Look Who's Crossing the Line

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

09 Nov 2007 10:54 AM

Writers Guild Strike-Day 5

She's crossed the line in other instances so why should any of us be surprised that unlike Jay Leno, David Letterman, and Jon Stewart, Ellen DeGeneres has decided to cross the picket line and continue to film new episodes of her show.

The actress turned talk show host explained her move on air yesterday:

"I want to say I love my writers. I love them. In honor of them today, I'm not going to do a monologue," DeGeneres told her live studio audience. "[But] people have traveled across the country. They've made plans. They're here. I want to do everything I can to make your trip enjoyable and give you a show."

What do you make of DeGeneres' actions? I have to admit, if I had finally got my hands on "Ellen" tickets, then spent thousands of dollars traveling to the show I would not be pleased to be turned away at the door. So I definitely see why DeGeneres would feel the need to defend her actions.

Meanwhile, while Ellen's show goes on other popular series are drying up without fresh scripts. That means more familiar faces are joining the picket lines. A-list celebs including Julianne Moore, Nora Ephron, Robin Williams and David Duchovny joined picketers in front of the Time Warner Center yesterday.

And outside of Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, Ray Romano unloaded bagels, fruit and orange juice from the trunk of his car and handed them out to strikers. When reporters pounced on the actor to make a comment about the strike Romano didn't miss a beat. He said actor turned politician Arnold Schwarzenegger should help get stalled contract talks restarted.

"'I'll be back' - somebody wrote that. He didn't make that up," Romano said.

Funny.

The jokes, however, weren't flying near the "Ugly Betty" camp.

Cast members of ABC's hit show also joined Los Angeles strikers, chanting "Don't be greedy, don't be petty, you won't get your 'Ugly Betty.'"

In New York, Roseanne Barr, Holly Hunter and David Hyde Pierce hit the picket line. Even award-winning actor Tim Robbins, who is also a member of the guild, marched in solidarity with fellow writers.

Makes you wonder how many more stars will join the picket line in the days to come.

Related Articles:

Writers Strike Update: So Long to "The Office" and "24"

Writers' Strike Hits "Desperate Housewives"

Writers' Strike---It's On

Writers' Strike Update

How A Writers' Strike Could Affect Your Favorite TV Shows

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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