Not to burst anyone's bubble, but Nikki Finke says the agents saved the day:
I'm told that yesterday a secret meeting took place at CAA partner Bryan Lourd's home between Writers Guild president Patric Verrone and chief WGA negotiator Dave Young with Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger and News Corp (Fox) No. 2 Peter Chernin, and others. Lourd refuses to comment about what went on, but I do believe he deserves tremendous credit for starting the effort to get both sides talking again and seeing it through to a successful conclusion.
In my earlier story, I described the backchannelling efforts by two agents without naming the tenpercenters specifically (because I didn't want to put the kibosh on their delicate diplomatic effort to make progress towards a settlement). As I reported then, a partner in a major tenpercentery was having "much conversation" with WGA negotiating committee topper Dave Young. I can tell you now this was Lourd. I reported that, at the same time, a partner at a different major agency was talking to AMPTP president Nick Counter. This was United Talent Agency's Jim Berkus, who also deserves tremendous credit. Together, the agents' goal was to just bring both sides back in touch with one another. A phone call took place, and then came the meeting at Lourd's home.
Rich Sommers and Vinnie K from Mad Men on the strike: [link]
Clearly, Bryan Lourd is a lurking Buffista.
Not to burst anyone's bubble, but Nikki Finke says the agents saved the day:
Nikki has been advocating for the agents to serve as intermediaries for a while, since brokering deals is what they do for a living.
Yeah, I know. Who knew she was right? I'd never heard of her before the strike, but apparently she's quite well regarded.
Nikki has been advocating for the agents to serve as intermediaries for a while, since brokering deals is what they do for a living.
As it sounded like an eminently reasonable solution, when I first heard about it, I refused to believe that such a plan could succeed in this universe, which seems to specialize in the intemperate and unreasonable.
I suspect it was Polgara's strong words that had the biggest impact, though. When the inventor of the internet is cheesed off, people pay attention.
OMG- Polgara is Al Gore?!!??
As it sounded like an eminently reasonable solution, when I first heard about it, I refused to believe that such a plan could succeed in this universe, which seems to specialize in the intemperate and unreasonable.
That was pretty much my reaction too.
We so totally should have realized because Polgara is
almost
an anagram for Al Gore.
