It’s the best video of the WGA’s strike so far that isn’t written by, directed by, and starring Ze Frank (Tilzy.TV page). Jason Russ, one of 14 on the The Daily Show writing staff, does his best Jon Stewart as he and his union pals rip into studio moguls and fight the man.
It’s one of many comically poignant and informative quips showcased at the default-official strike blog, United Hollywood. Among the entries and updates documenting the writer’s efforts to receive a seemingly small portion of the internet money pie, there’s an educational short summarizing the current studio landscape, a well-phrased question to studio execs complete with a Different Strokes reference, and Sarah Silverman looking uninformed and not funny.
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### My thoughts on the whole thing echo the Huffingt Post’s – “It’s not that we don’t want these people to be properly paid and put back to work, but we’re sort of digging these guerailla strike videos.”
But it’s not only entertaining. It’s a beautiful thing that writer’s have a creative outlet with which to express their angst and frustration and deliver their message. The fact that their videos have gained traction on the web, and that their effort is gaining momentum, shows the power of the medium about which they’re striking and further strengthens their cause. They want a piece because this thing is gonna be big.
Which makes me wonder, what did the writer’s in 1988 do for fun and to spread the word? Technology and web video have changed the nature of picket lines. Now, an on-strike entertainer can still be involved in Entertainment.
