Seth Green

Question of the day

Seth Green passed out Krispy Kreme donuts. A woman walked around in a yellow No. 2 pencil costume. Professional autograph peddlers chased after stars like Nicollette S heridan and Ashley Scott, pulling multiple 8x10 glossies and asking them to sign. And TMZ was there filming it all. Yup. J ust another day in Hollywood, or in this case, outside several entrances to Universal Studios.

Day 9 of the writers strike turned into "Bring Your Star to the Strike Line Day," when, by SAG’s count, 500 of its actors turned up to show their support for the striking scribes. Garry Marshall was there for his fifth strike as a producer, director, writer and actor. "It’s the future, and now at my age, the future is important because I might not be around much longer," joked Marshall, who was with two of his three actor children. "We’re fighting for what’s going to happen."

"Desperate Housewives" star James Denton said the WGA happens to be the one striking because its contract was up first, but SAG members have the same issues with revenue from Internet. That led this reporter to ponder what would have happened if SAG’s contract expired first. Would the outcome be the same, and instead of the writers we’d see our favorite actors out walking the picket lines every day? Or would both sides have had more power sessions, because the actors are the face of the product?

Here were some of the responses by SAG members:

"We used to be right behind the WGA. We were the 1,000-pound gorilla behind them. When we did the one-year extension, that all changed. Now the nearest is the DGA, which has never been on strike. That is why this strike is taking place. What could have been settled was not. It didn’t have to be taken to the streets." — Valerie Harper, member of SAG’s national board of directors

"It makes no difference who struck first." — Christopher Titus, "Big Shots"

"It’s hard to say. I think the actors would have been in the same position." — Charlie Day, "It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia"

"I think the companies are clinging to the past. No matter who is striking, they have to do the fair and right thing and they are not willing to listen nor negotiate." — Nicollette Sheridan, "Desperate Housewives"

"I can’t answer that question realistically. I don’t know what’s happening. I just beg both sides to go in a room and talk. I’ve spent my life in this industry. This country needs this industry to thrive. I want them to be talking. They can yell at each other, but talk." — Sally Field, "Brothers & Sisters"

Meanwhile, around the corner at Warner Bros., scribes continued to walk the line sans stars. Sitting nearby was a Burbank Police Department motorcycle officer assigned to monitor the strike line who decided to use the assignment to her advantage. Perched on her bike, the officer pulled out her radar gun, looking to tag speeders. (Leslie Simmons)