'Ridiculousness' Writers Call out MTV in Move for Unionization

Among other things, writers want an increase in pay, defined residuals, and improved working conditions.

By Ashley Turner

The writers of MTV's Ridiculousness are looking at unionizing in the near future. The show's writing team, which was responsible for over 230 episodes last year, has been going through the process of unionization over the last few months with the hope that they can join the picket line with their scripted counterparts in the WGA, who are currently on strike. According to Deadline, many of the writers on the show, which regularly airs for over 100 hours a week on MTV, have sent their ballots for an election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and a large majority of them voted in favor of unionizing in the vote. The NLRB will be counting votes on September 11 and as soon as the results of these votes are revealed, the WGA team will launch a campaign and start negotiating with Superjacket, the production company directed by show host Rob Dyrdek, and its sister company Purple Shark Productions.

The writers are seeking improvements to their working conditions, including an increase in pay, defined residuals, and an appeal for MTV to order more shows rather than relying solely on the Rob Dyrdek-fronted title to attract viewers. The unscripted show is the first in some time to be unionized. "'Unscripted' television is very much scripted and our writing staff is fed up with being abused and underpaid by Paramount, MTV and Rob Dyrdek. We produce the most profitable show currently on TV and yet we are paid 60% less than WGA writers that work for America's Funniest Home Videos," writer Ally Maynard told Deadline. The clip show has aired over 1,200 episodes across 34 seasons since its debut in 2011, and it is hosted by Dyrdek and Sterling 'Stello' Brim. The show essentially shows various viral videos and includes Dyrdek and his panelists mocking and reacting to them throughout.

Various spinoffs have been created over the years, including Amazingness, Deliciousness, which was hosted by Tiffani Thiessen, Adorableness, which featured James Davis, and Messyness, which featured Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi, Tori Spelling, Adam Rippon, and Teddy Ray. Raine Group and Causeway Media Partners provided venture capital funding in 2020 in order to form Thrill One Sports & Entertainment after a merger between Nitro Circus and Dyrdek's Superjacket and Street League Skateboarding. In the past, Superjacket was known as Thrill One Media, but last year, the company was acquired by Fiume Capital and Juggernaut Capital Partners for $300 million. "We plan on this being a fight every step of the way but we'll see how it goes and hope for the best," Maynard said.

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