Thumbs up to Ebert

I’m
always happy to write a positive note about the great film critic
Roger Ebert, who after some time fighting cancer, recently told the
AP that he’s now “cancer-free”. Good shit. He’s been
reviewing films on his website
for some time now, and is optimistic to returning to his famous TV
show at some point. And speaking of the TV show, Ebert also came out
fighting this weekend, after Disney, the company behind the show,
said in a press release that they were no longer using the
“Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down” in their shows, because Ebert told
them that he wouldn’t allow it during their re-negotiations (Ebert
and the family of late film critic Gene Siskel own the rights to
those Thumbs™).

In a statement over
the weekend, Ebert made sure that everyone knew what he had asked
Disney for during their contract talks, “Contrary
to Disney’s press release, I did not demand the removal of the
Thumbs™. They made a first offer on Friday which I considered
offensively low. I responded with a counter-offer. They did not
reply to this, and on Monday ordered the Thumbs™ removed from the
show. 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.” Tsk, tsk to Disney indeed.
Aren’t they the friggin’ “family studio”? A little
respect, people.