Joss Whedon: No welcome to the "Dollhouse," for now

A week ago, Joss Whedon was celebrating Fox’s seven-episode pickup of “Dollhouse,” his new drama starring Eliza Dushku.

But this Wednesday, Whedon hit the picket line, even while fighting a cold and sipping chicken soup from a thermos.

“I have no conflict about this,” said Whedon, whose new creation will now be put on hold. “It’s not hard for me. The issues we’re talking about are so crucial.”

Whedon said he believed the studios were “hungry” for a strike.

“This is a chance for them to break us,” Whedon said. “I don’t know their reasoning for not wanting to pay (Internet residuals). I understand they have to take a firm stand.”

But Whedon said he didn’t think the percentage of Internet revenue the writers are asking for is unreasonable.

“If they don’t get anything, we don’t,” he said. “The only way we make a lot of money off this is if they make a huge amount of money.”

-- Michael Schneider