The Next MeToo# Has Arrived

Exposing sexual abuse, particularly in the workplace, began in the film and television industry, loosely referred to as “Hollywood,” although so much of the outed activity, much of it downright criminal, emanated from New York. Even though sexual misfeasance permeates every facet of American society – from Wall Street to the Catholic Church to the Supreme Court to the halls of Congress – it was the visibility of and  a national obsession with the entertainment business that became the heart and soul of the movement. Hollywood got headlines. Ambiguities abounded. Marginal calls got mixed with violent violations. Those accused were publicly convicted, most guilty, a few not. The fires began, many raged onward, and to many others only ashes remained. But necessary change marched forward. 

Early in the movement, I remember having a conversation with several well-placed executives and representatives in “the Business.” “It’s ‘meToo#’ now, but we know what’s next. Abusive bosses taking advantage of those struggling to get into the business. It’s obvious.” Making alarming demands for instant personal errands in the middle of the night. Requiring “interns” and “trainees” to be at the office at six in the morning, often staying until midnight, to do everything from delivering scripts to delivering laundry. Some were unpaid (not an option for those without rich alternative resources) and those who were made subsistence wages or less.

Getting yelled at (screamed and bellowed), insulted, blamed, even having objects thrown at them, tantrums on steroids, profanity on acid. Even when heavy traffic made timely delivery impossible, “trainees” were blamed, sometimes fired. Since so many in the industry earned their stripes this way, it is view by many as a rite of passage… a test of tolerance to work in an industry filled with primadonnas used to sycophantic servicing minions, catering to insecure executives and talent who have finally “arrived.” Reminiscent of hazing that today gets fraternities decertified and toss off campus.

Well, Hollywood (and so the rest of the work world), “They’re here!” Lacking the same legal clout that supports so many claims against those misusing or abusing sex in the workplace, those who have been subjected to this extreme and never-justifiable behavior are raising their voices anyway. And if history is any lesson, the big abusers are in for a big shock. As will those looking for cheap (free?) labor. They will be outed. And this time, some of the most abusive bosses are women. They may fight back, claiming the law does not remotely offer the same levels of protection that it does for sexual abuse. Yet.

My guess is that the law will evolve, perhaps boosted by new legislation, but that some levels of protections will rise and apply. Companies are going to force change. Even the big bosses, the rainmakers, those with the most powerful connections, if they were abusive to their staff or tried to avoid paying them, will learn. And they will pay, one way or the other. Those at the extreme with be forced out. The oft-challenged nature of “free interns” and underpaid “subcontractors” will change too. The new California law that now treats most “gig” workers as employees is the tip of the iceberg. But make no mistake, folks in the Biz, Hollywood will be the first chapter in a crusade that may never equal the passion and intensity of the meToo# movement, but it is a force to be reckoned with… and it starts with Hollywood… again.

And since this movement has its roots in Hollywood, Los Angeles Times writer Stacy Perman (November 3^rd) adds a few facts and observations: “The Hollywood assistant pool has long been considered the proving ground for would-be agents, writers, producers and directors. In something of a Faustian bargain, assistants pay their dues, fetching coffee, answering phones, handling mail, maintaining schedules and dealing with mercurial bosses. In exchange, they get to learn the business and make valuable connections up close in real time with the promise of getting their foot in the door. A number of prominent executives, including Endeavor chief and uber-agent Ari Emanuel, Dreamworks co-founder David Geffen and Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke, got their starts as assistants.

“But the path to advancement for assistants has been narrowed by industry shifts. While there is more content being produced than ever, thanks largely to a growing streaming universe, studios and agencies are contending with economic pressures caused by shrinking DVD sales, box office returns and TV syndication revenues. Shorter seasons, longer hiatuses and the increase in limited series have greatly affected residuals and opportunities, while introducing more financial insecurity.

“The main thing to keep in mind is the fact that being an assistant in Hollywood has been viewed as a mechanism to get access to and basically be a producer, an agent, or become something with a higher-paid, significant profile,” said Kevin Klowden, executive director of the Milken Institute’s Center for Regional Economics and California Center. “The catch is that it’s gotten more expensive to live and work in Hollywood, and with short-form shows and quicker productions there is greater disruption without a guarantee of advancement.”

“At the same time, assistants’ wages have largely remained flat. Although there is no independent data on salaries, wages generally have not been adjusted for inflation and have increased largely because of mandatory minimum-wage laws… And in an industry that has placed a premium on diversity, assistants’ low wages serve as yet another barrier to other voices seeking entree into the business.

“The private Facebook group Awesome Assistants (now shuttered) collected salary and pay information from over 400 assistants across the industry in 2017. It found that the average monthly salary was $3,759, with 25.3% of those supplying numbers saying they worked 50 hours a week, 12.6% working 60-plus hours and only 9.4% working a 40-hour week. The survey also found that 50.7% of the assistants received financial assistance from their parents.

“Taylor Brogan, 27, a writer’s assistant currently on hiatus from a show on a prominent streaming platform, says assistants used to work for one or two years before advancing to a higher level. Now, they typically work five or even 10 years, going from show to show…

“Four years ago, Christina Mondy arrived in Hollywood, like many, with big dreams. At 23, hers was to become a showbiz writer. And like many, the Connecticut native was told in order to get her foot in the door, she first had to pay her dues as an assistant… After an unpaid internship at a boutique management and production firm, Mondy landed a job as a full-time assistant at a major talent agency. But instead of pushing her that much closer to realizing her writing ambitions, Mondy says, ‘It all came crashing down on me.’

“Over the course of nearly a year, Mondy worked 50-plus-hour weeks, she said, making $11.25 an hour. Barely getting by, she had to defer her student loans. She said she was subjected to constant verbal abuse by a boss, and that an agent had her stake out a comedy club for weeks to see if a comic he’d noticed on Twitter showed up.

“She said she wasn’t reimbursed for gas and was discouraged from seeking overtime pay. When she complained to HR about her treatment, Mondy said, she was told, ‘Maybe this industry isn’t right for you.’ After making a scheduling error, she said, she was fired.” I know assistants, often called “trainees” who’ve a had food that cooled on the journey to the boss thrown in their faces, some have been hit with telephones or books handily placed on the desk and easy to reach and throw. Belittlement was standard to many obnoxious Hollywood bosses. Promise promotions and higher pay are often forgotten or purposely not given.

After these waves slowly rise and sweep through Hollywood, expect new regulations, new tactics in corporate Human Resources standards and procedures… and a spread into the “rest of the business world.” Some argue that in world where Donald Trump’s belittling, pejorative labels, blame without basis and mendacious behavior sets a national tone, it will be tough to claim that such parallel practices in the ordinary workplace require limitation and regulation. If the President does it, surely it must be acceptable. But then again, the self-admitted pussy-grabber, a man who faces a litany of claims from many women did not stop the meToo# movement even though he was rather dramatically the most visible abuser.

              I’m Peter Dekom, and whether it means applying the Golden Rule or simply accepting that the workplace should be a supportive and civil environment, what’s wrong with treating subordinates with dignity and respect?