The Hollywood strike, explained

Hey friends! Can someone please explain why I can’t for the life of me remember what I had for lunch yesterday but still know every word to Faith Hill’s “This Kiss” after not hearing it for 10 years?

Monday grooves: Okay well now that it’s going to be stuck in all of our heads the rest of the day, might as well listen to it. 🤷‍♂️

—Rod

Lights, Camera, Strike?

Hollywood’s sparkle is a little dimmer these days, and not just because the Venice Erewhon ran out of ​​Rancho Meladuco dates for Hailey Bieber's Strawberry Glaze smoothie. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) are both on strike, fighting for better working conditions and fairer compensation from major entertainment studios.

This is the first time since 1960 that writers and actors are on strike simultaneously. And that’s a big deal. So let’s talk about why.

What are actors and writers fighting for from studios?

Fair wages: Contrary to what MTV Cribs made me think all of Hollywood was like, not everyone in the biz has a 12-car garage. Those people who appear in all the shows we binge on Sundays with the blinds shut? They’re simply just trying to make a living like the rest of us.

• The average yearly pay for SAG-AFTRA actors is $40,000, which is 30% below the national average.

• Union members must make at least $26,000 a year to qualify for health insurance, which many (like, many many) do not.

Residual payments: Every time Miss Congeniality played on cable in the mid-2000s, Sandy B was getting a residual check. Streaming platforms make residual payments more complicated, and actors (including Kirk from Gilmore Girls!!) want more transparency when it comes to streaming numbers, especially if their work is contributing to the platform’s success.

Kimiko Glenn from Orange Is The New Black shared a recent residual check for her role in the hit show totaled less than $30. She also said that the cast was paid so little that they couldn’t even afford cabs to set.

Limits of AI use: With the ability for ChatGPT to do just about anything, actors and writers worry their jobs may be replaced and want parameters around AI and production.

• One major concern is the chance of AI replacing background actors, which FWIW are the positions both Matt Damon and Ben Affleck started as. Imagine a world without their iconic films!!

While I hope a fair agreement can happen soon, I’m sending love and strength to all of the writers and actors out there. 🫶 If you’d like to support, here are a few ways to do that:

• Donate to the Entertainment Community Fund

• Attend rallies or events

• Educate yourself and voice your support on social media

Things to message your work besties

…after eating your 11am lunch dessert.

Career playground > career ladder. There’s a new kind of career path in town, and the peak isn’t necessarily at the top 👀 Read more about the Career Playground in this WorkLab article. BRB while I send this to my parents…*

I’ve been embracing my Greek roots lately, and I have to say that my morning manifestations hit a little different whenever I make this Greek frappé instead of my regular iced coffee.

May I interest you in a summer playlist to drown out the noise of your boss giving you more work without more pay?

*This is sponsored advertising content.

That’s all for today! Hope your week is easy breezy. See you back here on Friday!

IDK WHAT DO I KNOW?! LMAO!

—Rod