Striking writers share their struggles and fight ‘for survival’
Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Monday, May 15.
The writers’ strike is about to enter its third week, with thousands of Writers Guild of America members trading scripts for picket signs.
There’s no end in sight as the writers continue to demand better pay rates, a new residuals process for streaming, protections against AI replacement and more from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. (Full disclosure: my younger brother is a WGA member.)
Each day of the strike compounds the impact the production stoppage has on the entertainment industry and the other sectors it touches, but writers — unified but no longer receiving live paychecks — are feeling the strike’s effects most acutely.
“When they put down their pens and closed their laptops, some also put their careers and ability to support their families on hold,” Times reporters Josh Rottenberg and Jessica Gelt wrote Sunday. “It was a risk they were willing to take in a struggle that has threatened to boil over for years.”
Here’s a brief look at some of the struggles writers shared with Josh and Jessica from the picket lines.
Hollie Overton
“Before kids, it was always hard when you’re out of work. But now I just don’t want to let down these people who depend on me. And that’s what we’re really all fighting for. We’re fighting for survival.”
Overton, 43, and her husband brought their 2-year-old identical triplets to the picket line last week.
She told The Times she could make up to $150,000 for writing and producing in a good year, but that’s before her agent, manager and lawyer get their cuts. She supplements her income by writing crime novels and teaching script-writing. Those income streams, plus her husband’s income as a tennis coach, made it possible for the couple to buy their first home last year.
“The only reason we could even buy a house is I have three careers,” she said. “If I was just counting on my TV money, we would be renting still.”
Jackie Penn
“If you can get a writer who is more experienced than me for the same rate, you’re not going to hire someone at my level, you’re going to hire the upper-level writer who has more years of experience. ... It’s hard when you’re not even being read because of where you are.”
Penn, 40, spent years in low-paying assistant roles before getting her shot as a staff writer in early 2020. That was followed by another show stint in 2021, but she hasn’t had work since.
She supplements her income by working as an English and Spanish tutor as her husband works to become a licensed therapist.
“We can’t plan at all,” she said. “We haven’t even thought about buying a home, because it’s not even something that’s feasible right now.”
Bill Diamond
“I’m sure over the next weeks and months, there will be moments where you lose all hope that this is ever going to end. But if we don’t get what we need out of these negotiations, I don’t see myself recommending this career to anybody.”
Diamond, 61, came to Hollywood at an opportune time, when network TV comedies were booming, and ran nearly two dozen episodes a season. He was able to learn the ropes and become a successful showrunner but noted that that’s a dwindling path for writers today as studios continue to devalue their work.
“I know how fortunate I was. I wish everyone could experience what I experienced,” Diamond said. “Unfortunately, we’ve improved the diversity in the guild at a time when finding work is hardest.”
You can read more about these and other striking writers in Josh and Jessica’s latest story.
And now, here’s what’s happening across California.
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L.A. STORIES
A couple of guests at Sasha Obama’s USC graduation caused a stir. Former President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama joined fellow parents Friday to cheer on their youngest daughter, who earned a degree in sociology. The buzz about their presence spread as people rushed to get a glimpse of the couple and post to social media. Los Angeles Times
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Sen. Dianne Feinstein has returned to Washington as she continues to recover from shingles. An increasingly vocal contingent of Democrats remain concerned about the 89-year-old’s ability to represent Californians. “I think she needs to take care of herself, and you can’t take care of yourself with that intense responsibility,” one prominent fundraiser told The Times. Los Angeles Times
With math and science teachers in short supply, one San Jose school is turning back to Zoom. Students at Cindy Avitia High School are being instructed by educators as far away as Maryland and Alaska as the state’s teacher shortage (an issue even before the pandemic) continues to worsen for some school districts. The Mercury News
CRIME, COURTS AND POLICING
Should the Chula Vista Police Department release footage captured by its aerial drones? A legal battle continues after the publisher of the bilingual news organization La Prensa San Diego sued the city for refusing to turn over video. San Diego Union-Tribune
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HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT
The number of unhoused people dying in L.A. County skyrocketed by 70% between 2019 and 2021, according to a new report from the Department of Public Health. More than 2,000 people died in 2021 alone, the highest annual toll on record. LAist
The increasing risks of flooding from the state’s epic snowmelt is unhappy news for hopeful Yosemite campers. Three campgrounds are closed as of today while a flood watch remains in effect through at least Friday. Los Angeles Times
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is on a mission to save an endangered California rabbit species from rising floodwaters. The riparian brush rabbits live near the edges of rivers — not ideal for the prolonged flooding in recent months. Los Angeles Times
CALIFORNIA CULTURE
Growing up in the high desert, I’d heard of Llano and, more specifically, the remnants of the socialist commune that was founded there in the early 1900s. The failure of it and other experimental utopias in remote parts of California can be traced partly to water rights disputes. Los Angeles Times
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AND FINALLY
Today’s California landmark is from Grant Hoag of Irvine: the “remote and undisturbed” Lost Coast.
Grant writes:
California’s Lost Coast stretches some 50 miles between Fort Bragg and Eureka. The terrain is so mountainous and remote that no roads interrupt the narrow ribbons of beach for up to 25 miles at a stretch. It’s perfect for backpacking.
What are California’s essential landmarks? Fill out this form to send us your photos of a special spot in California — natural or human-made. Tell us why it’s interesting and what makes it a symbol of life in the Golden State. Please be sure to include only photos taken directly by you. Your submission could be featured in a future edition of the newsletter.
Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.
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