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Pamie,

You probably don’t remember me – I met you at the first journalcon – and we had written at the time (although I’d say the last time was … oh about 7 years ago) – I still have the tae bo tapes you sent me – not that I’m using them anymore.

I just wanted to let you know my thoughts are with you and stee and all your friends. It must be a frightening time for you all and yet you’re doing the right thing. Not only for yourselves but for all the other writers that will come along after you.

The whole situation isn’t getting a lot of coverage over here (in Ireland) in fact if it wasn’t for the internet I don’t think I’d now about it… Although we’re not friends, it’s weird to realise that I ‘know’ people directly affected by this strike. Enough that I worry and hope it all comes out ok. The fact that in this day and age strikes are still necessary is a scary, scary thing. It makes you wonder how far we’ve actually come.
I’ve always kept up with how you’re doing and was delighted to hear about Samantha Who, and kept checking to see when it was going to be aired over here. Hopefully it will all get sorted and at some point I’ll get to see it – or at least buy or download it (legitimately) and know you’re getting your well deserved residuals.

Keep fighting the good fight,
Joanne
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I’ve been seeing lots of old, familiar names in my inbox lately. I can’t believe how many of us have stayed in touch here over the years. Maybe some of you are wanting to say hello to each other?

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Hi, Pamie, I was so sorry to hear about your car accident – Christ, do I know what it’s like to have everything in your life go wrong all at once, and all I can say is that I hope the Vicodin is providing some solace. And I’m really happy to think that my last email might have brightened your day at least a little! Best of luck to you at the massive picket at Fox tomorrow. I wanted to be there as it’s very close to where I live, but my very tight wallet pretty much dictates that I not take a day off work. My next day off is Tuesday, though, and I’ll be walking the line at Disney on Alameda, as some of my writer friends assured me that I’m welcome even if I’m not a guild member. Most of my family and many of my friends still live back home in Chicago. It seems that the further away you get from SoCal, the less the strike is covered and the less people understand about it. I sent out a massive email tonight breaking things down into non-industry terms and explaining what they can do if they want to help bring a quicker end to this. (And I had to break it into two parts, because with my family, massive means massive – we’re Irish-Catholic on one side and Italian-Catholic on the other.) Thought it was worth pointing out the three things that are fairly easy for even the most casual of TV watchers to do:
1. Do not watch streaming episodes on any network’s website.

2. Do not download any television episodes from iTunes.

3. Should the strike last until January, that’s when most original programming is going to stop airing, because they’ll have run out of episodes. There are going to be a lot of reality TV series popping up in the interim – game shows and some really ridiculous generic reality shows that make Joe Millionare look like the freaking Sopranos. I’m respectfully requesting that you do not watch ANY of these, as it will hurt the ratings, and the more money the networks lose, the faster this will be resolved.

Keep your head held high!

Molly
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Hey Pamie,

I just wanted to drop you a line of support from here in the UK. I’m currently taking a little break from my PhD writing up, which wouldn’t exist without the writers as its about teen TV.

I’ve been a reader of your website for a couple of years and read all your recaps on TWOP for Gilmore
Girls and am a big fan of your work. I think what the writers are doing is so important and reading about the showrunners rally the other day brought a lump to my throat, as does much of what you are writing here.

Having read you for so long I realise how much getting this job and your show being successful means to you and as a result see how much this strike pains you, but so admire your determination.

Our university lecturers here in the UK went through a painful strike here last year, and I know how this was misrepresented in the press and how the university bosses manipulated the issue. It was also sad to see the student populace ultimately turn around and revoke their support when the strike was as much for them as it was for the lectureres. I hope this is resolved quickly so there is no turning of this magnificent
groundwell of support you have.

The strike is making headline news here in the UK on our national radio station Radio 1 (our ‘youth’ station) but is massively simplified (as their news always is) as they simply say ‘they want more money’.
I had to write an angry email to them explaining the reasons why and why its so important. I also gave my poor boyfriend a 10 minute lecture on the importance of the strike and the manouvers of the television industry. We have recently finished watching season 3 of the office on DVD – which is the only way i get to see most of my fav US shows as they are mostly shown on satellite tv over here – and i’m not going to buy any new TV DVDs to replace it, in support of the strike.

Back to writing about the shows you are striking about (!)

UNION!

Yours in solidarity,

Faye
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Hi Pamela,

I’ve read your site for a while, blah blah regular fawning praise, and I just wanted to chip in some words of support for you on taking a stand. I come from a dirty little mining town way way up north in Canada, and I’ve lived through strikes so bad that my parents had to struggle to get food on the table. People are going to call you greedy. People are going to call you lazy. The “other side” is going to do things to jerk your chain. I hate to say it, but your fellow writers are going to do embarassing things and maybe even lose faith. Strikes are drama of the highest order, mainly because you are gambling with your livelihood. I just wanted to say that, in the end, the gamble is always worth it. Suffering in the present to make the future better is what life is all about. Believe in what you stand for and you’ll make it.

Good Luck.

Ian Reed
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Hi Pamie,

Been meaning to write to show you my support. I’ve put down the remote (and refrained from downloading on my brand spanking new iphone (now there’s solidarity for you)). I have no doubt you’ll come out on top. Like Cal and Taylor, you’ve always landed on your feet.
In my best Rob Shneider voice: “YOU CAN DO IT!”

-Kate
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I support you!! And your fellow writers.
As hard as it’s been to not catch up on the last episodes of Heroes, Grey’s, Private Practice, Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives, Dirty, Sexy, Money, K-Ville, Chuck or SAMANTHA, WHO? – I’ve stayed away.

Which is KILLING me, since I’ve been so excited about the Fall season and haven’t missed much up until recently, since my future mother-in-law has been visiting for 2 weeks.

That’s right, TWO. WEEKS.

Has your future mother-in-law ever visited for weeks on end, and stayed in the main room, with the whole, “it’s your time to bond” message hanging over your head?

That pretty much means no TV.

Among other things.

So now that she’s out of town and my fiance is out of town and I have all this glorious, glorious time to catch up on my shows while eating baked Cheetos and wine – alas, it is not to be.

My remote is my voice and my proverbial pencil. And pencils down… well, you know.

I support what you’re trying to do! Keep it up!

If I can do anything (besides trying to cop , “but pencils DOWN!” to my editor in a futile attempt at an extension on a wholly non-TV related assignment. Apparently it doesn’t apply to book reviewers…) please let me know.

¡UVAS NO!

Terry Ornelas
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Hey Pamie,

I have been reading your blog for a long time. The post you wrote about turning thirty? Well, you turned thirty the day after I turned twenty. That was my first real ‘adult’ birthday. And I loved your post about entering your thirties, I just replaced ‘thirty’ with ‘twenty’ and pretended it was written about me. I know. I’m weird.

Well, I want to tell you that I think that you and your fellow writer’s are brave as hell. My father is a union man, and he’s been on strike. I know how terrifying a strike can be, and not just financially. I support you guys, and anyone within a union, a thousand percent. I’m proud to be a union daughter. And the insurance is awesome to boot. I wish I could walk the line with you guys. I would proudly hold up a sign and yell along with the rest of you. Or reenact that scene from The Simpsons where Lisa leads the nuclear power plants workers in song during their strike. Just like Lisa needed braces, you guys need residuals.

You know what’s funny? You’re kind of responsible for my decision to enter the industry. I want to produce. I keep thinking that in a few short years I will be working with writers, helping to put a show together. And that makes the strike a bit more personal for me. And that’s why in angers me so much. You guys work hard, you deserve what your asking for. I know how hard it is to make it, I’m prepared for hardcore competition, I don’t like the thought that people like you, and one day people like me, work so hard to get where they are. Only to have someone profit unfairly off of their creativity and hard work.

So Pamie Rae, walk. Hold your sign, yell and chant, make aspiring TV people like me proud.

-Catie

oh, PS:

…this is why I shouldn’t write when I don’t have enough coffee. And I feel like a stalker fangirl for e-mailing you twice in ten minutes. But I figure you of all people would understand, right?

Well, I read about your accident. And it scared me. I’m glad you weren’t too badly hurt…I got in my first car accident last week (hooray for fender benders) and it was a small one. And it terrified me. I’m sorry you had to bang up your car like that.
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Man, if that’s not the kind of letter that keeps me going, I don’t know what could be. Thank you so much, Catie.