“The Office” TV Crew Fired, Dirty Tactics Force Jay Leno Writers to Return

NBC has fired all the production people on their hit show “The Office” and Jay Leno’s people may be next on the chopping block.

While the writers rightfully demand an equal share of the pie, 102 people are now out of work on The Office.

And when the networks air repeats because of this strike, the writers will get paid residuals. No such luck for the out of work crew.

Now we understand the difficult decision Ellen DeGeneres had to make this week by staying on the air.

NBC is trying to strong arm Jay Leno back to the “Tonight Show,” the very same program they are basically forcing him to leave against his own will in a year and a half.

The funnyman with the heart of gold has been supporting his writers by walking out in solidarity and not crossing the picket line.

But NBC has informed all non-writing staff that they will be fired at the end of next week if Leno doesn’t return.

“I talk to Jay every day, and he will not be the first [late-night host] to cross the picket line,” said Tonight Show head writer Joe Medeiros, a strike captain for the Writers Guild.

So, in an attempt to save people’s jobs and lure Leno back, NBC is “looking into” the possibility of having guest hosts fill in while Jay is gone.

The LA Times just published the following email from Dale Alexander, a key grip on The Office, which puts the severity of this strike into perspective.

It reads:

“Our show was shut down and we were all laid off this week. I’ve been watching the news since the WGA strike was announced and I have yet to see any coverage dedicated to the effect that this strike will have on the below the line employees.

I respect the WGA’s position. They probably do deserve a larger percentage of profit participation, but a lengthy strike will affect more than just the writers and studios. On my show we had 14 writers. There were also 2 cameramen, 2 camera assistants, 4 hair stylists, 4 makeup artists, 7 wardrobe people, 4 grips, 4 electricians, 2 craft service, 4 props people, 6 construction, 1 medic, 3 art department, 5 set dressers, 3 sound men, 3 stand-ins, 2 set PAs, 4 assistant directors, 1 DGA trainee, 1 unit manager, 6 production office personnel, 3 casting people, 4 writers assistants, 1 script supervisor, 2 editors, 2 editors assistants, 3 post production personnel, 1 facilities manager, 8 drivers, 2 location managers, 3 accountants, 4 caterers and a producer who’s not a writer. All 102 of us are now out of work.

I have been in the motion picture business for 33 years and have survived three major strikes. None of which have been by any of the below the line unions. During the 1988 WGA strike many of my friends lost their homes, cars and even spouses. Many actors are publicly backing the writers, some have even said that they would find a way to help pay bills for the striking writers. When the networks run out of new shows and they air repeats the writers will be paid residuals. The lowest paid writer in television makes roughly twice the salary than the below the line crewmember makes. Everyone should be paid their fair share, but does it have to be at the expense of the other 90% of the crewmembers. Nobody ever recoups from a strike, lost wages are just that, lost.

We all know that the strike will be resolved. Eventually both sides will return to the bargaining table and make a deal. The only uncertainty is how many of our houses, livelihoods, college educations and retirement funds will pay for it.”

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