Writers Guild West launches attempt to unionize MTV’s ‘Ridiculousness’ amid strike

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According to a guild spokesperson, the "creative consultants" involved come up with segment ideas, generate conversation starters and write monologues.

BY KATIE KILKENNY

JULY 26, 2023 1:01PM

As thousands of its members remain on strike, the Writers Guild of America West is attempting to organize staffers at MTV’s long-running comedy show devoted to viral Internet videos, Ridiculousness.

On Wednesday, July 12, 11 full-time “creative consultants” (the WGA West did not offer specific job titles but said many had that phrase associated with their roles) on the Rob Dyrdek-hosted show filed a petition for a National Labor Relations Board election in an attempt to organize with the western branch of the writers’ union. According to the union, the staffers initially asked for voluntary recognition from management after a number signed union cards, a request that was denied.

The WGA West said in a statement that the staffers are seeking “parity with their peers in the industry and respect for their work” with the union drive. The union considers Ridiculousness comparable to pre-existing covered projects including America’s Funniest Home Videos and Tosh.0, and its creative consultants comedy-variety writers.

The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to lawyers representing Purple Shark, LLC, a subsidiary of Dyrdek and Shane Nickerson’s Superjacket Productions, for comment. Multiple attempts to get in touch with representatives for the companies did not yield a response as of press time.

The workers that are seeking to join the WGA West are responsible for generating concepts for segments, writing conversation starters and monologues, according to a spokesperson for the WGA. When asked whether the union was looking to fold the creative consultants into its existing minimum basic agreement or under a separate pact, the guild said in a statement that “there are existing MBA terms for shows of this sort, but the Guild will bargain with the employer for an appropriate deal.”

This organizing push arrives just as some 11,500 film and television writer members of the WGA East and WGA West have passed the 80-day mark of their current strike against top Hollywood studios and streamers. That work stoppage, along with a SAG-AFTRA strike that began July 14, has shut down virtually all production on scripted U.S. film and television projects with union workers. As a non-WGA production, per the union, Ridiculousness‘ creative consultants are currently working.