Some of film and television’s biggest names rallied in front of the NBCUniversal offices at 30 Rockefeller Plaza to show support for the Hollywood writers’ strike, which is now in its third week.
Among the big names in attendance were comedian Wanda Sykes; screenwriter Tony Kushner; comedian and former U.S. Sen. Al Franken; “Broad City” creator and star Ilana Glazer; and actress and former candidate for the governor of New York Cynthia Nixon. Jumaane Williams, the city's public advocate, also attended.
Other large unions joined the rally in support, including SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union, and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.
“Some people really think writers are rich,” said actor Busy Philipps. “Now, give me a scream if the most expensive thing that you own is the laptop you write on.”
The crowd erupted in laughs and cheers.
“Pay the writers!” Philipps hollered.
“I will say in all sincerity that writers have essentially become gig workers, working job to job, paycheck to paycheck,” said Philipps. “And I know too many writers right now who can not pay their rent or buy groceries.”
The writers' strike is now in its third week.
WGA has been on strike for more than three weeks, marking its first strike in 15 years. The union seeks higher pay and better residuals, among other sticking points.
“We have generated so much wealth for a few individuals who cannot create,” said Glazer of "Broad City." “We have the power because we have the creativity. We can write, we can communicate with each other.”
WGA is negotiating with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents major film studios including Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures; broadcast TV networks, and streaming services like Netflix and Apple+.
“From their refusal to guarantee any level of weekly employment in episodic television, to the creation of a ‘day rate’ in comedy variety, to their stonewalling on free work for screenwriters and on AI for all writers, they have closed the door on their labor force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession,” the union said in statement earlier this month.
Some shows that are filmed in New York City, like “Saturday Night Live” and “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” have been off the air for days now as staff members refuse to script the show until they can agree on a contract.
