Odd Lots

The Two Strikes That Ground Hollywood to a Halt

Aug 10, 2023

Lucas Shaw, an entertainment reporter at Bloomberg, and Josh Eidelson, a labor reporter for Businessweek, dive deep into the Hollywood strikes that have paralyzed productions. They unravel the historical context of these labor movements and the stark economic disparities within the industry. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by unions, the impact of AI on job security, and the evolving dynamics of solidarity among workers. Their insights reveal the stakes of these disputes, pointing to a critical juncture in Hollywood's labor landscape.

46:49

Creator website

Episode guests

Josh Eidelson

Lucas Shaw

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

Hollywood Strikes: A Cultural and Labor Examination

14min

Economic Disparities and Union Solidarity in Hollywood

2min

Hollywood Unions: Struggles and Solidarity

10min

Labor Movements and Leadership in Hollywood's Strikes

2min

Leadership Dynamics in Actors' Unions

3min

AI and Labor in Hollywood

16min

End of Discussion and Invitation to Explore Hollywood's Future

2min

Movie and TV productions have come to a nearly complete stop in Hollywood. Both the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America are on strike, with the latter having halted work for the major studios over three months ago. What brought the industry to this point? What do the two opposing sides want? And how do these strikes fit into other labor actions that we're seeing this summer? On this episode, we speak with Lucas Shaw, entertainment reporter at Bloomberg and the author of the Screentime newsletter, as well as Josh Eidelson, a labor reporter for Businessweek and Bloomberg News, about what's going on with the strikes right now, what both sides are looking for, and the prospects of a resolution.

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