Roger Ebert's Contract Talks Lead to Thumbs Wrestling
The Ebert & Roeper series is no longer all thumbs, up or down, as Roger Ebert — who has been MIA from the show for 14 months (due to cancer surgery) — and distributor Disney hit a stalemate in contract negotiations. Ebert, however, denies demanding the removal of the thumbs-up/down rating system. "[Disney] made a first offer... which I considered offensively low. I responded with a counter offer. They did not reply to this, and... ordered the thumbs removed," Ebert writes on his website. "This is not something I expected after an association of over 22 years. I had made it clear the thumbs could remain during good-faith negotiations."In a statement, Disney wishes Ebert a full recovery and says they hope to have him back on the show as soon as he is able.Anyone else here date back to Siskel and Ebert's Sneak Previews?
The
Ebert & Roeper series is no longer all thumbs, up
or down, as Roger Ebert - who has been MIA from the show for 14 months (due to cancer surgery) - and distributor Disney hit a stalemate in contract negotiations. Ebert, however, denies demanding the removal of the thumbs-up/down rating system. "[Disney] made a first offer... which I considered offensively low. I responded with a counter offer. They did not reply to this, and... ordered the thumbs removed," Ebert writes on his website. "This is not something I expected after an association of over 22 years. I had made it clear the thumbs could remain during good-faith negotiations."
In a statement, Disney wishes Ebert a full recovery and says they hope to have him back on the show as soon as he is able.
Anyone else here date back to Siskel and Ebert's
Sneak Previews?