skippy the bush kangaroo: pat paulsen announced presidential candidacy

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

pat paulsen announced presidential candidacy

no, wait, sorry, we mean stephen colbert. asspress:

"i shall seek the office of the president of the united states," colbert said tuesday on his comedy central show as red, white and blue balloons fell around him.

colbert, 43, had recently satirized the coyness of would-be presidential candidates by refusing to disclose whether he would seek the country's highest office -- a refusal that often came without any prompting.

a presidential campaign will probably give colbert plenty to do, which is good, because with the looming writers' strike in hollywood, the colbert report will most likely go dark, as will the daily show and most night talk shows. nypost:

the strike would also hit the people who write leno and letterman's late-night talk show monologues and the daytime soap operas.

by new year's day, primetime tv could be dominated by game shows, news magazines, sports and reality - which do not require scripts.

"we could be in serious trouble if this strike happens," admits a studio executive who spoke on background because the situation is so delicate.

tho the producers have just recently pulled the demand to re-tool the ancient (yet highly effective, from an artist's point of view) system of residuals from the bargaining table, the two sides are still miles apart. wsj:

in what could be a step toward hammering out a new contract between the hollywood studios and the writers guild of america, the association representing the studios withdrew a contentious proposal to restructure the so-called residual payment system that many writers depend on to supplement their income.

the move by the alliance of motion picture & television producers marks the first concession from either side in contract talks that have become increasingly hostile in recent weeks, increasing the possibility of a walkout by the 12,000 voting members of the wga on nov. 1. the amptp withdrew a controversial proposal to withhold the payment of residuals until after a specific television show or film had recouped its cost. currently, writers are paid residuals on their work -- continuing payments that are issued when movies or television shows are sold in ancillary markets like dvd -- without any restrictions on the profitability of the product.

take it from us, the little guy in hollywood lives on residuals. and if the producers were able to force the writers to give them up, the actors and directors would soon have to follow.

in other comedians running for presidential news, fremont sez his campaign is "jes' fine."

Labels: colbert, entertainment, hollywood, prez campaign, television