A Word (or three) From Harlan….

HARLAN ELLISON ON THE WRITERS STRIKE SETTLEMENT

YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION TO RE-POST THIS ANYWHERE:

Creds: got here in 1962, written for just about everybody, won the Writers Guild Award four times for solo work, sat on the WGAw Board twice, worked on negotiating committees, and was out on the picket lines with my NICK COUNTER SLEEPS WITH THE FISHE$$$ sign. You may have heard my name. I am a Union guy, I am a Guild guy, I am loyal. I fuckin’ LOVE the Guild.

And I voted NO on accepting this deal.

My reasons are good, and they are plentiful; Patric Verrone will be saddened by what I am about to say; long-time friends will shake their heads; but this I say without equivocation…

THEY BEAT US LIKE A YELLOW DOG. IT IS A SHIT DEAL. We finally got a timorous generation that has never had to strike, to get their asses out there, and we had to put up with the usual cowardly spineless babbling horse’s asses who kept mumbling “lessgo bac’ta work” over and over, as if it would make them one iota a better writer. But after months on the line, and them finally bouncing that pus-sucking dipthong Nick Counter, we rushed headlong into a shabby, scabrous, underfed shovelfulla shit clutched to the affections of toss-in-the-towel summer soldiers trembling before the Awe of the Alliance.

My Guild did what it did in 1988. It trembled and sold us out. It gave away the EXACT co-terminus expiration date with SAG for some bullshit short-line substitute; it got us no more control of our words; it sneak-abandoned the animator and reality beanfield hands before anyone even forced it on them; it made nice so no one would think we were meanies; it let the Alliance play us like the village idiot. The WGAw folded like a Texaco Road Map from back in the day.

And I am ashamed of this Guild, as I was when Shavelson was the prexy, and we wasted our efforts and lost out on technology that we had to strike for THIS time. 17 days of streaming tv!!!????? Geezus, you bleating wimps, why not just turn over your old granny for gang-rape?

You deserve all the opprobrium you get. While this nutty festschrift of demented pleasure at being allowed to go back to work in the rice paddy is filling your cowardly hearts with joy and relief that the grips and the staff at the Ivy and street sweepers won’t be saying nasty shit behind your back, remember this:

You are their bitches. They outslugged you, outthought you, outmaneuvered you; and in the end you ripped off your pants, painted yer asses blue, and said yes sir, may I have another.

Please excuse my temerity. I’m just a sad old man who has fallen among Quislings, Turncoats, Hacks and Cowards.

I must go now to whoops. My gorge has become buoyant.

Respectfully, Yr. Pal, Harlan Ellison

And Now Steve Is Gone

I’ve been dreading this all day, this entry. I don’t want to write these words. Even though I’ve seen the news all over the net, it isn’t entirely real yet, not to me. Not the way it will be when I post this entry.

I woke this morning and my first thought was about death. Yesterday, I had woken to the news of Roy Scheider’s death. It was an unnerving experience and I didn’t want to turn on the computer today, fearful of the news it might bring. I told myself that I was being ridiculous and fired the old beast up.

A post from Warren Ellis broke the news. Steve Gerber had passed away.

Many of you won’t have known who Steve was. Unlike the larger cults of celebrity, the comic world has kept largely to itself, its stars never gracing the tabloids or the entertainment news. But in the four color world, Steve was a giant among men.

He created Howard The Duck, which would earn him a place in comic history all on its own. But his work was much broader and deeper than that. At Marvel he did amazing work on Ghost Rider, Man Thing, The Defenders, and Omega The Unknown. He created Stewart The Rat, Destroyer Duck, Nevada and the infamous Void Indigo. He was currently writing Dr. Fate over at DC Comics. He was an incredibly talented writer with a unique way of looking at the world. His work was an inspiration and a blueprint to a whole generation of writers.

As a child in the 70’s, Howard The Duck was my first exposure to political satire. It left an indelible impression upon me, helping to shape my taste, my world view and later my writing. Many of my friends consider me to be a bit too biting in my humor at times, too caustic. For that, they can thank Steve as well. Howard’s voice is forever in the back of my mind.

I never met Steve Gerber, yet I feel like I’ve lost a close, personal friend. That was the magic of Steve’s work.

Good night, Steve. You are missed.

Rest In Peace, Roy

I woke this morning to the new that Roy Scheider had passed away at the age of 75.

Best known for his role in Jaws, Scheider’s career spanned 5 decades and dozens of memorable performances. He was one of my favorite actors growing up, alongside James Garner and Paul Newman. I, for one, will miss him greatly.

Below is a list of some of my favorite Roy Scheider films. If you haven’t seen them, maybe you’ll give them a try.

The French Connection

The Seven-Ups

Jaws

Marathon Man

Sorcerer

All That Jazz

Still of The Night

Blue Thunder

2010

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