Boycott the Emmys

If the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences isn’t the dumbest organization in Hollywood they have to be in the top two. Here’s their latest moronic move:

In an effort to improve ratings for their Emmy cast they’ve decided to streamline the show and no longer give all writing awards on the live broadcast. They’ll be given earlier and snippets of the acceptance speeches will air on the show.

This is the same genius Board of Directors who last year decided to let five reality show hosts emcee and ad lib for ten of the most excruciating and embarrassing minutes in the history of television. Who needs writers when you have Heidi Klum and funnyman Jeff Probst? Yes, the ratings were deplorable but do you think it just might have been because of the horrendous hosts? And an ill-conceived tribute to MASH that featured not the cast of MASH but Kathy Griffin?

Not to mention that pathetic LAUGH-IN sketch. If you’re trying to draw a younger audience, that’s how you do it -- by reprising a show that no one under 45 has ever heard of.

Yeah, the writers’ awards were what caused the horrific ratings.

Hey, here’s a novel idea! Present the goddamn commemorative awards off the air. Edit Tommy Smothers’ blathering speech. Let the writers who actually won something have their one moment in the sun.

Maybe if the director of the Emmys (who coincidentally just happened to win an Emmy) didn’t rattle on for five minutes during his own acceptance speech there would have been more time.

Another novel idea: You want to streamline the show? Then why ADD categories? Reality Show host, Reality show: competition, Reality Show: non competition. That’s excellence? That’s going to attract viewers? Pitting the great Heidi Klum against the magnetic Phil Keoghan? Imagine in the old days telling Paddy Chayefsky he couldn't accept his Emmy live on the air because they needed time for Soupy Sales to get his.

They've also padded the number of nominees in some cases. That way more network shows that Joe Lunch Pail has heard of get included. Isn't the point to recognize the best shows, not the most promoted?

There is a letter of protest that has been submitted to the Academy signed by practically every showrunner in television. Furthermore, omitting two writing categories from the live broadcast violates a longstanding WGA agreement with the ATAS.

But the message the Academy is sending is clear. Writing is not considered important enough to be honored on the national broadcast. Writers haven’t made a significant enough contribution; certainly not as significant as reality show hosts. It’s a huge slap in the face. Not to mention the ATAS is shortchanging the only winners who can really put three sentences together.

Last year’s show was an unmitigated disaster. It deserved the worst ratings ever. The television industry can’t even put on a decent show that honors television. But maybe, just maybe, the problem was that it was poorly conceived.

And POORLY WRITTEN!!

How vital are scribes? Remember what happened when we boycotted the Golden Globes? Talk about bad ratings -- how about NO ratings?

I join the WGA in urging the Television Academy to reconsider this misguided and insulting decision.