Defamer
[Note: an update follows after the jump.] As it turns out, those call-rollers who were told that they'd be sacrificing their overtime pay to help their companies weather the writers strike were the lucky ones, as THR confirms that Innovative Artists has laid off about 10 of its assistants, a move the agency's head says is necessary for the firm's survival while the flow of executive-nourishing commission checks slows to a trickle:
"If in my judgment I need to make changes ... (or) cut expense accounts, I'm going to do what every one of my competitors is doing," Innovative owner Scott Harris said. "I need to take measures to survive what could be a very lengthy strike. My priority is to keep this business running." Harris said that he has no plans at this time to lay off any executives but that more assistants will probably be let go.
It seems that Harris has learned a lesson about dealing with the media since his firms's last round of controversial, cost-cutting plans, savvily refraining from issuing a statement that his newly unemployed staffers are such a young and healthy bunch that they probably won't even miss their hard-won, but now discontinued, health benefits. But as Harris hinted, his company is not the only one pulling its belt so taut that it's vomiting up its low-level staffers. A tipster informs us that a similar purge is ongoing at William Morris, where "more than 10" assistants have been let go since the strike began, and in a measure that will further demoralize the WMA Left Behind, the higher-ups have already declared the cancellation of its pricey holiday party—a cutback which will doubtlessly create another class of strike victims: the cater waiters, bartenders, and jolly Santa Clauses distributing logo-emblazoned gifts who would have worked the event.
UPDATE: A William Morris rep says that the company has not let go of any assistants since the strike; also, he clarified that the normal holiday party will be scaled back to "something smaller." Perhaps in keeping with recent tradition, they'll opt to spend their celebration time distributing eggnog and Christmas-tree-shaped cookies to their striking clients in recogition that these are not the most festive of times in Hollywood.
Comments
Poor kids. The reality show crews are even getting scared now.
They still get bagels right?
BAD FORM SCOTT! way to burn bridges at the top and bottom. Maybe if Scott would cut back on his private jet trips around the world he could afford to keep the hard working free bagel loving no health insurance assistants around!!!!
@junkie: Only after the agents picked over them in the morning meeting.
Just got an IM from Ari Gold and he says Scott Harris is a cheap prick.
...I hope at least some of them hoarded enough free churrios to last the winter.
The tightwads have been downgraded to an all time low. With the holidays approaching, I think the appropriate term would now be "Scrooge."
@Schrocker: No one is expecting Christmas bonuses this year either.
Next up, Richard Lovett cancels Christmas.
The assistants go, the fleet of leased luxury cars, hookers, rehab retainers and bail bonds stay intact. Hollywood cares. In it's own way, but it cares.
What if every unemployed assistant egged the CAA building? Oh the humanity!
Prediction: pay raise for Harris before the holidays.
"If in my judgment I need to make changes ...I'm going to do what every one of my competitors is doing,"
"...but then again, maybe not. It depends on, you know, what other people are doing. Not that I know what they are doing because my head is so far up my own ass, but that's beside the point. Anyway, I'll just copy what I think other people are doing and blame them and if a few kids have to put off emergency surgery or file bankruptcy, then that's the price of doing business. For them, though. Not for me. Or my expense account."
Figures. Conversely, the writers on my show are paying our assistants salaries through the strike. You'd think if a staff of writers could do it, a company like William Morris could swing it. But then, they probably don't care and we do.
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