NBCU Execs Silent on Writers Strike as Picket Line Rages Outside Peacock NewFront

Flavor Flav is showing his support for members of the Writers Guild of America!

It was a tale of two coasts today, as WGA picketers and their allies targeted Disney’s upfront presentation in New York and also the company’s Burbank lot in Los Angeles. And the two scenes were very different.

As the writers strike enters its third week, there’s little sign of resolution between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Picket lines surrounding studio offices and production sets continue to draw striking writers and other entertainment industry workers, including members of SAG-AFTRA, the PGA and IATSE looking to show solidarity with their colleagues. With their pens down professionally, writers have taken the opportunity to channel their talents toward the strike, crafting some clever puns and harsh roasts for media executives.

Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor Since the writers strike started on May 2, celebrities have turned out to support WGA members picketing for a better guild contract. Actors like Fred Armisen are also writers who are members of the WGA, while some SAG-AFTRA members are walking the line to support their colleagues. Since most TV shows and movies have suspended production until the strike is resolved, stars, writers and filmmakers like Christopher Nolan are taking to the streets to show their support for members of the Writers Guild of America.

EXCLUSIVE: Cocaine Bear filmmaker Elizabeth Banks has urged industry professionals to “hold the line” and support striking writers, particularly around issues such as the use of AI as her thriller Dreamquil, which explores the dangers of artificial intelligence, launches at the Canes Market.

76th Annual Tony Awards will go on without having to cross a picket line.The Writers Guild of America announced on Monday that they will not picket this year's show, which is set for June 11, amid the ongoing writers' strike.«Tony Awards Productions (a joint venture of the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing) has communicated with us that they are altering this year’s show to conform with specific requests from the WGA,» a statement from the guild explained, according to «Therefore the WGA will not be picketing the show.»«As they have stood by us, we stand with our fellow workers on Broadway who are impacted by our strike,» the statement added.The show will proceed, although in an unspecified altered form, as planned.Kate Shindle, president of Actor Equity, took to Twitter to share her thanks with the WGA for their agreement, «Thank you, @WGAWest and @WGAEast. @ActorsEquity members: time to double down on showing up at their pickets.»«Oh, and because it can’t be said enough: this is still #AMPTP’s fault, and the writers should never have been put in this position,» she added. «We can appreciate the grace AND point at the culprits, right?»Oh, and because it can’t be said enough: this is still #AMPTP’s fault, and the writers should never have been put in this position.

The NBCUniversal Upfront presentation was the center of Day 14 of the writers strike on the east coast.

The NBCUniversal Upfront kicked off a week of events in New York amid a writers strike.

writers strike heads into its third week. “Labor has to stick together. Workers have to stick together. We’re in a time when people need to be taken care of and have security in their jobs,” IATSE president Matthew Loeb told Variety. Loeb was on hand with IATSE vice president Matthew Miller and dozens of members of IATSE’s Local 800 and Local 695, among other units.

Rep. Katie Porter joined writers on the picket line at the Culver Studios in Los Angeles on Friday in solidarity with the ongoing WGA strike.

Mandy Patinkin is feeling the rage.

After yesterday’s Imagine Dragons party outside Netflix, it was Paramount’s turn to pop.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Let the gig economy debate begin. One of the most contentious issues in the writers strike that erupted May 2 is the assertion by the Writers Guild of America that screenwriting is in danger of becoming part of the “gig economy.” The WGA’s proposed solutions — mandatory staffing minimums and guaranteed weeks of employment — are equally dividing labor and management. Now that contract talks between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have cratered, complex issues are being chewed over by writers who are fired up, walking in circles (literally) and wound up about the long-term employment picture for Hollywood scribes.

Striking writers marching Wednesday in New York City were joined by SAG-AFTRA members Bob Odenkirk and Mandy Patinkin.

Imagine Dragons, in solidarity with the writers strike, showed up at the Netflix picket line to support writers.

flyer for the all inclusive 21+ event reads, posted to Twitter by the event co-hosts. “Join us to fight for our rights … and for love!Single and striking? See you on Wednesday! @ellerowe @deannashumaker @debbywolfe pic.twitter.com/fewVcsnN3FThe event is co-hosted by WGA member and TV writer Jaydi Samuels Kuba and development exec and TV producer Lauren Rosenberg, who own matchmaking company LJMatchmaking and have been widely known as the “Love Agents of Hollywood.” Samuels Kuba and Rosenberg had initially floated the idea of throwing a singles picket, and decided to combine forces with writers Debby Wolfe and Marcos Luevanos, who had a similar idea and decided to cover the cost of drinks for single writers following the afternoon picket shift for a limited time.Writer Deanna Shumaker also joins the organizing team after previously suggesting a color-coded tape system for picketers to identify potential love interests on their picketing signs.

William Earl On May 2, the Writers Guild of America called for a strike after negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers fell through. The first week was robust with picketing in New York City, Los Angeles and Atlanta, with the striking shutting down productions. As the strike enters a second week, Variety is still reporting from the picket lines. *Mother and Kid Day at the Netflix picket drew a huge crowd, seemingly showing that Week 2 crowds would be as robust as Week 1. *Variety spoke with Michele Mulroney, vice president of the WGA West who brought her son Mateo to Mother and Kid Day, about what AMPTP needs to do to resume talks.

According to plan, Pete Davidson was supposed to have made his triumphant return to Rockefeller Center’s Studio 8H this weekend for his debut as “Saturday Night Live” host.

Day four of the writers strike and there’s no sign of slowing down for the writers marching in Hollywood.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The MTV Movie & TV Awards may still be going on this Sunday without the services of host Drew Barrymore, but the Writers Guild has taken notice. In a short press release on Friday, the guild announced that it would picket outside Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, where the kudocast is set to take place on May 7, at 5 p.m. PT. MTV had already scrapped a red carpet before the show, in the hopes that the awards show would stay off the radar of any pickets. As Variety wrote exclusively on Thursday, Barrymore opted to step down as host of this year’s MTV Movie & TV Awards, in a show of support and solidarity to the striking Writers Guild members. She instead agreed to return and host next year’s edition of the kudocast instead.