My letter to Jeff Zucker
Monday, December 3rd, 2007 | 72 comments[This letter was mailed on November 30]
Dear Mr. Zucker,
I have five words for you: “Image is everything. Andre Agassi.”
It was those five words, spoken by Michael Scott in The Office’s Season 2 episode, “The Fire,” which motivated me to write its author, B.J. Novak, back in late 2005.
To my surprise, B.J. wrote me back: “You are the first to quote the Andre Agassi line! I came up with it on the spot and told it to Steve and was SO proud of it. I thought no one noticed, or remembered the Canon ads. Glad you did!”
Shortly thereafter, I decided to create a fansite for the show. In February 2006, OfficeTally.com was born. It’s been an amazing adventure ever since.
Now running a fansite isn’t always fun. Especially on Thursday nights, when I laboriously transcribe my favorite quotes from that evening’s episode. But even after nearly two years of running OfficeTally, I still react with childlike glee when I load up the quote randomizer with my favorite gems at the end of the evening.
You see, great writing is joyous. Great writing inspires people to create fansites. And great writing deserves fair pay.
Until the contract negotiation is resolved, I will not watch any replacement programming you put in The Office’s place. I will not view or download online episodes.
And OfficeTally’s quote randomizer will go dark.
Because without fair pay, there are no words.
Sincerely,
Jennie Tan
www.officetally.com
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Okay Tallyheads, go write your own letter.
#54, you gotta be kidding me. So, you think it’s okay for the networks to take the writers’ work (many who also star in the show, btw)and replay it on the internet, and sell it as a DVD–without paying them? How would you like it if someone took something you made, sold it, and didn’t pay you for it?
You wouldn’t, believe me.
We are all on this site because we love their humor. Now, let’s hope they get paid fairly. Otherwise, they won’t be writing for us. Write NBC and tell them why you’ve quit watching.
#70: They’ve not alienated me! I have little doubt that as soon as our favorite show is back on, audiences will return. (And not just because we’ve been settling for Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann.) The goal (for both sides) should be to get quality programming back on the air and to get the entire crew back to work as soon as possible.
This is an amazing letter. I could have never done something like it myself.
Kudos to you, tanster.
Great letter! It’s all so true. Also love the quote and it’s so cool that BJ wrote you back!
I’m a stockholder. I own a few shares of GE, NBC/Universals parent. I’m in favor of fair pay for all of GE’s employees. NBC had a successful product in The Office. Now they have alienated their customers, that would be us. That’s not good business. If I were to sell my shares, someone else would buy them, so I will hold on to them and continue to do what I can to persuade NBC to take a leadership role in settling the strike. GE is a very diversified corporation, so the financial impact on it would be considerably less than on some of the other companies. If you would like to send comments to GE use this:
Link
“NBC is dead to me.”
Tanster: thanks for answering my question and clarifying the situation. Again, this is why I love OfficeTally. Thanks! (Now I can go back to participating in DMI…)
I’m in the minority, also. Who are we to decide what is ‘fair pay’? If I’m a writer, ‘fair’ is one dollar figure. If I’m a stockholder and it’s MY money being paid out, ‘fair’ is a different number.
It is my understanding that the issue is not ‘if’ the writers deserve a cut, but ‘how much’ of a cut.
Fact: I want my Office back, too. Let’s hope they keep negotiating.
My new mantra (feel free to join in):
NBC is dead to me.
I loved your letter, Jennie. Whatever anyone’s political stance on the strike, I think our Office writers are wonderful - talented and irreplaceable. I also think they have been very supportive of us as fans - visiting the OTCR, coming en masse to the convention, actually reading our comments on this blog. Maybe those people who don’t support the strike in general could consider just supporting our Office writers specifically in their fight to get paid for the webisodes, downloads and more which we enjoy as fans.
Sorry if it’s already been said, but I was just thinking how useful it is to NOT watch/download any of the online stuff? Isn’t the whole crux of this strike to do with how the writers think they should be paid for this online content but the networks are still ‘unsure’ as to how financially viable web stuff is for them? Refusing to watch any web content would just reinforce the networks’ point of view, no? It just seems to me that refusing to watch TV but increasing the viewership of the online content would do more for the writers’ cause than ignoring it.
It’s all a moot point for me anyway — being Canadian I miss out on the online stuff AND have to suffer through the drought of new eps. *sigh*
#62-
I like your point. I have not read much about the Producers side of it, other than what the writers have relayed to us. There are always two sides to a conflict, and I feel like the producers have been conveyed in an unfair manner. I’m not saying I support or oppose one side over the other. I just think it’s important for us viewers to know the whole story before we “choose a side.”
Also, there was a comment earlier that I really agreed with (I’m not sure who said it). Something about if a baker makes some bread and sells it, he doesn’t expect to be paid for every sandwich that’s made with that bread. I wholeheartedly agree with that statement.
Very well said, Jennie. Short, simple, and poignant.
(And BJ Novak rules. He wrote me back, too).
I agree with #56.
So far I have not seen one statement from the producers giving their version of the strike. My guess is it is because they haven’t made such a statement. I’m not saying I think the writers are wrong, in fact I admire their willingness to take a stand on a matter that is important to them. I’m just saying we’re getting but one side of the story, and when that side uses words like “moguls” or “greedy” or “fatcats”, or “rollbacks” to describe a pay proposal for something they were not getting paid for before, my eyes start rolling.
The bottom line for me is that this is an employment dispute. The WGA would not get involved in my employment negotiations (nor would such involvement be requested or welcome) and I’m not taking sides in this one, either.
I’ve been a looooong time reader/lurker of your site — but your letter sums up my thoughts precisely. Job well done. Thank you!
honestly people what can we do to speed this up? Who are the people the WGA negotiating with? Is it NBC or is it Universal? Or both?
all i want for Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah/Festivus is new office!! please oh please. i’m an ever so good consumerist of all your media merchandise.
*bats eyelashes
P.S.
also i want to have a robot’s body but my head’s the same except my mouth breathes out fire!
thanks Mr. Zucker!
You are amazing. I absolutely love people who LOVE The Office as much as I do. I need my Thursday nights back…
Not watching the shows they put up instead of The Office won’t bring back The Office any sooner.
fight the power!
I love The Office….love the actors, writers, producers, etc.
However, I have only disgust in my heart for what the writers are doing. Their selfishness has not only denied the fans new episodes, more importantly it has denied non WGA members their jobs. The crew is not on strike, they don’t have a stake in this fight, they will not benefit whatever the outcome, yet they are suffering more than anyone
Think of your job, and your co-workers. If you went on strike and it cost them their jobs….is that someone you could face.