TCB Debriefing 11/10/23: SAG-AFTRA Contract, Clueless Gamer, The Egyptian, Holiday Orphan Avails

1. SAG-AFTRA, with an 86% ratifying vote, has approved their new contract with the AMPTP and ended the historic double strike between the WGA, themselves, and the AMPTP. How many actors/writers who returned/tried out stand-up will never do stand-up again (until the next strike)?

2. One of Conan O’Brien‘s best remote segments was Clueless Gamer and we’re thankful during this Thanksgiving season that the series endures beyond Conan’s tenure in late night (and that Conan is still not all that great at video games). Please enjoy O’Brien’s attempt at finding lov—ahem, playing Starfield here.

3. The Vista isn’t the only old movie palace returning to LA’s movie house landscape. Netflix has finished their restoration of their new baby (and their direct solution to having their movies qualify for The Oscars), The Egyptian Theater in the heart of Hollywood. (LA Magazine). It’s exciting to know both landmark theaters are coming back, but almost every Angeleno is wondering, beyond those two, when the hell is ArcLight coming back?

4. When it comes to the holiday season, so many folks skip town for a week or two that one ponders who might even be in town to do a show in those twilight weeks after Christmas leading into the second week of the new year. That said, we do know that both comics and audiences are in town at those times and, perhaps, what would be best is if we found exactly who was in town that would be game for a show. Hence, we’re trying to make a list, essentially a list of avails, for those that are holiday comedy orphans that maybe want to perform at the end of 2023 and right at the beginning of 2024 that anyone putting on a show could use. We’ve got a spreadsheet here if you’re in town then and want to get up at a time when almost any regularly recurring show is off for the time being.

5. We’ll leave you with this: take a deep breath and pause to get ready for as much TV and movie promo as you can handle.