Hallelujah!  Holy crap! Where’s the Tylenol?
Patric Verrone and Michael Winship have finally come out and said what everybody has been whispering:  there has been a tentative deal struck in negotiations between the WGA and the AMPTP.  Here is what the letter sent out early this morning in an email to the membership:
“We have a tentative deal.  It is an agreement that protects a future in which the Internet becomes the primary means of both content creation and delivery,” they said. “It creates formulas for revenue-based residuals in new media, provides access to deals and financial data to help us evaluate and …read more

According to former Disney chief Michael Eisner, the WGA strike is over.  He said on CNBC, “It’s over. They made the deal, they shook hands on the deal. It’s going on Saturday to the writers in general.” 
Now, I’ll give you a caveat: Is Eisner really in “the know” anymore?  Nikki Finke thinks Eisner is full of it.  But, since I’ve been burned by Finke’s insider info before, I’m not placing my all trust there either.  What we DO know is that on Saturday the WGA Membership meets in the Shrine Auditorium in the west, and Times Square Crowne Plaza Hotel in …read more

Yesterday, I told you about the imminent deal that will end the WGA strike, and posed some questions of my own, mainly – will Ugly Betty return this year?
Well, our good friend Ausiello has his ear to the ground, and has this to say:
With a tentative agreement between striking writers and Hollywood moguls expected to be announced sometime this week, my moles at Grey’s tell me that production on the show is expected to resume in early March. The plan is to shoot four or five episodes to air in April/May. A similar scenario is expected to play out at …read more

Ugly Betty fans – let’s cross our fingers!  The New York Times is reporting that a tentative agreement between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers could come as early as this coming week. 
Now, I know we’ve been burned by this sort of thing before, however, when the NYT and the LA Times start pass along that their sources confirm the kind-of imminent deal, we have cause for optimism.  Apparently, the breakthrough occurred Friday after two weeks of closed-door discussions between the sides.  The last sticking point seemed to be compensation for ad-supported …read more

I think we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in the Writers Guild strike.  Today, The AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) released the following statement concerning their latest offer to the WGA:
The AMPTP today unveiled a New Economic Partnership to the WGA, which includes groundbreaking moves in several areas of new media, including streaming, content made for new media and programming delivered over digital broadcast channels.  The entire value of the New Economic Partnershipwill deliver more than $130 million in additional compensation above and beyond the more than $1.3 billion writers already receive each year.  In …read more

 Dear readers, this could be big…
The talks between the two sides in the Writers Guild strike began anew today, and there is a strong hope there may have been a breakthrough!  From Deadline Hollywood:
As the WGA strike begins its 4th week, I’ve been told positive news about today’s resumption of contract talks between the writers and the producers. So positive, in fact, that I’m almost fearful to post it. But here goes: a very reliable source tells me that there appears to be a deal seemingly in place between both sides.
Oh, my goodness, that would be good news  I am holding …read more

The highest profile cast members of Ugly Betty, as part of the Screen Actors Guild, had produced a video in support of the striking Writers Guild.  It is part of a series of videos, “Speechless”, that is, ironically, being released exclusively on the internet:
This is the fifth of the Writers Guild Of America member-conceived Internet videos for Project “Speechless” featuring A-list Screen Actors Guild talent. They are being hosted exclusively by DeadlineHollywoodDaily.com over Thanksgiving Weekend. For the first time in the TV and movie industry, high-profile SAG actors are together taking their talents directly and exclusively to the Internet, the …read more

As their own contribution to the WGA strike, the writers of Ugly Betty put a little Mode style on their picket signs.  Check this out:

(Photo by Abby McClelland – who helped make the signs). Pictured are the Ugly Betty writing team, Ugly Betty creator Silvio Horta, and Ugly Betty writers Sara Kuscerka and Veronica Becker.
Now, I’m torn about this.  On one hand, it’s cute and perfectly represents the show.
On the other hand, it’s a reminder that we’re not exactly talking about West Virginia coal miners striking for safer working conditions. 
In a strike that is more public relations war than traditional labor …read more

At least for now, it appears that the best place for candid photos of Hollywood stars are on the picket lines of the Writers Guild of America strike.  This is especially true for stars of Ugly Betty, who are not necessarily the best paparazzi fodder (with the long hours they put in on the show).  So anyway, while we wait for the strike to end, and production on Ugly Betty to resume, we might as well enjoy some photos of the stars carrying signs. 
It’s hard times right now in Los Angeles, California for entertainment workers.  The Writers’ Strike is putting …read more

America Ferrera joined the Writer’s Guild of America picket lines Monday in solidarity with the writers.  Notice from this photo that she’s wearing her Betty necklace, and I think, one of Betty’s dresses.  Did she come stright from the set?  If so, that would be quite interesting. Hopefully the actors and runners, showing solidarity will bring the producers back to the table more quickly.
Speaking of, there is a very helpful article in Variety about the runners and others who have dual roles, like Ugly Betty executive producer Silvio Horta:
Silvio Horta, creator-exec producer of ABC’s “Ugly Betty,” was mulling over his …read more