Politics at the WGA Awards

Politics and the economy loom large over everything right now, including Hollywood's major awards shows.

There's nary a gathering where somebody doesn't bring up tightening budgets, the unions' scraps with the studios over new media residuals, and tough times for those in and out of show business. And usually some topical entertainment takes home a few prizes.

Saturday at the WGA West Awards was no exception. 

WGA honcho Patric Verrone mentioned that at this time last year there was no event because of the bitter 100-day writer's strike, and a few minutes later, Danny Strong, who wrote the Bush/Gore election tale "Recount," picked up the trophy for long form original script.

Neil Patrick Harris, host of this year's show, said he's preoccupied with how to get a piece of President Barack Obama's stimulus package. (Forgive him his Beavis and Butt-Head moment; he chuckled like a teen-ager at the term "stimulus package"). 

And he couldn't resist another timely bit, tenuously linked to the economy. "This is the worst meltdown in decades -- and that's just Christian Bale. Christian Bale? What was with that?"

Glad somebody said it.