Because it’s summer, and there’s a de facto strike, and we’re all bored, I thought a little levity was in order. I’m told that CAA is making all their assistants park in the bottom level of their garage in horrid stack parking. 
Plus, there’s only one elevator that goes down there at 2000 Avenue Of The Stars. And there’s some sort of tracking system to make sure the peons park in their pen. Also, some of the assistants have been stuck in the garage for 30 minutes because the valets lost their keys with the stack parking. (I bet the bosses’ skinny lattes contained unexpected bodily fluids the next morning…) The internal agency muttering is that it’s yet another draconian CAA cost-cutting measure. But the tenpercentery claims the building/landlord is working to accommodate a growing tenant roster, so parking changes are affecting multiple tenants who park on certain floors of the garage. By the way, the above photo is generic, not the CAA parking structure. (Fair warning: I’m being guilted into, once in a while, muckraking on behalf of all the poorly treated assistants who toil in the Industry and get fucked over by the missteps of their superiors. So watch out…)
Love that! Assistants need a good spokesperson from time to time. I doubt people realize how much of this town is actually run by them. I know Execs/Managers/Agents who haven’t read a single script in years. They just do what their assistants recommend. It’s hilarious.
Is there anyone that works in Hollywood that is happy with their job or the way they’re treated? Good Lord, people if you don’t like how the company you work for treats you quit your job and go work for someone that does.
Go get those bastards Nicky!
Nikki, Nikki, Nikki….keep reporting, but watch your language. There’s enough bad manners in the real world of “Swimming with Sharks” not to have your fine column fill up with the word “fuck”. Unnecessary for a gal with your talents…
This is why I’m trying to move back to New York. No need for a car…oh, and entertainment is ‘just another industry,’ in a bustling city, not the Alpha and Omega of the known universe.
Nikki,
Go after these bastards. And don’t forget to rip up Joel Silver and Harvey (the jewish nazi) Weinstein while you’re at it. The sad truth is that it’s pretty easy to spot that 90% of these toads are absolutely, positively untreated bi-polar cases. And on drugs, to boot.
Think I’m kidding? Examine their behaviors closely, and you’ll see dozens & dozens of classic bi-polar manic depressive symptoms. I’ve discussed this with a couple of friends who happen to be MDs, and they think the hideous abuse & screaming – John Peters and Scott Rudin, for a pair, are classic examples of very psychologically sick men. (it’s a shame that Peters never ran into someone with a temper such as his own, who would deck the guy. What ever happened to “What goes around comes around”?)
These monsters need to be outed for their horrendous, bullying behavior to assistants. Really, they should be thrown in jail, but with the legal system being so utterly corrupt, that would never happen.
In the meantime, I sincerely wish a few of these assistants would grow a spine, sue the studio fascists for emotional abuse, get rich and move on to a decent life.
Keep it up, Nikki. Keep naming the names, hanging them out to dry in public. They deserve to be exposed.
Thanks Nikki for stepping up for us little guys! As a young, hopefully up-and-coming professional it’s nice to see someone else remeber we-who-answer-the-phones, run-the-errands and cover-the-asses actually are human too.
You know, as a production assistant for a network show, I would be a lot more sympathetic to the Actors (as I would have been with the Writers) regarding better working conditions and residuals if I wasn’t stressing so much on how to save for an upcoming strike on my 70/hour $600/week(pre-tax) salary.
Hmmm…
An industry wide assistant strike would be hilarious to watch, especially when the producers, senior agents, and executives find themselves unable to open their own e-mail, let alone release a statement to the media to make their case.
I can picture the headlines:
“(it’s a shame that Peters never ran into someone with a temper such as his own, who would deck the guy.”
Seriously, can we lay off Jon Peters? The guy is great at what he does. For my money, he gives the best haircuts in town.
Isn’t that the largest parking structure in the world ?
the saddest part is that these execs were once the sweet put-upon assistants and they grew up to perpetuate the allowed abuse. It’s become the expected cycle of behavior in this town. Sooo boring!
Hey finally something I can comment on!
I work in the north tower of 2000 AOS, and can verify that property management is desperately trying to squeeze in new tenants. Bottom line is, just like any other new development in L.A., they didn’t build enough parking. It was fine when the building was half empty, like it was for the first year and a half it was open. But they have recently leased the final empty floors and spaces and they are scrambling. (Those assistants should be thankful they don’t have tenants moving in above or next door — the construction noise has been deafening at times.)
The small company I work for was told to have all employees park on levels B and C, with mostly stack parking. (We used to be able to park on any floor – B down to P4. The stack parking sucks, but if you get there early enough you can get one of the few single spots and not have to give up your keys. The valet parking staff is incompetent, but that is hardly the fault of the agents.
There’s lots of grumbling all around, but it’s nothing restricted to CAA.
@Comment by kath — June 12, 2008 @ 10:33 pm
Nepotism. Maybe 25-25% actually ever worked as assistants for any significant time.
Please don’t take up the mantle of assistants, Nikki. You didn’t care to mention or have any sympathy for the THOUSANDS who lost their shit paying jobs while the writers were quibbling over whether they could make $300 or $1200 more a year so don’t bother doing it now.
It’s disingenuous.
If there’s insufficient parking, how did the building permits get approved?
Was it a Jack Weiss pay off special?
Nikki, don’t listen the bastard who won’t let you swear. Profanity weakens writing, yes, but it’s also just fucking fun.
It’s sufficient parking, as long as you don’t mind stack parking. Apparently, some people mind.