Joss Whedon

A fun false statement :

Writers Buy AMPTP.com For Hilarious Spoof Of Producers’ Website

The sad real statement :

http://www.amptp.org

Who are the REAL heroes? Joss thinks happy thoughts. Nothing gross. Not THAT happy.

Who ARE the real heroes? Obviously Firefighters, relief workers, Doctors without Borders and anyone who, because of their parents brutal slaying, has become The Bat. But who are my personal heroes just of late? As I bid farewell to the warm coast and head off to rally the troops (and, with any luck, soak all dem scabs — for Crutchie!) I think on who’s out there getting it done...

1) Well, if you’ve followed my favorite link of the year, you know my real heroes are the AMPTP — or more specifically, John Aboud and Michael Colton, the writers who put up that brilliant site. How brilliant? The AMPTP (the real ones, the guys who live under bridges scaring children) actually issued a statement griping about it! Dude! They said many rank and file WGA members found it too over-the-top. Yeeeeeahh...... I know those guys. They’re sitting over there with the animation writers who choose not to join the Guild.

Oh! And in the same statement, the AMPTP throws a dart at #2....

2) Star Trek peeps. Both professional and fannish. Yeah, the PR guys knew that even MENTIONING the Star Trek picket shows what a bunch of nerds we are. Yeah, guys? Last time I checked, Star Trek was a cultural phenomenon, a cash cow for the Studio, and a breeding ground for some of the best Sci-Fi writers (hell, best writers) I know. IN FACT, the VERY last time I checked, I saw an hour-long episode of Star Trek (The New Voyages) made entirely by fans that had great production values and an insightful, emotionally resonant script. Now, what studio financed that again? Hmmm.

3) Speaking of writers grown in the Trek lab, here’s my next two heroes: First up is Ronald D. Moore, not just for Battlestar, but for doing all the talking at the pencils2mediamoguls event. Talk about taking the hit! I was so relieved not have to speak I could have poured pencils all day. (It’s actually weirdly gratifying: they poured out like a river over rocks, all white and splashy-sounding. Kinda peaceful.) Thanks, Ron!

4) Jane Espenson. ’Cause she’s been helping other writers and aspiring writers since long before it became a necessity, and she’s still kicking it hardcore, mentoring and blogging and even making signs. Classy type.

5) Firefighters. Seriously. Fire is really hot.

6) Jaime Paglia, who started the whole movement to get this party started in the rest of the country, beginning with his home turf. If anyone is wondering whether to go to the Boston rally, I got just two words for you: Conflict Diamonds. I don’t know what that means. Those are just the words I had. But I know it’s gonna be a fun event, and I’m gonna do two things I didn’t do in LA: Make a speech (long fancy WORDS, you know it) and sign any damn thing someone sticks in front of me. We’re yakkin’, we’re marching, we’re hitting a bookstore and after that I just might keep hanging. So spread the word. The media needs to see BODIES. DO NOT SEND YOUR ASTRAL PROJECTION. Seriously, they don’t show up on film and they’re wicked flammable. Show up in person, so I can remind you that

7) is you all. As well you know.

See you in the Township of Beans. Happily Thoughting, -j.

ps If you’re in LA that day, you definitely want to check out the insanely exciting comedy venue Marti helped cook up to aid non-writers affected by the strike. Eddie Izzard, Sarah Silverman, The MF D, Patton Oswalt... Marti only didn’t attain hero staus because she arranged all this for when I’m out of town (Cough!...glass eye... cough!....)

Power to the people! For actual real.

joss