It's ironic that the most important study in years detailing the lack of job opportunities for older TV and film writers comes on the heels of what probably is the most disingenuous cry of "ageism" ever made by a Hollywood writer.
Riley Weston, the 19-year-old wunderkind "Felicity" writer who's really 32, doesn't exactly make for the best poster child for age discrimination. For one thing, the study showed plenty of demand for 32-year-old writers. It's the 50-year-olds who have reason to worry. After someone ratted out Weston's gimmick, she took "full responsibility," then proceeded to blame others, not the least of which were Hollywood executives obsessed with youth.
But before dismissing the Weston incident as a fluke, it does make one good point, underscored Monday in the study released by the Writers Guild of America, West: Finding baby-faced writers (even ones who turn out to be 32) is, and will continue to be, an obsession of Hollywood executives and agents.
As long as the studios worship at the shrine of demographics, search for the elusive "voice" that speaks to a generation and would rather beat the bushes for young writers who might evolve into a production mogul like David E. Kelley, not a lot will change.
The data released by the guild--part of a larger study of employment patterns for writers by age, race and sex--is not surprising for concluding that younger writers are getting more opportunities and that a lot of older ones are being shut out.
That's probably the way it's always been, and Hollywood is hardly alone. Every industry has its talented rookies ready to come off the bench to supplant the aging veterans, often with good reason. And there's not much older writers can do about it.
"It's not like I can sue anybody," said veteran TV writer Burt Prelutsky, 58. "All someone has to say is, 'I don't like your writing.' It's not like you are getting fired from a position when you turn 50."
It's hard to dispute the unfairness of it all. If you are a funny writer, or can weave together a good dramatic tale, shouldn't your age, race or sex be irrelevant? As Writers Guild President Daniel Petrie Jr. put it in the guild's report: "One does not need to be a young white male serial killer to write a thriller about one."
Still, Hollywood executives, producers and agents are only acting in their own self interest, as they have since the industry began, and there don't seem to be many alternatives. Presumably, there's a Newtonian-like law at work somewhere in Hollywood dictating that what goes up eventually comes down when it keeps churning out turkeys.
