MTV Staffer: "The Hills" Didn't Pay My Bills

16. Thank god for the Unions, I use to be a PA and have to work those crazy long days with very little pay. I hope these guys get what they are asking for and it wakes up MTV who is known in the industry to be one of the worst places to work. they are known for their cheapness!

Posted at 11:41PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Union Hollywood Worker

17. Wow, go get em Sarah. You make everyone who has ever been a PA proud. It really takes guts.

Posted at 1:06AM on Apr 25th 2008 by daddyo

18. EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MTV has taken ADVANTAGE of young people who want to work in the TV industry for YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The are the ecaqviient of a THIRD WORLD SWEAT-SHOP!

MTV pays nothing and treats their employees HORRIBLE.

MTV sucks and so deserves this lawsuit and so much more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


They RIP-OFF young poor talent.....

CAN YOU SAY" MY MTV" sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 2:53AM on Apr 25th 2008 by kentwoodgirl

19. Almost every successful person in Hollywood worked this same style of long hour and often no-pay shifts as an intern or PA. It's just the way it goes and those who "refuse to work for free" or really work hard for a few years just fail and don't make it anywhere. These poor kids. If they had had hopes and dreams in the industry one day they'll regret this. This certainly is industry standard and every industry has a parallel. It's not abuse, it's a quick rung on a ladder that doesn't last long unless you beg out like this. Like boot camp. No big deal.

Posted at 3:47AM on Apr 25th 2008 by Veronica

20. The main problem is that too many young people are just DYING to work in the celebrity and glam industries such as music, films, a.s.o. They never really see REALITY!
I hope MTV gets sued till they re BROKE - this company DESERVES it! The way they treat their young and dumb and/or naive employees is disgusting! (I used to work in the music industry and have worked WITH MTV employees for years (not in the U.S.) and learnt a LOT from them with what they have to put up just to be part of the glam industry!

Posted at 3:49AM on Apr 25th 2008 by German Duckie

21. My longest day as a P.A. was over 30 hours. 8am to returning the van the next afternoon. I was paid the same $250 as I got on 14 hour days. 8 hour days? Never happens, not for a P.A. Unless the shoot's a half day.

Posted at 9:05AM on Apr 25th 2008 by jj

22. quit bitching about being a PA. of all the jobs in the world its somewhere near the bottom when it comes to ranking how tough of a job it is.

and now since I gave up on being an astronaut the only thing left for me to do here is get rich enough to buy MTV and burn it down on national tv

Posted at 1:27PM on Apr 25th 2008 by steveo

23. For #18, Veronica ... you are a part of the problem if you are saying that if you don't work your way up that way you won't make it. You really just said "Almost every successful person in Hollywood worked this same style of long hour and often no-pay shifts as an intern or PA." What a stupid statement. "almost every successful person" --- almost every?! Like who? Tell me a couple stories about some successful people that worked their way up from INTERN or PA (p.s. Interns are quite different than PAs, if you were in the industry, you would know.) There are other ways to work your way to the top, like having confidence in your abilities and going for the job you want. I'm currently a top-paid editor and I got here because I said "I want to be an editor" and I didn't start as a p.a., a runner, or even an assistant editor. I spent a lot of time learning my craft and never settling for anything less than the job I wanted. If all these kids did that, they would never NOT be paid by big companies. It's just stupid.

Posted at 12:09PM on Apr 25th 2008 by kt

24. Good for them. But here's why they blow: As a PA, it's pretty easy to get hired, so you pick and choose where you work and who you work for. PA for MTV? no way!! That's for people that suck. I've worked eight hour days countless times as a PA- either in the office or driving a truck. Commercial rate is $200, not $125 like reality. Therefore I do my best to work with cool people who are good enough at their jobs not to take 16 hours to get them done. If you work for Reality or Music Videos, you're asking for it.
How can you even pay LA bills at that rate anyway?

Posted at 8:39PM on Apr 26th 2008 by Commercial PA

25. I worked with both individuals before on various shows..Jared was fired from 3 MTV shows for many reasons: not showing up to work, and there were days that he showed up intoxicated...Sarah was a talent pa on one of her MTV shows, her job was a joke! her day was composed of taking breaks with the talent..when the talent was on break, she was on break with them...she worked as an office pa for the Hills...she wasn't even on set!...all i have to say is "career suicide" for these guys..

Posted at 4:35PM on Apr 27th 2008 by joey

26. Good for you 24 but here's how you blow besides uncontrollably with a certain orifice....Easy to get a job you say? Where was that occupational Santa Clause in the streets handing out commercial PA jobs when I got into town? I'm not even gonna call you an idiot seeing that its a self-fulfilling prophecy for you anyway. If we could simply pick who we worked with, MTV would be bankrupt and we would certainly all be hanging out with the "cool" people who get their jobs done whithin 8 hours not because their employer abides by the law but because they were smart enough to choose that production company. Where did you grow up, Pleasantville? Obviously you've read way to many Hollywood scripts. Since you've completely missed the point, I'll spell it out for you in laymen's terms: This isn't about picking a job. Its about networking with what you have. If all you had at the time was MTV, who then broke the law, well then that would be the pertinent matter at hand wouldn't it? Ok you snobby commercial PA retard? You are healed now my friend. Spread the word. xoxo

Posted at 2:50AM on Apr 28th 2008 by YourDaddy

27. If you allow a company to treat you unfairly, then you can't complain. Why would anyone allow a company to get away with that? All power to the PA's who are suing, and shame on the rest of you who keep your mouths shut. If you love your work and don't care if you can pay your bills, then keep on working those hours for no pay. If the companies can get away with it and you allow them to do it, why would they change? Wake up guys!!!

Posted at 10:26AM on Jul 26th 2008 by pesky

28. I believe this so called "Joey" needs to get his facts straight. It is obvious that he does not know these two PAs and is just lashing out at them. To say that Jared has been fired from 3 different shows, if that were true, why would they keep hiring him. As far as Sarah being a talent PA, doesnt that job require her to be with the so called "talent" for the entire day, so what would a "break" consist of. I believe "Joey" is one of those lazy workers who just sat around doing nothing. He probably got his job by sucking some big fat ones to get where he is today. Why dont you wake up "Joey" and stop talking a bunch of bull to make yourself look better, I believe these two PAs were extremly brave to stick up for themselves and for all the PAs that work at MTV.

Posted at 12:56AM on Apr 29th 2008 by M.P.