Strike Journal, Week 1

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I have a confession to make. I love picketing. Every day, I spend four hours walking back-and-forth on a sidewalk in front of 20th Century Fox Studios. Four hours of protesting the movie and TV producers’ corporate greed. Four hours of light, low-impact cardio. Four hours of cool, breezy fresh air. Four hours of cars honking at me in support. Four hours of chatting with smart, funny people. Four hours of avoiding Jesse Jackson. I look forward to picketing when I go to bed. I wake up, excited to grab my sign and walk the line. What famous or interesting people will show up today? What book-on-tape will I listen to when I get bored of talking to famous and interesting people? I can’t wait to picket!

I hope this strike is resolved. I hope everyone can go back to work as soon as possible. I hope the AMPTP gives the writers a fair residual on digital distribution. Easily the cheapest way to settle this thing — for them. But since when have corporations cared only about the bottom line? (Sarcasm.) No, they’d rather slap down the heart of their industry, just to show off that they can. Classy.

Well, the one thing the producers didn’t count on is… picketing is great! It’s simple. It’s outside. It’s slimming. It’s UNIFYING. Before picketing, when I’d see a herd of unfamiliar writers from some other show, I’d think, “Look at those jackasses. They think they’re so funny, with their t-shirts and their glasses and their scripts… weak.” Presumably, the other TV staff is looking at us and thinking, “Look at those other jackasses. They think they’re so funny. Especially the one with the receding hairline and ugly beard… tool.” Now, everyone is HAPPY to see everyone else. We’re all brothers and sisters in arms, not assorted groups of misanthropic people pods. Maybe picketing is the antidote to cynicism and loathing!

Of course, it’s only been one week. But I have A LOT of picketing left in me.

NOTE: If you care at all why this strike is happening, check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ55Ir2jCxk