It is unclear whether awards show will have to go on in a scaled-back format, à la the Golden Globes.
By MTV News staff

As speculation swirls about what form the Grammy Awards will take in light of the ongoing writers' strike, artists and industry professionals offered statements of support in a release issued by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences on Thursday (January 17). Many have speculated that the award show could end up like the Golden Globes announcement, which essentially amounted to a listless news conference.

However, Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters' management have pledged that, for them at least, the show will go on. Beyoncé's father and manager, Mathew Knowles, has also insisted that he and his daugher will attend the event.

And unlike the Globes, or other productions such as late-night talk shows that have had to scale back, the Grammy Awards, according to Grohl, will go on full throttle. The Foo Fighters frontman said he will move on with plans to participate in the My Grammy Moment amateur-artist spotlight, which featured Justin Timberlake last year.

"We're participating in 'My Grammy Moment' because it creates opportunities," Grohl said in a statement. "Opportunities to write, compose, play and study music — skills that absolutely need to be passed on to generations to come. And thanks to 'My Grammy Moment,' a musician from that next generation is going to get the chance to audition on YouTube to play with us at the Grammys as part of our orchestra."

The Foos' manager, John Silva, likewise offered his intent to be involved in the show and also extended his support to the striking members of the Writers Guild of America.

"We're looking forward to attending this year's Grammy Awards as we do every year," he said. "We are hopeful that we will see a resolution to the current situation affecting our entire industry, as Foo Fighters have always had nothing short of amazing experiences with the writers, producers, fellow artists and audiences at the Grammys and every television show the band has ever played."

The music-industry event is scheduled to take place next month, February 10, but with many songwriters siding with the Writers Guild, it was uncertain exactly which artists would still perform on the big night.

Knowles confirmed that his daughter still intends to honor her invitation to perform, and B's sister Solange and Trin-I-Tee 5:7, who are also Knowles' clients, will also attend the show.

"The work of the Recording Academy is vital to the music industry, and we have every intention of being with the entire music community to celebrate the Grammys' 50th birthday in February," Knowles announced Thursday via prepared remarks. "Beyoncé, as well as my other artists, Solange and Trin-I-Tee 5:7, have been asked to participate and will do so. We have an incredible Beyoncé performance that will be announced soon. We wish the Grammys the best."

Earlier this week, the Recording Academy, which is responsible for the Grammy Awards, sought permission from the WGA to stage the show. Execs with the WGA, however, did not immediately offer a statement in regards to the request. A spokesperson for the WGA told media outlets the request would likely not be granted.

Good for them.

In my opinion this writers strike should not stop the world from living. I understand the writers stance in this situation. But, frankly I'm sick of there "How dare them continue without us" mentality.

Bishop31 said:

The entertainment world should stop living and they should not do the show with scabs. I'm not sure that you do understand the writer's stance and are only supporting the greedy producers (management, really). If that's what it comes down to, I think the writers should organize and create a different outlet where they can produce the works without the producers guild.


Not good for Beyonce and she should seperate from her father immediately if she wants her career to continue. I don't care about the Foo Figthers but she is (or at least is listed as) an actress. She is certaintly a SAG member and is not supporting the strike. When the show is on the other foot, she can piss off as well. I wouldn't doubt if she breaks that strike in order to make another shitty movie, too. If you cross the picket line, her SAG card should be ripped up...and then she can "sag" in a different way!

VinnyM27 said:

So are u saying that all Actors/Actresses should not work during this strike? Do these writers control there careers? Writers are very important..I agree. But, the show must go on right?

i don't think its fair for one industry (film) to affect another (music) but when an entertainer works within both i find it despicable that they would cross a picket line...just more reason to dislike beyonce.

Bishop31 said:

The entertainers are gonna get sick of the strike and apparently the directors winning a new contract where DVD/net pay will be up front has sent a message. Whether or not it will put a damper on the strike remains to be seen but this and the Grammys going on as scheduled (and also the Oscars), the entertainment world is probably gonna be back on by the end of February. That is the writers suddenly decide the director's contract looks good for them to renegotiate with the studios.

Well, who writes for the Grammy Awards shouldn't get paid because they've been doing a piss poor job for years

B could be jeopardizing her movie carear by doing that.

SAG won't be happy.

ehuffnsd said:

I think this is Beyonce's response to the people who didn't buy her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for "Dreamgirls" in that horrible role she was in.

sosgemini said:

The musicians who don't do films are gonna do the Grammys anyway but when you do both, you're a screwup.

Well the thing is alot of people think of this strike as GREED vs GREED, well its not even close. True the average salary of a writer is 250,000 HOWEVER that is when you factor in Muti million dollar salaried writers like Letterman,Leno etc and other big salaries of Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, and other talk shows. When you take them out the average for a writer is 40,000, just hope they dont have any kids or big bills to pay. This new deal that has been suggested is bogus, its a flat rate deal, which most likely wont fly and will of course be spun to look like the writers wont negotiate. As for people crossing the line, well its up to each one what they wanna do, all i can say is, watch out with crossing a union when you are part of another union, and also music artists need to think about it, especially for their own dealings we all know they have issues with management. The point is strike shouldnt end life, but than again tv is not life, if the producers want, they could fire everyone, but how would that look to the world. This is just like a transit strike, you just have to find another way to get to work in the morning, walk,run, ride a bike. And for people wondering what to watch, dont watch anything, go out, listen to music, watch a dvd, tv is not life.

banks said:

The thing that kills me about the Grammys is that its the 50th anniversary and they are planning tributes and stuff like that. I dont want tributes i want the real thing, get the people that made your show last 50 years. The greats should be up there playing, the last thing i want is a Beyonce tribute to Diana Ross or Tina Turner or the Rob Thomas or Adam Levine tribute to Stevie Wonder or the Kanye West and Justin Timberlake tribute to MJ etc... But you know the grammies didnt even try to arrange a show like that, thats what that crap best moments show was for in their opinion. I hope this show goes on, and from hearing what they say they want to pack it with performances, considering they usually only have 20!! Now instead maybe they'll have 30, oh good. Im just waiting for Amy Whinehouse to get up there and have a "britney" moment and expose this show as nothing more than a "ratings whore", the fact that she worked out her visa so quick with drug charges, showed that someone paid someone off.

lastdecember said:

Amy is gonna BOMB on the stage, lol.

lastdecember said:

some writers i know are now writing for BBC and Channel 4 until the strike is over.

ehuffnsd said:

For real? Damn, they ain't even sweating, lol. I'm sure more of the American-based writers are pissed about that, lol.

Timmy84 said:

money is money doesn't matter where it comes from if you need it. though i do agree with the strike.

ehuffnsd said:

I'm 50/50 about it, lol. Like "fuck this, they need money" and "well that sucks for the shows and shit", lol.

The Recording Academy®
3402 Pico Boulevard • Santa Monica, CA 90405
Statement from Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy®
Regarding the 50th Annual GRAMMY® Awards: Released yesterday

"Today the producers of the 50th Annual GRAMMY® Awards requested an interim agreement from the WGA for the telecast on February 10. The Recording Academy® remains hopeful that there will be a quick and positive response.

"The Academy is similarly pleased and gratified that AFTRA and AFM, the two unions that have long been the only ones with jurisdiction and representation of the musical talent on the show, stand alongside us in our efforts to present the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards at a level that millions of music fans around the world expect and deserve.
"This whole-hearted support recognizes the vital importance and meaning of the GRAMMY Awards and the critical work of The Recording Academy by the two unions that represent the great musical and creative talent within our industry. It also is an important validation of the solidarity of the music community behind both The Academy and the GRAMMY Awards.

"The Academy owns all rights to the GRAMMY Awards telecast but does not produce the show and is not a signatory with the WGA. We, however, fully support the offer of the producer, Cossette Productions, to immediately execute an interim agreement under the same terms as those arrangements signed by the WGA with David Letterman's company, Worldwide Pants (airing on the same network as the GRAMMY telecast) as well as other companies. Executing such an agreement would both allow the talented writers for the show to be compensated fairly for their valuable services and allow us to demonstrate support for the creative community of writers in a tangible and meaningful way.

"On January 8, 2008, I met with WGA President Patric Verrone to outline these and other facts. During that meeting, I explained that the music industry had for more than a decade been fighting to obtain fair and just compensation for the original digital content of its members and thus, of course, supported the WGA in its efforts to obtain like results for its own members. I outlined in great detail the scope, reach, and vital importance of GRAMMY Week and the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast not only to The Recording Academy, but to the worldwide music industry and creative community as a whole. I explained how those in the music and creative industry depend upon the annual proceeds from the GRAMMY Awards telecast to fund a whole variety of worthwhile programs such as our MusiCares® Foundation, which literally saves lives and offers millions of dollars of aid to music people in need, our GRAMMY Foundation®'s programs to advance the importance and role of music and the arts in our schools and in society, and our efforts in Washington, D.C. to advocate for the rights and needs of our music community. In short, no awards show touches more lives of those in need than the GRAMMYs.

"We also want to underscore that the GRAMMY Awards telecast is now, and will always be, a union show. More than 700 proud union members work for months to create the music industry's gold standard of awards shows. That includes approximately 250 AFM members, 150 AFTRA members, and 2 WGA members.

"GRAMMY Week represents the most significant worldwide music event of the year. And we are in a different industry than the motion picture and television business; I am quite certain that most are aware of the extremely difficult and challenging conditions facing our industry's creators and companies,
unparalleled in our history. This year, more than ever, GRAMMY Week and the milestone of a 50th GRAMMY Awards, along with the 50th Anniversary of the founding of The Recording Academy, are a centerpiece and beacon of hope, optimism, and represent literally multi-millions of dollars in sales, promotion, and marketing for our musicians and as such, take on far more significance than simply three and one-half hours of television programming.

"In closing, let me reiterate our desire to bring this matter to a positive resolution working with the WGA. 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 The Academy for our milestone 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards remain in full-swing."


# # #


MEDIA CONTACTS:

That's a bunch of crap! NARAS is a front for the record companies, and they have been trying to do everything they can to screw the artists from royalties they deserve as well as suing individuals for file sharing and claiming that people are breaking copyright law just by ripping their own legally purchased CDs to their iPods. On top of that, most of the record companies are subsidiaries of the same corporations who are refusing to negotiate with the WGA during the writers' strike.

noble romans beyonce pizza

Um, yeah it sucks that the writers aren't getting the right cut, but

they're WRITERS.

I'm not going to cry or pump my fist for your ass just like I'm not going to cry for a starving musician or some other person who decided to bullshit for a living. It's not like a bunch of steel workers are striking. Even with a fair cut of everything most people that make writing their main gig will still be eating sardines and crackers.

Well you sometimes have to just make a statement with your actions, and i think "artists" have that obligation right now, regardless of whether they are actors/actresses in their spare time. Im tired of hearing "the preservation" of the show, the producers dont care about anything but the tons of money that is generated from the show in all industries. Lets face it, the winners/performers almost always have spikes in sales and now the industry needs a spike badly, they cannot afford a loss of opportunity like this, but that is where the artists come in. They are under no obligation to appear at this show, there is nothing in their record contracts that say they have to attend (and if there are, then they are stupid for signing something like that) so the artists who at many times "bitch" about getting paid for their music and getting to own their masters should take this as a chance to further that cause since the writers are mainly trying to get what is their due. I mean how would Beyonce feel if all of a sudden a her BDAY cd was being sold through another form of media and she wasnt getting any of that money? I think she and others would be in court next day. So if the show goes on i really dont want to hear cheesy speeches from artists in support of the writers SAVE IT! if you wanna show support, simply dont show up.

Timmy84 said:

The directors pay will go up...so the writers are struck. This is how unions are broken. I just hope everyone that thinks "the show goes on" and it's Ok to cross picket lines never gets put in that position.

The idea is to bring the entertainment world to a stand still so that writers will get what they are asking for but if other union members cross the picket line and "the show goes on", they will be forced to come back or replaced with scabs (if they aren't already). The actors will have a contract expiring soon and the problem is that the writers will remember the way they were treated. I assume that quite a few actors will not show up as a result of the strike. And I hope once Beyonce goes looking for another movie role that writers remember this. There were reprecustions when Elizabeth Hurley worked on a commerical when those actors were on strike...Her movie career stalled!

Dance said:

THat's pretty insane for someone who I assume values and appericates entertainment to say. How about this....It's a UNION

VinnyM27 said:

But that's the unfortunate thing about it. I mean I'm astonished the writers and actors seem to be on a full-fledged support system but you figure "for how long". Somebody who's striking is gonna break and then it'll fuck things up like friendships and support going down. That's why some strikes don't last as long as they think. They're in it for three months or so then somewhere around the fourth or fifth, people be making secret deals with the powers-that-be because their monies are lesser than another striker.

VinnyM27 said:

Well everyone choses their profession, no one is forced to do anything. But with that philosphy no one should speak up? I mean come on, thats like saying take what U got and live with it, should we apply that thought process to every part of life? Writers are responsible for every great actor that we like, sorry but no one from Denzel to Halle to Tom Hanks would have a freaking job if it wasnt for writers, plain and simple. To just say, oh you chose your job screw you i dont care, is just not a smart way to live life.