Tiger Woods’ ‘Empathy’ for Actors Doesn’t Hold Water

* Although I have always admired Tiger Woods for what I perceived as role-model integrity, I have to reevaluate my admiration of him in terms of his decision to shoot a Buick commercial in Canada [“Woods Crosses Up SAG,” July 27].

If we are to believe his business agent Mark Steinberg’s pitiful hold-harmless plea, Woods is simply meeting “his contractual obligations” and “still has a tremendous amount of empathy for the actors and what they’re fighting for.”

Further down in the article, Buick spokesman John Wray attempts to buy our sympathy with this little bit of flimflam: The car company had delayed the shoot several times in the hope that the labor dispute would be resolved. The commercial is scheduled to run during the Summer Olympics, “so we just couldn’t delay it any longer.”

Mr. Wray, many advertising agencies have signed interim agreements with the Screen Actors Guild, thus permitting them to shoot commercials in this country with union members such as Mr. Woods, whose fees would become retroactive to the settlement of the strike. But I’m sure you are aware of this, as you are probably aware that it is much cheaper to shoot in Canada (hence all the stink in recent years about “runaway production and greedy producers”).

Mr. Steinberg, it is my impression that since there is a strike, any other contract is suspended until settlement of the labor contract, since Woods is a SAG member. So much for his “contractual obligations.”

Mr. Woods, if you wish to express your “empathy,” it’ll be tough for us to hear you if you are way up there in Canada. You’d be much more vocal and audible on the picket line down here.

C’mon guys, who’s kidding whom? Isn’t the operative word “greed?”

TONY GOODSTONE

Los Angeles

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So Tiger Woods becomes a scab while we poor slobs walk the picket lines. So much for the hype about his basic decency, honesty and core values.

LOUIS PASTORE

Northridge