At midnight on Wednesday, for the first time since 1960, writers and actors went on strike simultaneously. Hollywood actors joined The Writers Guild of America, which had already been on strike for over two months after unsuccessful negotiations with studios, according to the New York Times.
While an actor’s strike may have been devastating in the 60s or even in the 80s, things have changed considerably in the entertainment industry, and Hollywood may be surprised at how little it is missed.
Hollywood actors are about to join Hollywood writers on strike.
And nothing of value will be lost. https://t.co/mCUGcRdaRu
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) July 13, 2023
Firstly, it seems like, of late, Hollywood has been suffering from a scarcity of original storylines, with a majority of movies and TV series being adaptations of existing ideas or the always convenient sequels.
In 2022 alone, there were at least 14 sequels on the big screen, including: “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Downton Abbey: A New Era,” “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” “Jurassic World: Dominion,” “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” “Thor: Love and Thunder,” and “Avatar 2.”
The age of original storylines and surprise endings is a thing of the past.
Award shows, which used to be viewed by millions, also lost their draw when Hollywood decided to use the platform to celebrate woke activism rather than good acting.
“Dressing in drag as a kid is a threat to nobody!” Daniel Scheinert, Best Director (along with Daniel Kwan) at The Oscars #EverythingEverywhereAllAtOnce@Daniels pic.twitter.com/JAZTXqPbS4
— Drag Queen Story Hour UK® ️🏳️🌈🇬🇧 (@DragStoryHourUK) March 13, 2023
Moreover, the content landscape has become fragmented, with numerous platforms vying for viewers’ attention. Entertainment platforms like YouTube, Rumble, Twitter and Instagram provide ample content and hours of entertainment at little or no cost to the viewer.
Additionally, streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu have countless hours of archived content, from shows to movies on demand.
Given these changes to the media climate in America, it is safe to say that the strike will not affect regular Americans much, if at all. If anything, it may be a blessing to get some of the filth they keep churning out off the air and a chance to see some more wholesome content.
As one Twitter user wrote: “With the woke crap they are putting out good riddance I can find decent stuff to entertain myself elsewhere.”
With the woke crap they are putting out good riddance I can find decent stuff to entertain myself elsewhere
— Bob (@harborguy64) July 13, 2023
The unions’ demands include restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence and higher pay for streaming and residuals. Both writers and actors fear that AI will replace or augment their work, leading to a loss of the human touch.
It’s funny how they’re worried about someone — or, in this case, something — taking away their jobs. They don’t seem so concerned about that when regular Americans complain about the open border.
“Movies are supposed to bring people together”: Stars speak out against US immigration policies ahead of Oscars. pic.twitter.com/oxsnvVBfiz
— SBS News (@SBSNews) February 26, 2017
So don’t worry about Hollywood, it is doing what it does best — looking out for itself.
But watching the virtue-signaling elite picketing out in the L.A. sun, demanding job security and even more money, might be more entertainment than these actors have given us in a long time.
