“South Park” creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, who this summer season landed one of many richest TV offers ever, are being known as Scrooges by performers at their Casa Bonita restaurant close to Denver.
In late October, the performers, together with the famed cliff divers, went on a three-day strike, citing unsafe working situations and stalled negotiations over their first contract. The performers voted unanimously to unionize with Actors’ Fairness Assn. a yr in the past.
The strike ended when the restaurant’s administration agreed to usher in a mediator to help within the negotiations.
However the standoff has continued, prompting Actors’ Fairness to take out an advert within the Denver Put up this week that depicts a “South Park” cartoon-like Parker and Stone awash in hundred-dollar payments whereas their workers, together with a gorilla and an individual clad in a swimsuit, shivers exterior within the Colorado chilly.
The union mentioned its objective is to prod the star producers to resolve the labor tensions by giving about 60 Casa Bonita performers, together with magicians and puppeteers, a pay enhance and different advantages together with their first contract.
A full web page advert is working within the Denver Put up on Dec 24.
(Actors’ Fairness Affiliation)
Different Casa Bonita employees voted earlier this month to affix the Worldwide Alliance of Theatrical Stage Staff Native 7.
“At Casa Bonita, we worth all of our workforce members and their nicely being,” the restaurant administration mentioned in an announcement. “We’re negotiating in good religion with our unionized workforce members within the hopes of concluding truthful collective bargaining agreements.”
Parker and Stone declined to remark by a spokesperson.
The pair, who additionally created the hit Broadway play “The E-book of Mormon,” rescued the kitschy, bright-pink Mexican-themed eatery in Lakewood, Colo., from chapter in 2021 and have since plowed greater than $40 million into the restaurant to improve and proper unsafe electrical, plumbing and structural points after the power had fallen into disrepair.
For “South Park” super-fans, the venue has turn into one thing of a mecca since first being featured within the seventh season of the long-running Comedy Central cartoon.
In that episode, Cartman flips out when Kyle invitations Stan, Kenny and Butters Stotch to his party at Casa Bonita (not Cartman), the place they’re serenaded by the restaurant’s ubiquitous mariachi bands.
Together with legions of different youngsters who grew up in Colorado, Parker and Stone fondly bear in mind making the trek to the Casa Bonita of their Nineteen Eighties youth. Restoring the restaurant has turn into a ardour mission for the writers, a journey that grew to become grist for a documentary, “¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor!,” which streams on Paramount+.
In July, Paramount managers have been wanting to tie up unfastened ends to facilitate the corporate’s sale to David Ellison’s Skydance Media and RedBird Capital Companions. The incoming administration workforce additionally grew to become concerned within the protracted negotiations to strike a brand new cope with Parker and Stone’s manufacturing firm, Park County, to keep away from having the scenario unravel, probably tripping up their company takeover.
Paramount in the end agreed to increase the general deal for Park County in addition to lock up the present’s unique world streaming rights for $300 million a yr over 5 years. Till this yr, the present streamed completely on HBO Max.
The general deal is slated to carry Parker and Stone’s agency $1.25 billion by 2030.
As a part of the pact, the workforce agreed to create 50 new “South Park” episodes for Paramount. The collection has loved a scores bounce and elevated cultural resonance this yr because it routinely roasts President Trump.
Actors’ Fairness, which additionally represents Broadway performers, is searching for pay raises for its members at Casa Bonita. Union representatives mentioned performers’ wages there common $21 to $26 an hour.
“Matt and Trey have turn into fabulously rich by declaring the hypocrisy of wealthy and highly effective individuals,” mentioned David Levy, communications director for Actors’ Fairness. “And now they’re behaving precisely just like the individuals they prefer to take down.”
