On September 20, Princeton alumni David Zabel ’88 and Mark Feuerstein ’93 returned to campus to take part in the panel Tigers on Strike!, where they discussed the ongoing strikes of the entertainment unions SAG/AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) and the Writers Guild of America. Both Zabel and Feuerstein’s careers have been directly impacted by the strikes as they are prevented from working on and promoting their current projects: Zabel, as lead writer and showrunner of the Walking Dead Universe spinoff, Daryl Dixon, and Feuerstein, who had to stop his work as an actor in an independent feature currently filming in South America.
A.M. Homes moderates the Tigers on Strike! panel discussion about the ongoing strikes of SAG/AFTRA and the Writers Guild with Ben Whitehair, Executive Vice President SAG-AFTRA (on screen), David Zabel ’88, Mark Feuerstein ’93 and Sayash Kapoor on Sept. 20 in the James Stewart Film Theater. Photo by Angel Gardner
David Zabel ’88 and Mark Feuerstein ’93 participate in the Tigers on Strike! panel discussion with Sayash Kapoor. Photo by Angel Gardner
David Zabel ’88 and Mark Feuerstein ’93 participate in the Tigers on Strike! panel discussion. Photo by Angel Gardner
A.M. Homes moderates the Tigers on Strike! panel discussion. Photo by Angel Gardner
David Zabel ’88 speaks with A.M. Homes and Christina Lazaridi's creative writing classes about his work writing for television. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Writer, producer, showrunner David Zabel ’88 speaks with A.M. Homes and Christina Lazaridi's creative writing classes about his work writing for television. Photo by Jon Sweeney
Sayash Kapoor and Mark Feuerstein ’93 attend a pre-reception gathering for Tigers on Strike! Photo by Angel Gardner
David Zabel ‘88 attends a pre-reception gathering for Tigers on Strike! with students. Photo by Angel Gardner
Alumni David Zabel ‘88 and Mark Feuerstein ’93 pose with University Lecturer Michael Cadden for a photo during a pre-reception gathering for Tigers on Strike! on Sept. 21, 2023. Photo by Angel Gardner
Other panelists included Ben Whitehair, the Executive Vice President of SAG/AFTRA, who joined via Zoom and provided a clear breakdown of the issues on the negotiating table, including salary disparities in the streaming age; and PhD student in Princeton’s Center for Information Technology Sayash Kapoor, who provided a nuanced and relevant perspective on the questions surrounding the use of generative AI. Lecturer in Creative Writing and member of the Council of the Writers Guild East, A.M. Homes, served as moderator.
Tigers on Strike! was presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts in partnership with the Center for Career Development as part of the Arts At Work initiative.
While on campus, Zabel also held a conversation with students in two screenwriting classes; and Zabel, Feuerstein and panelist Kapoor attended a pre-reception for students co-hosted by the newly formed student organization, Princeton in Hollywood (U).
About the Tigers on Strike Panelists
A.M. Homes (Professor of the Practice in Creative Writing, moderator) is the author of 13 books of fiction, short stories, and non-fiction, including most recently a novel, The Unfolding. Homes’ 2013 novel, May We Be Forgiven, won the Women’s Prize for Fiction and her memoir, The Mistress’s Daughter, was published to international acclaim. Her work has been translated into 22 languages. In addition to writing books, Homes is also active in television and film and serves on the Council of the Writers Guild of America East. She was Co-Executive Producer of David E. Kelly’s/Stephen King’s ”Mr. Mercedes” and ”Falling Water” on USA and a Writer/Producer on the original ”L WORD” and has written for all the major networks and streamers.
Mark Feuerstein ’93 (Actor) — Feature credits include What Women Want, In Her Shoes, Practical Magic. TV credits include Royal Pains, The West Wing, Prison Break, 9JKL, Babysitters Club, and Power. He can be seen soon in the new Chris Brancato series Hotel Cocaine for MGM+, the upcoming Apple limited series The Lady in the Lake with Natalie Portman and as the title character in the indie feature Man in the Long Black Coat.
David Zabel ’88 (Writer/Producer/Showrunner) started writing for television in 1995 on such shows as JAG, Star Trek: Voyager and Dark Angel. In 2001, he began a long tenure on the NBC medical drama ER, during which he eventually became an Executive Producer and the drama’s Showrunner for its final five seasons. After ER, David went on to executive produce/create/showrun numerous series including Detroit 187, Betrayal and Mercy Street. His most recent work is Daryl Dixon, a spinoff of The Walking Dead universe, set and filmed in France.
Sayash Kapoor is a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University’s Center for Information Technology Policy. His research examines the societal impacts of artificial intelligence, focusing on reproducibility, transparency, and accountability in AI systems. Kapoor’s research provides insights into challenges in responsible computing, such as algorithmic legitimacy, privacy, and disinformation. He has previously worked on AI at Facebook, Columbia University, and EPFL Switzerland. His work has been recognized with awards at top computing conferences, including a best paper award at ACM FAccT and an impact recognition award at ACM CSCW. Kapoor is co-authoring a book titled AI Snake Oil with Arvind Narayanan, which critically analyzes AI capabilities, separating the hype from the true advances.
Ben Whitehair (Executive Vice President, SAG-AFTRA) is a champion for social change through art and business. He has worked on over 100 projects with Oscar and Emmy winners in film, television, dubbing, commercials and more. He has served on over a dozen SAG-AFTRA committees, including the Executive, Governance Review, Government Affairs & Public Policy, and Innovation & New Technology committees, as well as on the President’s Task Force for Education, Outreach and Engagement. Additionally, he was the founding chair of NextGen Performers. Before being elected SAG-AFTRA’s Executive Vice President, Whitehair served on its national and local boards. He is also the COO of the social media management firm TSMA Consulting and co-founder of Working.Actor. Previous endeavors include co-founding a company that saved college students $30 million, interning for Congress in Washington, D.C., and becoming a champion sheep and dairy cow showman.
