Want to grab dinner with Bob Odenkirk or a Hawaiian shirt signed by Weird Al? Well, now’s your chance.
The Union Solidarity Coalition, an organization founded this year by Hollywood writers and directors, is auctioning off a host of film and TV memorabilia along with in-person hang outs with stars. The auction is designed to raise money to help production crew members whose healthcare benefits are at risk because of the work stoppage that has crippled production. The online auction opened for bids Tuesday evening and runs through Sept. 22.
Items at auction include a signed Tom Waits fedora, a chef’s apron signed by “The Bear” cast members Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri, Parker Posey-signed memorabilia from her films “Dazed and Confused” and “Party Girl” and a Spike Jonze Girl skateboard deck signed by Mike Carroll.
And it doesn’t stop there. Celebrity experiences available at auction include Adam Scott taking your dog for a walk, a chance to do the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle with Natasha Lyonne and dinner with Odenkirk and his longtime “Mr. Show” collaborator, David Cross. “Parks and Recreation” and “Big Love” alum Adam Scott is offering to walk a winning bidder’s dog.
“We founded TUSC because, as striking writers, we feel an incredible kinship with the crew (IATSE. LiUNA and Teamsters) that make our jobs possible—and right now they are hurting, especially when it comes to healthcare,” said actor Lena Dunham in statement. Dunham is a co-founder of TUSC, which has previously raised over $300,000 for workers on strike. Proceeds from the auction will go to the Motion Picture and Television Fund for distribution to below-the-line crew members in need.
“We are so lucky to be partnered with MPTF, who make this their business 365 days a year,” Dunham said. “We are dazzled by all the brilliant minds who have offered goods and experiences to auction—I am continuously thrilled to be part of this vital group, and we are continually grateful to the crew who have stood in solidarity with us on the picket lines.”
Other items and servicees available for purchase include “a mural in your home by Lena Dunham, a custom watercolor pet portrait by John Lithgow, a personalized song by the cast of ‘Bob’s Burgers,’ and a pottery class for two with Busy Philipps,” per TUSC.
“There are many conversations going on around this strike,” said filmmaker Alma Har’el. “But the only thing that has given me true hope and continues to inspire me every day is the work I get to do with my fellow filmmakers under The Union Solidarity Coalition. What started as a brainstorm in a WGA-DGA WhatsApp thread is now an active community that focuses on bringing solidarity amongst all the unions.”
More items are expected to give live throughout the week, including a crawl through L.A.’s gay bars with Dolly De Leon. The auction is taking place on eBay from today through Sept. 22 at 4 p.m. PT.
