‘NBC Has a Heart That’s Cold’: Upfronts Week Kicks Off With Pickets Circling NBCU’s Radio City Music Hall Presentation

variety.com:

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer “I don’t know but I’ve been told, NBC has a heart that’s cold,” Writers Guild of America pickets shouted outside Radio City Music Hall Monday, making some noise about the writers strike in front of NBCUniversal’s upfront presentation to advertisers.

Approximately 200 pickets, some members of SAG-AFTRA joining the WGA in solidarity, used other chants personalized for the occasion, including, “NBC, you’re no good, pay your writers like you should,” to try to get the attention of those in attendance at the event, which is used to launch NBC’s fall schedule and woo advertisers into spending their dollars on spots with NBCU brands.

The WGA is on Day 14 of a strike after failing to ink a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) before the clock ran out May 1. “We are grateful for the contribution writers make to our company and respect their right to demonstrate,” NBCUniversal Television and Streaming chairman Mark Lazarus said to the audience at the start of the upfront. “It may take some time, but I know we will eventually get through this, and the result will be a stronger foundation on which we can all move forward together.” Lazarus came out just after the crowd was treated to a recorded musical performance by Seth MacFarlane’s titular foulmouthed teddy bear from “Ted,” in honor of the upcoming Peacock series based on the film.

The bit included a crack about “crazies” at Twitter, just after NBCU’s Linda Yaccarino exited the company to become CEO of the social media platform. (Lazarus mentioned Yaccarino in his remarks, wishing her well in her new gig.) But while Ted was there, MacFarlane was not, and Variety has confirmed his bit — which included a crack