MARCUS: Actors flounce out on strike led millionaire anti-capitalist

DAVID MARCUS: Posturing A-list actors flounce out on a strike led by an anti-capitalist who’s worth millions – throwing thousands of ‘little people’ out of work. Excuse me while I throw up into my popcorn bucket

Superstar Hollywood actors are playing a new role this week – oppressed workers on strike.

Ben Affleck as Batman was more believable.

That’s right, multi-millionaire thespians have gone from preening on red carpets to decrying corrupt capitalist movie studios, as they join the first artiste work stoppage in 60 years.

It’s exactly as absurd as it sounds.

The Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) are allying with the Screenwriters Guild, who began pounding the picket line back in May.

Among the demands of the elitist set is more money (of course) and protections against Artificial Intelligence recreating their beautiful faces and stealing their jobs.

Good luck fighting the future.

On the other side is The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which negotiates for the studios and says they’re offering the highest minimum pay raises in 35 years and ‘ground-breaking’ job security against AI actors.

None of it is enough. So yes, Tinseltown is shutting down.

But who will pay the price for these puffed-up celebrities pantomiming poor and abused workers?

Spoiler alert: It won’t be them.

In a ludicrous display of faux solidarity with the workers of the world, the cast of the new blockbuster movie ‘Oppenheimer,’ including Robert Downey Jr, Emily Blunt, and Florence Pugh, left their London premiere early. But only after first being feted as Hollywood royalty by snapping paparazzi.

What stunning bravery! What remarkable self-restraint… and denial!

In a ludicrous display of faux solidarity with the workers of the world, the cast of the new blockbuster movie ‘Oppenheimer,’ including Robert Downey Jr, Emily Blunt, and Florence Pugh, left their London premiere early. But only after first being feted as Hollywood royalty by snapping paparazzi. 

What stunning bravery! What remarkable self-restraint… and denial! 

Though maybe it really was the ultimate sacrifice for these narcissists to deny themselves the pleasure of gazing at giant images of their own faces for the three-hour, run-time of this epic.

Not to be upstaged, Fran Drescher, former star of the hit sitcom The Nanny and current SGA president, went into full freak out mode in a news conference on Thursday.

‘We are the victims here,’ she cried.

It wasn’t exactly Fran Fine shrill, but it was close.

‘We are being victimized by a very greedy entity.’

Excuse me, while I throw up into my popcorn bucket.

This the same woman, who back in 2020 said, ‘Capitalism has become another word for Ruling Class Elite!’

Calm down, Cesar Chavez. If you’re a victim, can we all get in on it?

This is the same Fran Drescher with a net worth somewhere in the very fancy neighborhood of $25 million.

Funny how capitalism didn’t seem to bother her when a TV career, largely driven by her annoying voice, was making her fabulously wealthy.

So, Fran. Aren’t you tainted too?

Beyond all of this obvious hypocrisy is an even more nauseating omission. Have any of these preening elites of the silver screen spared a moment of thought for the hard-working people, who just watched their jobs go ‘poof.’

Not to be upstaged, Fran Drescher (above), former star of the hit sitcom The Nanny and current SGA president, went into full freak out mode in a news conference on Thursday.

The Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) are allying with the Screenwriters Guild, who began pounding the picket line back in May.

Beyond all of this obvious hypocrisy is an even more nauseating omission. Have any of these preening elites of the silver screen spared a moment of thought for the hard-working people, who just watched their jobs go ‘poof.’

Yes, there are ‘strike funds’ that offer help to some of those toiling behind the scenes.

The Writers Guild has its own $20 million pot to dip into. The International Cinematographers Guild is building a fund of between $250,000 and $500,000 to give a thousand bucks to camera operators put out of work. These are people worried about buying groceries, not multimillion dollar homes.

But what of the galaxy of workers who provide movie set support services? What of the caterers who feed the crew and truck drivers of logistics companies? How about electricians, carpenters, or the people who do the laundry?

For the private jet set, with their adoring entourages, these little people might as well not even exist.

Perhaps most appalling of all is the actors’ union’s threat toward non-union entertainers. The message is clear: cross the picket line and your career is over.

In a memo warning potential SCABS, SAG-AFTRA wrote that, ‘Any non-member seeking future membership…who performs…for a struck company during the strike will not be admitted…’ in the future.

A concerned father took to Twitter to ask if his aspiring actor son, who has an agent but is non-union, is permitted under the dictates of this powerful coalition, to attend a big audition next week. The answer seemed to be: no!

What of the galaxy of workers who provide movie set support services? What of the caterers who feed the crew and truck drivers of logistics companies? How about electricians, carpenters, or the people who do the laundry? 

Perhaps most appalling of all is the actors’ union’s threat toward non-union entertainers. The message is clear: cross the picket line and your career is over. 

Sorry kid. Your big screen dream is over until Florence Pugh gets paid!

At a time when so many Americans are struggling financially and in need of some entertainment, this absurd stunt by over-privileged prancing performers is as tone deaf as a modern pop star without autotuning.

The most likely outcome of their farcical fight for ‘workers rights’ is more reality television, less opportunity for original storytelling, and ironically, more reliance on AI.

The loud and clear message that should be sent to these ungrateful celebrities and their continent-sized senses of entitlement must be, ‘get back to work or get out of the way.’

Go back to your trailer, put on your makeup, and make some movies. No one is buying it as you cry poverty from your infinity pools in the Hollywood Hills. Real people with real lives, who have kids and mortgages are going to suffer.

And let these pompous performers be warned: The more these elite hypocrites whine and rend their Versace, the less likely Americans will be willing to welcome them back into their living rooms.

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