Many fans and striking writers turned out for the Writers Guild Rally at the First Parish Church meeting house at Harvard Square at noon today. As his mom Wendy looked on, Max Schapiro, of Needham, toted a sign that said, "My Mom let me skip school to support the WGA!" Other people sported orange-and-yellow wool caps made popular on Joss Whedon's brief television series "Firefly."

After the fans and several striking writers filled the pews, Whedon, one of the scheduled speakers for the rally, emerged briefly from the back of the church to set down his stuff, and fans couldn't restrain themselves. After they gave him a whoop, he waved his hands and joked, "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"

But that's exactly what he and fellow writers Jamie Paglia (co-creator of "Eureka") and Rob Kutner (writer for the "Daily Show") wanted. They wanted fans, members of fellow unions, and the heads of media conglomerates to take a good look at the "man behind the curtain"--the writer without whom no television or movie script would exist.

Paglia, who spoke first, cracked jokes about how many (or how few) fans "Eureka" had. When one fan gave him a shout, he responded, "My one fan in New England! Yes, she came! You're gonna get a hug!"

But he was dead serious when discussing the fact that writers are not getting their fair share of the profits from their creations, and he said that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (the AMPTP) "walked out" on the fans and that writers were not the "spoiled brats" that the AMPTP's PR people made them seem.

Then Joss Whedon, the brains of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Firefly" stepped up and kept the wit coming. After setting up the joke that writers are, by necessity, a little crazy, but he added, "We are actually people. We have families. We pay rent and mortgages. We need health care."

All photos taken by Caroline Roberts. More photos and details on Joss Whedon and Rob Kutner's speeches after the jump!

He also convincingly framed the strike as a David vs. Goliath matter. Thanks to the constant merging of companies into massive media conglomerates, Whedon said, "There are now six people in charge of everything. They have all the resources. We don't care. We have crazy eyes. [much laughter here] We have stories. They don't."

Rob Kutner came to the stage and showed the crowd just what it was missing--a "Daily Show" joke that will never have the chance to air. He set it up by explaining that Alberto Gonzalez was just named Lawyer of the Year, but "It's just sad for me that he won't be able to recall any of it."
Kutner's comedy emphasized that the writers aren't asking for anything unreasonable: "Our demands are 2.5 percent. Shocking! Shocking!" Apparently 2.5 percent is too much for the heads of the studios.

During the Q&A, fans expressed their appreciation, and the writers discussed the next steps they are taking should the strike continue. Paglia wants to kick off a nationwide set of rallies to get people organized. A theme throughout the talk was solidarity, and members of other unions showed up to give their support. The writers pointed out that other contracts, including one with the actors' union, are also up for renewal.

Whedon also dropped a tantalizing possibility that cuts the studios out altogether. He suggested that the strike might be liberating. Why do shows have to be made without studios? It would be a crazed, insane process--but it's worth considering if the AMPTP won't bend.

After the rally, the fans and writers headed down to the Harvard Lampoon and marched around the castle, drawing plenty of confused stares and more than a few honks from supporters.

For further information:
Fans 4 Writers
Writers' Guild of America
United Hollywood

All photos by Caroline Roberts.