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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

Dorothy Snarker

by Dorothy Snarker
Home » Blogs » Dorothy Snarker's blog » Silence speaks volumes as actors go "Speechless" for writers

Silence speaks volumes as actors go "Speechless" for writers

by
Dorothy Snarker

How do you get a bunch of actors to stop talking? Wait, wait: I know this one. Does it involve a pineapple, a screwdriver and a three-legged dog? Oh, sorry; you weren't joking? In all seriousness, the way to get a group of top-flight, big-name actors to finally stop speaking is to stop giving them scripts. A slew of A-list actors are appearing in the new Speechless campaign, a collaboration between the striking members of the Writers Guild of America and members of the Screen Actors Guild.

So far 14 black-and-white, mostly wordless spots have been released, with more on the way. Among the actors already appearing are Oscar winners like Holly Hunter, Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn and TV heavyweights like America Ferrera, Eva Longoria and Ed Asner. Even L Word alums like Rosanna Arquette and Alan Cumming joined in the silence. Here are some of my favorites so far. (For the entire list, check the Speechless channel on Brightcove.)



The entire cast of Ugly Betty shows how silence is golden:



Holly Hunter struggles with an outsourced script doctor:



Laura Linney seeks an intervention:



Kate Beckinsale and David Schwimmer can't find the words:



So, how effective will the Marcel Marceau-ing be in settling the writers strike? It's hard to say, but the array of talent the WGA aligned for the spots is impressive. Talks between the writers and producers resumed Monday, and there seems to be cautious optimism in some camps. So, what do you think of the spots? And, more important, will they help end the strike?

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    • Submitted by
    Dorothy Snarker
    on November 27, 2007 - 4:01pm.
    TAGS :: 
    jennifer from pittsburgh's picture

    Din

    Submitted by
    jennifer from p... (1476 posts)
    on November 27, 2007 - 5:39pm.
    Heh, my sister and I were just saying the other day how we don't see nearly as many three legged dogs as what we did when we were kids. On another note, I'm growing a pineapple in a large pot in the house, so I see that everyday. As for screwdrivers...where's the orange juice and vodka? Don't hide from me, darlin'.
    Lastly, I'm all for silence. There's too much din as it is, and poorly scripted din (reality shows, you're being spotlighted!) to boot. Things are going to get ugly at my house once 30 Rock is out of shows and we don't even get MILF Island. Sigh. I'm going to have to read a book, dammit. Hmmmm, I do have that self help book on home dentistry.
    Pirategrrrl's picture

    what I don't understand ...

    Submitted by
    Pirategrrrl (2015 posts)
    on November 27, 2007 - 6:13pm.

    is how you and I - the average Jo's (e omitted on purpose) - can do anything? Short of giving the actors words ourselves ... That's all I wanted to do while watching this - send them words from FreeRice.com, but that would make me a scab, so that's out.

    I mean, as consumers, are they wanting us to boycott reality TV and other type fillers? Are we supposed to stop going to movies? but then again, movies that are already out were made before the strike, so that really won't accomplish anything. I personally don't watch any reality TV anyway (yes, that includes you, Tila Tequila); most of everything I watch on TV comes down to LOGO, DVR recordings of Heroes, 30 Rock, Ugly Betty, Pushing Daisies, and Grey's Anatomy ... and then reruns of Golden Girls, Frasier, and Xena, and the occassional Hockey game. Once the current shows run out of episodes, it really just means more reading/video game playing for me.

    The only other option that's left, as to the point of these ads, has to come down to an attempt at letting the public in on just *how* important script writers are. But the threat of everyone's favorite shows hitting brick walls (come December/January), I think, has driven the point home already. I find these ads ... entertaining ... I think the most effective one was Holly Hunter calling an India-based out-sourcing company for her script-related woes. I can't give them money (besides they make way more than I ever will), they don't have petitions for me to sign, I can't vote on it .......

    but again, I ask:

    What are we supposed to do?

    And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges....

    botherd's picture

    Fan campaigns

    Submitted by
    botherd (6 posts)
    on November 27, 2007 - 8:01pm.

    There are a number of things ordinary fans can do to show their support. The big fan campaign right now is Pencils2MediaMoguls: http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2007/11/pencils2mediamoguls.html It's a way of sending a message to the big companies that we support the writers and want them to get a fair deal. (It's based on the Jericho nut campaign, which got them an extra season after the show had been cancelled.)

     You can also call the companies to tell them that you support the writers. (Details of numbers etc here: http://community.livejournal.com/wga_supporters/108254.html)

     

     

     

    alimak's picture

    it's not about reality t.v

    Submitted by
    alimak (17 posts)
    on November 27, 2007 - 7:57pm.

    There is a video on youtube that you can watch which will help you understand more what the strike is about http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ55Ir2jCxk

    And http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/ has more information on what you can do, but just being aware is a start. And with out going on a rant this actually does have to do with more then just the writers. It has to do with how American works as a whole, giving the people that actual do the work very little while the corporations, and guys on to top get to keep an unfair percentage of the profit.

    Sally's picture

    I think if we stop

    Submitted by
    Sally (301 posts)
    on November 27, 2007 - 8:30pm.
    buying DVDs for a month or 2, they'll notice! That's what the writers are fighting for, a piece of the pie on the DVDs and internet stuff... I know it feels like we can't do much, and actually we can't, but I'm not buying any DVDs for Xmas.

    lesbian without borders
    angel winters's picture

    well

    Submitted by
    angel winters (228 posts)
    on November 29, 2007 - 2:25am.
    hopefully Hollywood will take notice that not even thee actors will stand by and let the writers get step all over on the other hand Hollywood in general does not give a rats ass about what actors and the public want...

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