Studios Make Attempt at Holiday Unity
 
HOLLYWOOD, Cal. (the footnote) - Cameras flashed as bright as Rudolph’s nose last night as faces old and new – from Nestor the Long-Eared Donkey to Hero Boy of “Polar Express” fame – gathered at the luxurious Tinseltown Hotel in downtown Los Angeles for THE company Christmas party of the season. The well-publicized “Celebration of Christmas Spirit” party essentially could be called three company parties combined into one, as studio giants Rankin-Bass, Warner Brothers and Disney decided to call it quits to inter-studio hostilities this year, and collectively sponsor an event of good-will.
 
“In the past, every studio has been affected by isolated incidents of negative behavior during the holidays, and we wanted to change that image. With this event, we’re embracing the holiday spirit, putting seasonal stars in the limelight, overcoming the competitive nature of our business and doing something positive together,” said Warner Brothers CEO Barry Meyer.
 
According to the three wise men that put it together – CEOs Arthur Rankin Jr., Michael Eisner, as well as Meyer – the event was a great success, and an important step in the healing process from the animosity of the past.
 
Enmity between the studios’ seasonal stars has been well-publicized in recent years, despite in-house efforts to keep “incidents” from the public spotlight. Who can forget the commotion of 1993, when the Grinch -- bored with a nearby Universal Studios party -- decided to crash the Rankin-Bass party and was soon arrested on charges for corrupting a minor, after giving alcohol to the Little Drummer Boy? Also of note was 2001, when long-time Henson Studios star Miss Piggy’s drunken public confession that she thought “gingerbread men are hot” -- and that she had had personal relationships with several confectionary paramours -- ended up in a four-month estrangement from husband Kermit the Frog. (Disney, Henson’s corporate parent, made unsuccessful attempts to downplay the episode as a “lovers spat”). Many will also readily recall last year, when Warner Brothers actor Ralphie Parker’s stalking of Rankin-Bass star Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer resulted in an ugly legal battle, complete with front-page photographs of Ralphie’s breakdown when the Court confiscated his Red Rider BB Gun.  Ralphie’s insistence that he meant no harm was overshadowed by his parents’ testimony that he was bound and determined to “shoot someone’s eye out” with the weapon.
 
However, studio execs say that’s now all in the past, and that the future is as bright as the star over Bethlehem.
 
“The essence of the Christmas Spirit is “Unity” -- the unity of all mankind and the ending of hostility -- so we thought it an appropriate theme for the evening,” said Rankin.
 
Still, making the feeling of unity a reality became even more of a task than the party planners had thought.
 
“When we took a step back and found out how many nametags had “Santa” on them, we knew there was going to be a problem,” confessed Security Manager Stan Humbug. To solve the problem, only the “original” Santa and Mrs. Claus of the Rankin-Bass special “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” were on the final guest list -- snubbing less popular characters such as the mall Santa from Warner Brothers’ “A Christmas Story.” When contacted for comment, the Warner Santa’s manager declined to respond. Additionally, no word has been given regarding the feelings of the real-life St. Nicholas, who has traditionally been given an invitation to ALL holiday parties.
 
Finally, perhaps the most notably absent star was Rankin-Bass’ Frosty the Snowman. According to his publicist, after last year’s heated “thawing debacle,” Frosty decided to stay at home this year and celebrate with his family.

~~~~~

Cub reporter Laura Redfern hopes to get the scoop on more scandalous Hollywood dirt in the future, despite the fact that producers are now saying she'll "never work in this town again!"