| TheDancingCookie |
 Posted: April 10, 2008 - 4:54pm |
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Joined: 11 Apr 2007
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Reality shows make their money out of misery. Yep, we get to see some people succeed but it is always at the expense of others and losing moments are typically more memorable than winning ones (seasons later I can still vividly remember Sarah Mather's outta here can't-be-fucked performance of Get Ready).
TV production companies are some of the worst employers in the world. And those who make reality TV are the worst of the worst.
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Playing the role of my avatar today will be a kitten.
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| quackslikeaduck |
| Posted: April 10, 2008 - 5:18pm |
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Joined: 10 Apr 2008
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Whether the employees "deserve" overtime pay is irrelevant.
What is relevant is that all employers must pay overtime to all their employees unless the Fair Labor Standards Act specifically exempts those employees.
Also relevant is that all employers must pay overtime to all their employees working in California unless the California Labor Code specifically exempts those employees.
Seems to me that the folks at the U.S. Department of Labor and California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement need to come audit FremantleMedia.
Backpay is a bitch.
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| magicrob75 |
| Posted: April 10, 2008 - 5:48pm |
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Joined: 02 Apr 2008
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are you kidding? Who gives a crap how to spelll itt! This isnt a friggin spelling BEE Its a message bouard you CHODE! We get his point and we ALL knew what he was talking about! Is it nessassary for you to piont out someones spelling grammer or typos? I think not..but if you feel like doing it again i have left you many words to correct you FKTARD!!!
FUKIN IDIOTS DISRUPT MY CHEE!!!
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Rob Jenkins-Comic/Actor
www.RobJenkinsMagic.com
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| Scott Baio |
| Posted: April 10, 2008 - 6:38pm |
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Joined: 05 Mar 2008
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You also forgot to mention that I misspelled "monologues," if we're going to be grammar Nazis. In my defense, however, both errors occurred while I was dodging the boss and posting on a website from work, so typos are to be expected in such a cloak and dagger type of operation.
My English degree is ashamed of me for sacrificing grammatical accuracy for the quick witticism.
Thanks for pointing that out, prick. :)
At least I'm not as angry about it as that magicrob75 dude. Chill out, brother. Take a page from Jason Castro and smoke a doob or ten. Now repeat after me: Mellow, mellow, meeeeelllllloooowwwww. Deep breaths. Much better.
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http://notbaio.wordpress.com
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| Idolhands |
| Posted: April 10, 2008 - 6:54pm |
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Joined: 21 Feb 2008
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TV production companies, especially local ones, can be the worst employers. My friend used to work for a small cable station that produced a variety of local programs. And on this cable station, my friend was responsible for writing, directing and acting in some of their comedy sketches. For every episode that made it to the air, he was paid a paltry $50! After you factor in all the hours of writing and prepping, he was averaging $2 per hour. He also did a lot of gopher work...his boss sent him on errands without compensation. The producers were taking advantage of his naivete and his hope to "make it one day" in show business. He finally had the sense to quit after 3 years of getting nowhere.
Meanwhile, his boss made over 1.2 million dollars in 2007 alone. Frickin' scrooge.
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| magicrob75 |
| Posted: April 10, 2008 - 7:02pm |
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Joined: 02 Apr 2008
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Right! Oh trust me I could outsmoke that douche anyday..lol..
i just hate having to recheck my wording just to satisfy some idiot fk that wants to point out to us his oh so superior type checking skills and the meanings from websters! Who cares really if someone makes errors??? If we all were correcting peoples errors we would have kicked his mom in the stomach when she was pregnant with him!
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Rob Jenkins-Comic/Actor
www.RobJenkinsMagic.com
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| Mulishass |
| Posted: April 10, 2008 - 7:25pm |
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Joined: 27 Mar 2008
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I agree with you. My obsession with segue, definitely, and separate are utterly ridiculous. Especially when you consider that I can misspell with the best of them. I didn't mean to make anybody blow a gasket though. Sorry for fucking with your chee man.
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"The Earth is the cradle of Humanity. But one doesn't always live in the cradle." - Konstantin Tsiolkovsky
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| Mulishass |
| Posted: April 10, 2008 - 7:33pm |
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Joined: 27 Mar 2008
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But I'm not obsessed with the word monologue.
I'm not a prick. Maybe I did something prickish, but I'm actually a very sweet person. I just have an uncontrollable obsession is all. If it's any consolation, there are people that have to actually live with me. Feel sorry for them. :)
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"The Earth is the cradle of Humanity. But one doesn't always live in the cradle." - Konstantin Tsiolkovsky
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| elvenjewel |
| Posted: April 11, 2008 - 2:16am |
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Joined: 29 Mar 2007
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Yes, but the writers are likely the ones to get the publicity, not the techs. People are quick to realize (like you did) that doubtless all the tech people are getting the same treatment, so everyone will benefit if the writers make a fuss.
Do the tech people also have a guild? Because they should if they don't.
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Simon says he always refers to a fortune cookie and says the moth who finds the melon finds the cornflake always finds the melon and one of you didn't pick the right fortune. — Paula Abdul
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| jawajedi |
| Posted: April 11, 2008 - 7:45am |
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Joined: 16 Mar 2007
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See? Sometimes unions and fair labor laws are a good thing.
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Dropping a turd in AI's punch bowl.
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Looks like American Idol isn't just annoying the fans this year, the workers at Fremantle aren't too happy either. In a press release sent to Vote for the Worst by the Writer's Guild of America West, a claim was filed by a dozen workers alleging that certain companies "owe them unpaid overtime that could total over $500,000". Surprise, surprise, the majority of people filing the complaint worked for FremantleMedia. According to Harsh Reality, a study released last fall by the Writers Guild of America West, reality TV workers report widespread violations of wage and hour laws, including the failure of production companies to pay overtime, provide meal breaks and maintain accurate payroll records. Do the workers on American Idol deserve to be paid for overtime, or is it just a part of being in the TV industry to work long hours? Well, if Fox has made over $200 million off of American Idol, we think that the workers deserve a bigger piece of the pie. For the entire press release, click "read more."
News Release
Contact:
Gregg Mitchell
Ph 323.782.4574
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2008
Reality TV Workers Demand Fair Pay
Workers from Top Shows Take Legal Action to Collect Unpaid Overtime
Los Angeles – A dozen workers from some of TV’s top reality shows, including American Idol, Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?, and American Inventor, today filed a total of 21 claims with the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), alleging that producers of these shows owe them unpaid overtime that could total over $500,000. The majority of the workers filing had worked for FremantleMedia, the international conglomerate that produces American Idol.
“When I got a job on one of the top shows on TV, I knew the hours were going to be long, but I wasn’t ready for the level of exploitation that exists in reality TV,” said Justin Buckles, a former production coordinator who worked on American Idol for three years. “We are asking to be respected as workers, and that the production companies that are making so much money off these shows stop violating our rights and treat us fairly.”
Analysts estimate that American Idol has earned over $200 million in profits for the Fox Broadcast Network. Despite these huge profits, many of the workers – including writers, production assistants, contestant coordinators, craft services personnel, and office workers – work long hours without receiving overtime or being allowed to take proper breaks.
Next, a meeting between the claimants and the companies will be scheduled by the DLSE to determine if each case will receive an official hearing.
“Hopefully the bravery of these people who have taken a stand today will encourage more reality TV workers to come forward and call attention to practices that the entertainment industry can no longer ignore,” said Paul Nawrocki , Assistant Executive Director of the Writers Guild of America, West.
According to Harsh Reality, a study released last fall by the Writers Guild of America, West, reality TV workers report widespread violations of wage and hour laws, including the failure of production companies to pay overtime, provide meal breaks and maintain accurate payroll records. The study found that 88 percent of reality writers work more than 40 hours a week, yet 91% receive no overtime pay. The study also revealed that 73% of respondents work through their meal break at least once a week. Most of the workers polled did not receive any form of health care or pension benefits.
To access photos from today’s press conference at the DLSE, please visit this link.
Photo credit: Writers Guild of America , West
The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) represents writers in the motion picture, broadcast, cable, and new media industries in both entertainment and news. The union conducts numerous programs, seminars, and events throughout the world on issues of interest to, and on behalf of, writers. For more information, please visit: www.wga.org.
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