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SAG Ceremony Cures Award-Show Withdrawal
January 28, 2008
For those of us who love our awards shows -- and nuts like me who even missed the cancelled Golden Globes -- the Screen Actors Guild ceremony last night was a welcome star-studded spectacle.
Of course, the entertainment industry is in the middle of a crippling strike, and the SAG Awards wouldn’t even have been able to take place without a waiver from the Writers Guild of America. That allowed writers to write for the show, which was telecast on TBS and TNT, and meant the WGA wouldn’t be outside picketing.
So I guess it should have come as no surprise that Patric Verrone, president of the WGA West, was not only was invited to attend last night’s gala in L.A., he also got an introduction from the podium by SAG president Alan Rosenberg. Verrone stood up from his table, to hearty applause.
SAG, whose own contract expires June 30, has fully supported the WGA in its strike, which has entered its 13th week. SAG members have been regulars on WGA picket lines, on both the East and Left coasts.
In his brief remarks, Rosenberg told the glamorous crowd of thespians, “When the pioneers of our union were drawing up guidelines, they looked to the Writers Guild for inspiration. This began a treasured solidarity that continues today.”
Viewers also got a thumbnail history of SAG, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Seems back in the day, Boris Karloff moved to help found the actors’ union after his grueling experience filming Frankenstein, where he was forced to work 25 hours straight, according to last night’s telecast. No wonder he looked so ornery and testy in that movie!
Anyway, everyone is still crossing their fingers that the strike is over soon so that the Academy Awards ceremony Feb. 24 doesn’t get scrapped. What scab --- I mean actor -- will cross a WGA picket line?
(By the way, The New York Post’s Sunday Page Six magazine had a story by a female writer who talked about all the men she’s hooked with on the picket line, where males far outnumber women. I guess people take their comfort, and dates, wherever they find them.)
Cable came away big winners last night, with the cast of The Sopranos, James Gandolfini and Edie Falco walking off with “actors,” the actual SAG award statue. God, I miss that crew. Anyway, for the ensemble cast award, “Jimmy” turned the podium over to Tony Siroco, i.e. “Paulie Walnuts,” who did an admirable job thanking SAG for the award.
Although a big part of me wanted AMC’s Mad Men, and Jon Hamm, to win, they’ll have their turn next year. At least I got a small slice of Hamm, when the camera panned to him in the audience. (Forgive me, it’s Monday morning.)
Posted by Linda Moss on January 28, 2008 | Comments (0)
