Moore won’t attend Oscars that doesn’t have writers’ cooperation

[Robbien]

Source: AP

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Uncertainty rules the Academy Awards as “No Country for Old Men” and “There Will Be Blood” led Tuesday with eight nominations each, two other best-picture contenders trailed with seven, and a writers strike left the fate of the show itself up in the air.

Yet a sampling of reaction from nominees made one thing sound definite: Stars and filmmakers will skip the Oscars if the ceremony does not have the blessing of striking writers.

. . .

“It’s kind of odd to finally win the lottery and there’s nobody at the ticket booth,” said first-time nominee Viggo Mortensen, who earned a best-actor slot for the crime tale “Eastern Promises.”

“My first problem is, I’m going to have to return my dress,” wisecracked Michael Moore, an Oscar documentary winner for “Bowling for Columbine,” about the prospects of the strike interfering with the Feb. 24 Oscar telecast.

Nominated this time for his health-care documentary “Sicko,” Writers Guild of America member Moore said he would not attend an Oscar show that did not have the writers’ cooperation, and “no one I know will cross the picket line.” Moore is a Flint, Mich., native who maintains a home near Traverse City, Mich.

Read more: http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080123/ART09/848869198/-1/ART

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A big thumbs up!

[pattmarty]

1. Good for him. I was disappointed with Bill Maher.

[Robbien]

3. I am disappointed with all of the late night hosts

and am glad to see their ratings are tanking.

Greedy production studios can afford to play fair but will do everything possible in order to be seen as not losing this battle. Winning for the sake of winning.

[devilgrrl]

5. Maher is writing his own material, he's not scabbing!

There are no skits or extras on the show because of he doesn't have his writers, it would be nice if some people would get their facts right.

[Lars39]

6. That's still scabbing.

He's replacing the writer's labor with his.

[pattmarty]

7. I disagree. He holds a union card.

For solidarity sake him, Jay Leno, and David Letterman should not have "crossed" the writers picket lines. I would be willing to bet that they all have contracts that protect them from studio harassment in case of ANY strikes. And WE ALL KNOW that they have enough money to "carry them thru" the strike. And Maher made a snide comment on I believe his first show of the season about the writers involved. That comment and a couple of other things has made me lose some respect for Maher.

[YankmeCrankme]

10. The fact is none of them should have come back to do shows.

It hurts the writers because it takes the pressure off management. If they were forced to continue to show reruns their revenue dollars would be reduced because the advertisers would not be as interested in airing ads with a smaller target audience. That's how you force them to the bargaining table, hit their pocketbook.

Doing new shows, however handicapped because of the lack of writers, brings in more revenue as more viewers are willing to watch current stuff and advertisers are willing to pony up the ad dollars.

I'm disappointed that both Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert decided to continue with new shows during the strike.

[pattmarty]

14. Totally agree. These "liberal hosts" are not as liberal as they think.

[devilgrrl]

11. understood.

sorry :blush:

[pberq]

2. Yes! solidarity with the writers!

Those big media companies are trying to squeeze the writers out of pay that is rightfully theirs.

Let's stand strong in support of the writers!

[boricua79]

4. Props to Moore

showing us how to walk the talk.

[bigwillq]

8. Good for him.

:thumbsup:

[Omaha Steve]

9. K&R

Thanks for the solidarity Mike!

[fishwax]

12. nice to see all the nominees standing together

I hope the writers get a fair deal in time for the ceremony.

[begin_within]

13. An Oscar show without those awful pre-written "jokes" the presenters are forced to say would be

heavenly.