[NYTr] my writing partner on the writers strike

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

sent by "hankidu" via Ed Pearl - Nov 18, 2007

MY FAVORITE NONAGENARIAN COMEDY WRITER IRV ON THE WRITERS STRIKE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1NeihzlBHo


Fade in:

CARD:  SAME OLD STORY

INT. IRV'S LIVINGROOM

Irv: I remember the strike of aught-seven.  A terrible period for 
writers.  See, at that time, there was minimal government regulation 
of the industry so the companies thought they could get away with 
keeping all the profits.  These six studios practically had a 
monopoly.  They controlled everything.  But with one exception.  They 
couldn’t control the writers.   And when they said, “Take it” we 
decided to leave it.

We weren’t being greedy.  We weren’t asking for the moon.  We just 
wanted our fair share.   We create the characters.  We tell the 
stories.  We make the memories.  And in return, we demand a small 
enduring percentage.

The strike of aught-seven is still in progress but I support it as 
I’ve supported all other guild strikes.  Because the only way we’ve 
ever gotten anything is by standing up and saying, “No.”

Look, I’m still mad that they took away our copyright.  And I’m still 
mad they took away our pre-1960 residuals.  Don’t let them take away 
the internet.  You can already watch the Marx Brothers performing my 
words on your computer and I receive nothing.

As Chester A. Riley would have said “What a revoltin’ development 
this is.”  But he only said that because I wrote it.  I’m Irv 
Brecher.  And I’m a writer.

CARD: Irv Brecher, WGA Member since (year TK)

CARD:  Looking for representation.

CARD:  Because his agent died.