David Zaslav Roasted For Saying WGA Were ‘Right” All Along

If there was one villain of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, it would have to be David Zaslav. Before they start in the spring, the big boss of Warner Bros. Discovery had already become infamous for bad and/or mean creative decisions with Bond. (He even did another one right after the last one ended..) Once the industry shut down, it was Zaslav who became even more hissy than Bob Iger and Ted Sarandos. Now, the Wile E. Coyote of media oligarchs has found another inventive way to intervene.

As if caught by The Hollywood ReporterThe New York Times has a new profile of Zaslav, which is far more diplomatic than the scathing GQ editorial that was infamously removed. This is not to say that Zaslav does not hang himself with his own rope. Indeed, at one point he discusses the WGA strike, which began in May and became the second longest work stoppage in the guild’s history. But judging by Zaslav’s comments, it probably didn’t need to last that long…or even happen at all.

“They are right about almost everything,” Zaslav openly admitted. “What if we pay too much? I have never regretted paying too much for a great talent or asset.

Did Zaslav always feel this way? Was he the outlier among the AMPTP gang? Is he just saying this now, in an attempt to revise history? Maybe he was so shaken by to be booed during a keynote speech shortly after the WGA strike began.

Regardless, the comments were infuriating. Although some found themselves agreeing with Zaslav on one point.

Some argued that Zaslav’s comments didn’t make him look intelligent.

Others couldn’t believe he seemed to say the quiet part out loud.

Others, however, blamed him for all the lives he and other AMTPT members wasted playing hardball.

And of course there were jokes.

Maybe Zaslav just needed to distract people after being criticized for I’m trying to bury an already finished film that everyone wants to see and who would have made tons of money for his company. Let’s hope none of the shareholders read the news.

(Via New York Times And THR)