Real Time is coming back, unfortunately, sans writers or writing. It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work. The writers have important issues that I sympathize with, and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only people with issues, problems, and concerns. Despite some assistance from me, much of the staff is struggling mightily. We all were hopeful this would come to an end after Labor Day, but that day has come and gone, and there still seems to be nothing happening. I love my writers, I am one of them, but I’m not prepared to lose an entire year and see so many below-the-line people suffer so much. I will honor the spirit of the strike by not doing a monologue, desk piece, New Rules or editorial, the written pieces that I am so proud of on Real Time. And I’ll say it upfront to the audience: the show I will be doing without my writers will not be as good as our normal show, full stop. But the heart of the show is an off-the-cuff panel discussion that aims to cut through the bullshit and predictable partisanship, and that will continue. The show will not disappoint.
@cgoidel1 @billmaher So all the non writer union staff have to go to the poor house bc the studios are being greedy? Are you gonna pay there bills?
@cgoidel1 @billmaher I hate this mentality. If you have real value, you will be missed. Your absence should be enough. You want to make everyone suffer for your gain and not their own. No mention of camera ops or grips in your demands. Just you. But they suffer.
@billmaher I've watched that show for the last time.
My father was what you call a scab. He worked hard, didn't need a mob boss ran union to stand up for him. He ended being a superintendent for one of the largest excavation companies in California. No union, no dues. Unions are corruption and cost all of us as they drive prices up due to their wages and benefits which are handed down to the consumer.
@cgoidel1 @billmaher That’s not what being a scab is. Some shows can function with out writers. Seriously, turn on your TV right now.
@cgoidel1 @billmaher Writers have no right to dictate how long the janitor and boom operator have to wait on a cause that will never benefit them