Writers’ strikeout?
Looming deadline raises script-shortage fears
ready for fewer new episodes of your favorite TV series. We’re hearing Hollywood agents far and wide are bracing for another writers’ strike.
While the union negotiates a fresh contract every three years, it’s been a decade since the last strike — a stunning 100-day walkout that put Tinseltown productions on ice. The Writers Guild ultimately went back to work after members got a piece of digital revenue.
Back in 2007, Deadline’s erstwhile editor Nikki Finke chronicled the breakdown in negotiations between Hollywood’s big media companies and the folks who write the shows.
Consumers a decade ago had to live with fewer episodes of “Heroes,” but if talks don’t go well now the networks could have a tough time with the annual show-andtell TV upfront presentations in May.
“The Writers Guilds of America, West and East, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers announced they will begin formal contract negotiations March 13. The current Minimum Basic Agreement expires May 1,” the union said.
Former Sony Music boss Tommy Mottola has his fingers in a lot of pies these days. Mottola told On the Money over coffee last week that he’s in talks to bring in a strategic partner for his home-shopping network, Evine Live.
Mottola, friend Tommy Hilfiger and Morris Goldfarb took a 10 percent stake in the venture for $10 million in September. The partners have an option for another 10 percent stake.
“We’re in the midst of aligning ourselves with a partner that will be a big strategic move for Evine,” Mottola told us. The partner will likely be a big retailer.
Mottola knows a thingng or two about retail. He’s a former director of furniture store Restoration Hardware and his wife, Mexican singerger Thalia tured), is helping pay the family bills with a line of clothing at Macy’s that’s heavy on animal prints. Mottola says the clothing line is on track to break $100 millionillion in sales by year’s end. It launched in 2015.
Mottola, who was once married to Mariah Carey, is a producer of the Broadway musical “A Bronx Tale,” which draws on his heritage growing upp in the Bronx listening to music pouring from thehe neigh-neighbors’ windows.indows.
Now, he says, the musicsic busi-business is veryvery dif-different.
“A greateat song can rise to the top no matter what,” Mottola pointed out, referring to the YouTube era. “The economics don’t reallyly allow [the labels] to invest [a lot] of money in artists, and it’s changed the whole dynamic.”ynamic.”
A person posing as Ivanka Trump may be packing their bags for a vacation, writes Kevin Dugan.
The winning bidder (who used the informal presidential adviser’s name) shelledd out $1,400 on Thursday for a twonight stay in Puerto Rico at a charity fundraiser honoring Goldman Sachs at the Museum of Natural History. ry.
Trump’s personal spokesperson said the first daughter did not make any bid for the Ritz-Carlton vacation stay. The total estimatedestim value of the vacation was $2,886. and must be booked by March 2018. The Help forfo Children charity raised more than $95,000. The gala was held in the museum’s Hall of Biodiversity, under the big blue whale. The charity,ch which assists abused children and teenagers, has raised more than $1.5 million, Dean Backer, a Goldman managing director, told On the Money. OtherOthe items that were up for bid included a picture of “Wall Street” character Gordon Gekko signed by Michael Douglas that reads, “Greed Is Good” across the top. And — of course — “Hamil- Warren BuffeBuffett has a thing for Glenn ClClose, writes Josh . He was spotted iin Midtown on Wednesday afternoon attending the Broadway revival matinee of “Sunset Boulevard” starring the 69-year-old actress. Buffett later told On the Money, “No one can match Glenn Close.” A spy at the perfoperformance said the Oracle of Omaha stood and clapped loudly when she came out for her curtain call. “I think everyone will agree: No one will ever match Warren Buffet,” Close said of the legendary investor.