Golden Globes Organizers Continue Waiver Appeals

LOS ANGELES, January 3: The Golden Globe Awards, taking
place January 13, may be missing some star power with the Writers Guild of
America set to picket the event after refusing to grant a waiver to the show’s
producers last month.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which owns the
Globes, confirmed yesterday that on December 29, 2007, its lawyers began
discussions with the Writers Guild of America to enter into an interim
agreement similar to that inked with Worldwide Pants. That deal, announced last
week, allowed the writers of The Late Show with David Letterman to get back to work. In a statement, the HFPA’s president,
Jorge Camara, called the deal signed with Worldwide Pants “very reasonable.”
Camara continued: “The Late Show with David Letterman and the Golden Globe Awards are similar in structure
and are administered in the same way. Worldwide Pants produces The
Late Show with David Letterman for
broadcast on behalf of David Letterman, Dick Clark Productions produces the
Golden Globe Awards for broadcast on behalf of the Hollywood Foreign Press
Association. CBS does not own Late Show with David Letterman, and NBC does not own the Golden Globe Awards.”

The WGA has already granted waivers to the Screen Actors
Guild Awards and Film Independent’s Spirit Awards. Camara noted: “It is only
fair that we be afforded the same opportunity as these other awards shows. What’s
more, our partners at Dick Clark productions share in our support of the WGA
and their efforts and have agreed to enter into interim agreements for all of
their productions, including the American Music Awards, Dick Clark’s New Year’s
Rockin’ Eve and The Academy of Country Music Awards, among others.”

The WGA, meanwhile, is standing firm, issuing a statement
yesterday in which it stressed: “Dick Clark Productions is a struck company. …
The WGA has great respect and admiration for the Hollywood Foreign Press
Association, but we are engaged in a crucial struggle that will protect our
income and intellectual property rights for generations to come. We will
continue to do everything in our power to bring industry negotiations to a fair
conclusion.”

It is not yet clear which celebrities will be on hand to
present, and receive, awards. Alan Rosenberg, the president of the Screen
Actors Guild, said yesterday: “Unless and until there is an agreement between
the WGA and HFPA, we will advise our members of their rights with respect to
not crossing WGA picket lines and/or not appearing on programs using non-union
writers.”

—By Mansha Daswani