The pen may be mightier than awards.
After taking the luster off the Golden Globes, striking writers now have their sights set on the Grammys.
On Tuesday afternoon, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences announced it had asked for a pass from the Writers Guild of America to stage the music biz's biggest night.
The WGA confirmed that it has received a request from show producer John Cossette and the Recording Academy for an interim arrangement and that it will refer the matter to the WGA West Board of Directors.
But earlier, the WGA indicated it did not plan on granting a waiver for CBS' Feb. 10 telecast. WGA spokesman Gregg Mitchell said the guild hadn't yet received word from the Recording Academy, but that any request is "unlikely to be granted."
Still, 'the Recording Academy is remains hopeful that there will be a quick and positive response," said the organization's president and CEO, Neil Portnow.
Without a waiver, not only would the Recording Academy be unable to hire union scribes to write scripted packages paying tribute to Grammy's 50th anniversary, writers could set up a picket line in front of Los Angeles' Staples Center.
In turn, Screen Actors Guild members would be loath to break ranks with their WGA brethren, thus diminishing the Grammy star power. Last year's Grammys featured Chris Rock, Nicolas Cage, Luke Wilson and Samuel L. Jackson in attendance. A similar number of stars was expected at the 2008 edition.
Further complicating matters is that many Grammy-loved musicians moonlight as SAG members, including Justin Timberlake, 50 Cent, Jack White, Beyoncé Knowles, Fantasia Barrino, Jon Bon Jovi, and Queen Latifah, and the WGA is pressuring them to boycott the bash.
Then, of course, there are blue-collar rockers like Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Joni Mitchell and Steve Earle—all of whom are nominated this year and, as strong union supporters throughout their careers, they have traditionally refused to cross picket lines.
The Recording Academy typically unveils its list of performers and presenters three weeks before the actual ceremony.
"Let me reiterate our desire to bring this matter to a positive resolution working with the WGA," Portnow said.
"And to slightly alter a famous saying in our world, 'The Show will go on.' We will take whatever action is necessary to ensure that a program so vital to our industry, artists, charitable beneficiaries, and the great city of Los Angeles is held as planned. Accordingly, all preparations by th Academy for our milestone 50th Annual Grammy Awards remain in full-swing."
While the Grammys seem to be striking the wrong chord with the WGA, the NAACP Image Awards are getting a flyer.
The WGA announced Tuesday it had granted a waiver to organizers of the 39th annual awardscast, which honors people of color in film, TV, music and literature. The WGA has granted similar waivers to the the SAG Awards and Independent Spirit Awards.
That's good news for such nominees as Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin, Will Smith, America Ferrera, Taye Diggs and Jordin Sparks, all of whom are free to attend the Feb. 14 ceremony without the fear of union backlash.
Meanwhile, as the strike goes on and scribes' beards grow ever bushier in their battle for a greater share of the new media pie, several studios are taking action.
Disney-owned ABC Studios, 20th Century Fox Television, CBS Paramount Network Television, NBC Universal and Warner Bros. Television have confirmed plans to terminate development and production pacts with a multitude of writers.
January traditionally marks the occasion when writers who have deals with studios get to work hatching new comedy and drama series for the upcoming television season.
The WGA said in a statement that such moves were "alienating the very creative force that has made entertainment one of the most successful businesses in the country."
Finally, the guild has signed additional interim agreements with two more major film production companies, following recent news that the guild had reached separate independent accords with the Weinstein Company, United Artists and David Letterman's Worldwide Pants.
The deal with Spyglass Entertainment and Media Rights Capital allows them to hire screenwriters until an industry-wide agreement takes its place.
The WGA hopes the current side deals—which are estimated to give writers a 2.5 percent stake in a distributor's gross for TV properties presented on the Web and 2 percent of the gross for airing movies online—puts more pressure on the big five studios to return to the bargaining table.