“Daily Show” and “Colbert Report” writers come to Congress to have their voices heard.
By Bobby Allyn, Zach Pentel, and Brendan Polmer
January 24, 2008
“Daily Show” writer Kevin Bleyer disrupts the proceedings in Rayburn House Office Building. (Photo Credit: Zach Pentel)
Video of the full debate appears at the end of this article.
Wednesday the Writers Guild of America (WGA) brought their ongoing strike to Washington D.C., extending the battle beyond the streets of L.A. and New York. The WGA staged a panel discussion in Congress on the state of the “union,” timed to President Bush’s speech on Monday. But this event was not just another droning, soporific hearing inside the Rayburn House Office Building; it took the form of a mock debate. While the scene was hilarious, there was the grim reality that the writers had been out of a job for months and the network executives hadn’t budged.
The program started with an introduction by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), followed by short, supportive plugs from Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Anthony Weiner (D-NY), among others.
Then the debate began.
“Representing” the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) were writers Michael Brumm, Peter Grosz, and Peter Gwinn of “The Colbert Report.” On the WGA side were Tim Carvell, Rob Kutler, and Jason Ross of “The Daily Show.” Former Bill Clinton press secretary and “West Wing” contributor Dee Dee Myers moderated.
In the opening statement for AMPTP, Brumm claimed that the current new media deal with the writers is “fairish and reasonable-esque,” stating that his organization went from giving the writer’s “nothing, to next to nothing.”
Boisterously interrupting, “Daily Show” writer Kevin Bleyer popped up from the audience and ripped off his jacket, revealing a bright pink shirt with the words “Listen to Me” written boldly on the front. “I demand attention. I’m wearing a pink t-shirt!” he screamed, a clear parody of the anti-war group Code Pink’s tendencies to interrupt hearings. Jumping up from the other side of the audience was Peter Gwinn, another “Colbert Report” scribe. “Don’t listen to that guy,” he yelled. “Look at me. I’m more distractive and I’m also louder. Also, I have a substantive critique of our nation’s foreign policy that is best understood when shouted incoherently!” They were both “escorted” out of the room, but not before one of them shouted “Ron Paul for President!”
The Disruption:
Along with all the raucous laughter from the crowd came a feeling of solidarity; the writers, audience members, and politicians all came together to show support for WGA, but without compromising the sheer comedy of the scene. The debate mustered smirks even from the room’s most deadpan stoics.
But it was clear that below all the joking, the writers’ very livelihoods were on the line. When asked about the content of their shows since they have resumed, one writer said, “I’d rather not comment. I need to have a job when I go back.”
Full Video Below:
Bobby Allyn is an editorial intern at Campus Progress and sophomore at American University. Zach Pentel is an Online Communications Associate Manager at Campus Progress. Brendan Polmer is a web/video intern at Campus Progress and a senior at George Washington University.
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Why in the world is the freaking government involved in this?
— alexia - Feb 3, 02:56 PM - #Maybe because the ‘freaking’ representatives have, I don’t know, power to influence? Because they were elected?
Sorry to be sarcastic, but why WOULDN’T the government be involved in solving strikes?
— anon - Feb 5, 05:17 AM - #