WGA Writers' Strike, Days 1-14

Day 1 -- After dropping the kids off at school, headed over to the main gate at Paramount for my first four-hour shift of the WGA strike, which officially began at 12:01 this morning. Lots of writers, lots of media, lots of muffins. I was drafted to lead chants. For a group of people who make their livings with words, our chants mostly sucked. On what other strike line would chants be constantly rewritten? We had support from a couple of high-profile members of SAG – Valerie Harper and Billy Baldwin, who also provided a gallon of coffee from Starbucks. Would have been nice if he’d also taken off his shirt, if only as a gesture of solidarity with lifeguards everywhere, who must be suffering also. About something. But alas, no. The strike led off all the major television news stories tonight. James spotted me and charged the screen, screaming "Daddy! Daddy!" We could use his lungs on the line.

Day 2 – Was assigned to walk the Van Ness gate at Paramount. A dangerous gate. Lots of traffic, no light. Tedious. Lots of honking from supportive passersby. Nice, unless you happen to live across the street. After a couple of hours, I strike up a conversation with the guy next to me. Turns out to be Michael Tolkin, the very tall screenwriter/novelist and son of Mel, head writer for "Your Show of Shows." He's jazzed to learn that Mel was one of our first guests at the Sundays at Seven 12 years ago and played piano at my housewarming party. He says Mel is still going at 94, not so strong though. Says his dad's humor has been the last thing to go. Which is apt for Mel. We also discuss "The Player," his newest novel (the sequel to same), my novel, his upcoming project ("Nine," to be directed by Rob Marshall starring Javier Bardem), kids, schools. None of it makes the time go faster. On the way to the can run into Cynthia Mort from "Roseanne" days. She’s created a new HBO show, "Tell Me You Love Me," and worked on the recent Jodie Foster vigilante movie. Fun and warm in person,humorless onscreen. Odd.

Day 3 – I assign myself to the Raleigh Studios Van Ness gate, thinking (incorrectly) that Greg Berlanti might be picketing there. (Don’t know him, but I’ve promised Jennifer Chrisler of the Family Equality Council that I would try to approach him about being the honoree at their fundraising dinner next year.) Turns out his show shoots elsewhere, but Raleigh is a nice gate to picket. Less traffic than either of the Paramount Gates. No light either, so at least there’s the opportunity for weight loss. Until people start bringing doughnuts, which turns the whole endeavor into a zero-sum game. "Ugly Betty" shoots here, and some of their staff are picketing. About 20 of us in all. As we made our elliptical dent in the pavement, I had a nice, long chat with Chuck Pratt, a producer for the show. I have to pee so go to an elementary school down the street. The kids are very impressed with my sign and want to know what’s up. The teachers have me give a mini lesson in the hall outside the men’s room about what we’re doing and why.

Day 4 – Back at Raleigh. Run into Tracy Poust and John Kinally, whom I haven’t seen since the first season of "Will & Grace," where they got their start. Turns out "Private Practice" also shoots there. Audra comes out and marches for a while with us, joining her sister, Alison, a TV writer. She says Amy is still shooting and can't come out.

Day 5 – Huge rally in Century City at Fox headquarters. Rallying of the troops. Speakers include Jesse Jackson (why?) and Norman Lear. Smart to invigorate the footsoldiers this way. Run into tons of past co-workers – Joey, John, Sue Jaffee and Stem, all from "Cybill," Jeanetta Arnett and Maryedith Burrell, actresses from "The Jackie Thomas Show" (also saw Dave Fury and Elin Hampton passing). Stem and I hooked up and spent most of the morning catching up. Ran into Jeff Greenstein, who has lost weight since that first season of W&G; couldn't help mentioning to Stem that it was an idea I shared with him one of his first days (to do the flashback show) that ended up becoming the episode that nabbed him a Emmy nomination, the only one W&G ever got for writing. Not that I deserved credit. It was just the barest outline of an idea. Jeff did a brilliant job executing it. Still the best episode they shot, "Lows in the Eighties," I think it was called. Also saw, from a distance, Lawrence Broch and Susan Dickes, Lawrence now sans mustache and shaving his head. Stem and I ended up having lunch and seeing "No Country for Old Men," a film that made it very hard to imagine Javier Bardem singing and dancing in "Nine." Or doing anything much ever again except offing people with his air hose.

Day 8 – Elizabeth gets the day off early from school and joins me on the picket line at Raleigh for an hour or so. My new sign is a blowup of the Christmas list she made in the car last week while chanting strike slogans with me on the way to school. She was totally starstruck when she got to meet Vanessa Williams, as well as the oddly hot nerd type who plays Henry, Ugly Betty’s boyfriend.

Day 9 – Elizabeth’s cold turned uglier than Betty so had to keep her home from school, which kept me off the line. A nice respite. We read together from her book "What Time Is It?" and she finally cracked the code of telling time. Very pleased with herself. We also set up the keyboard we bought for her music lessons, to begin after Thanksgiving.

Day 10 – Elizabeth better, so back to school and back to the line. Surprised to see James L. Brooks on our picket in front of the Paramount Gate, and honored to walk and chat with him for a bit. His blistering intelligence apparent in the first five seconds of conversation. Definitely not walking for the cameras; I got the sense he was there to get a feel for the temperature of the membership at different locations. He expresses concern that in the second week there’s begun to be infighting among the guild that could be seen to weaken our position. Certain factions attacking showrunners who want to finish out a few of their nonwriting duties, and the attack on Ellen DeGeneres for continuing to work on her show. No element in place within the guild to to police such random outbreaks and keep the rank and file on message. Noticeably dwindling participation on the picket lines into the second week. To be expected, I suppose, but not a favorable sign. Eventually I move to the Raleigh Gate where I meet a screenwriter who impressively manages a working relationship with a partner located in Vermont. I'm also impressed to discover they worked on "Children of Men," one of my favorite movies last year.

Day 11 – Show up an hour early at Raleigh so I can leave an hour early to meet Lacy for lunch. Around ten begin to notice there are more people here than usual, then begin to notice there are more gay people here than usual. Then realize it’s only gay people, a huge crowd now. I learn from a fellow marcher that today Raleigh is officially the “gay gate.” Returning from the restroom across the street the view was this: a paltry picket line while three-quarters of the gay mafia schmooz on the sidelines. The Abbey East. I eventually move to the Bronson gate where they need more people. Seth Kurland is there with guitar and microphone trying to inject some life and levity into the proceedings.

Day 12 – Another mass event to close out the week. John Edwards, running for president, is speaking and picketing at NBC Burbank and we’ve all been requested to make a big show for the cameras. I've brought my videocam and lucky position gets me good footage of his speech. Run into Lawrence and Susan and also Miriam Trogdon. A couple of funny displays: a writer dressed as a mailman delivering 2008 residuals checks, made out to Joe Screenwriter, for .08 on a $20 DVD sale. Also a couple of girls with a lemonade stand, charging writers four cents per glass, producers $2,385.00. Edwards is bland and blandly handsome, but amazingly preserved for a man in his fifties. Looks late thirties. I should be holding a sign asking "Who Does Your Work?".