Today’s Big Number: 9
OK, it’s a blatant ripoff of MSNBC…but NINE is the number of days before nominating petitions have to be returned for this summer’s SAG elections. Ballots go out Aug. 25, results announced Sept. 24.
Neither side has announced a presidential candidate, though, to the surprise of many, Alan Rosenberg has said he’ll stand for a third term. One third of the National Board seats are also up – in Hollywood, all of the seats that are up are currently occupied by Membership First.
Those points are made in the Hollywood Reporter’s catch up story on the Joliffe controversy. The story notes something we should have in our item last night: even though he was rejected overwhelmingly by SAG members, Joliffe was recently elected to the Los Angeles local AFTRA board, even though in the same election he was rejected in his bid for an AFTRA National Board seat.
So far, I’ve seen very little evidence that U4S really “gets” what it means to be a politcal party. At one level I can understand a reulctance to act as as a poltical party inside SAG. At another level, I hear the words of Yoda in my head –”There is no ‘try’; do or do not.”
Clancy Brown should step up.
I say this not merely as a fanboy, but Mr. Brown’s the only one who has publicly shown a willingness to listen and bridge some gaps within SAG.
He’s also of the Cagney-Reagan-Heston tough guy mold, which is not insignificant–as his name would be able to better generate public support down the line when needed.
Hell, given his résumé of super-villains and cult characters, he could hold his own SAG rally at Comic-Con.
This is also a good time and place to point out the continued efforts to delay the trial board about the voter fraud that occured at the January Plenary….this is to time the mishegas better to avoid the next board meeting, to better position MF for the elections….and in hopes that they can delay it enough so it will just fade away and not get any action at all.
Just a reminder …if MF regains its control in the National Board, the history of the past 5 years will repeat itself, including the (re)hiring of Doug Allen
They would not re-hire Doug Allen. As much as they would like to, they know it would cause a complete melt down of SAG from external and internal forces. MF only wants to destroy SAG if they don’t have control, if they get control back they would find another way to promote their agenda. A new NED? Sure. Doug Allen? No way!
We haven’t heard that Doug has a new job. They say he’ll never get another job in labor unless it’s this one. He is still living in the house he bought in LA. He shows up at MF functions to support his “friends.” I imagine him in his home office working full time with AMJ, Joliffe, McCord and his other “friends” on strategy to win back control, extract revenge and cement his position. Geez!
And isn’t he still receiving his salary?
He doesn’t need to look for a job, he’s sitting quite comfortable with the SAG members dues money that he got to buy out his contract.
Remember, I hear that he spent $80,000.00 on travel expenses alone last year.
He’s done very well for himself at OUR expense.
Cruiser, at this point, the only progress has been at the hands of UFS or those who are moderate.
I put Brown, saddly, in the middle of MF even though he has displayed the willingness to “listen” he doesn’t “hear” what is being said. That was demonstrated very clearly here on this site.
Great guy, well spoken and all that, but I think it’s time to let the moderates finish the job.
MF will obstruct any moderates and eat their own young if they become the least bit moderate so having any of them on the board is a problem. Have any of the middle of the road MFers called for dropping the Gang of Four lawsuit which is costing SAG hundreds of thousands of dollars? Not a peep. Did even Clancy call out for that suit to be dropped? Did he go to AMJ or Rosenberg and “strongly” suggest that they drop it? If he did it in private and got told no he should bring it to the floor of the Hollywood meeting. Did he? Nope
Time to go UFS 100%.
Great observation. Either they all agree with the lawsuit or don’t have the balls to speak out against it. Either way they are useless in terms of leading SAG in a new direction!
The Joliffe appointment was an intentional distraction. It was a pure “inside baseball†play meant to annoy the majority and create an “issue†in the election that the voters won’t give a damn about. Any time during the campaign spent on how David Joliffe ended up on the National Board only gives him the visibility he needs to be re-elected.
The appointment was smart and cynical, and the majority should refuse to take the bait.
Could not agree more.
V.
Along those sames lines, Fred, we might also ignore the Call Sheet that came out yesterday with AMJ’s column in it. Clear propoganda (again at Guild expense), as she prepares (in all likelihood) to make a run for President. While it is true we must not take the bait, the membership must remain also remain very aware that these people do indeed have a very cynical agenda that does not care what the majority want…