD residuals formula.#7. Sure, I’ll be glad to give SAG less work. #6. No, I won’t give them more money for new media.#5. They can take core principles and …#4. I love the Allens. Really! They’re great guys.#3.  You better call Atlanta to find out what’s really happening in SAG.#2. I could have had a V8! #1. I could change that last best and final offer…and make it worse. 

Just a Coincidence?

If you’ve wandered through the SAG website lately, you’ve probably noticed the disappearance of all those pictures of the Allens, looking suitably angry at rallies and enjoying an on-field frolic at Dodger Stadium. In the run up to the election, the pictures were practically inescapable.Now that the election is over, and Membership First lost, sure, you can still find the Allens fulminating on SAG-TV, but that’s about it. The front page pictures? Gone.Perhaps it’s just a coincidence. Maybe all those pictures were taken down to protect them from all the wear and tear on the front page. (We’ll see who the serious SAGWatch trivia buffs are when we hear who picked up on that reference.) But more likely, it’s one more subtle, but distinct sign of the changes underway at SAG, now that the union is under new leadership. It takes more than one election cycle to complete the job, but the journey begins with a single step.

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