Funny Story: Universal Studios has massive security breach caused by...A.A. meetings?!

Friend of Bill W's? Come on in!

The Universal Studios lot in Hollywood is one of the most carefully guarded, high-security places in the city. After 9/11, security was beefed up to what some believed to be a ridiculous extent, with guards stationed at every gate checking under cars with mirrors and multiple forms of ID needed to get across the Universal threshold. So, it's kind of surprising to hear that-- for the past 27 years-- virtually anyone could have wandered onto the Universal lot if they'd just use the magic phrase: "I'm a friend of Bill's". Anyone that's ever attended an AA meeting will recognize that phrase, of course, but now that the breach has been identified, you won't be able to use it to cruise around Universal's lot anymore. Keep on reading for the details, my gentle Examiner readers...

The news broke today that Universal Studios' Hollywood lot has been the home to one very embarrassing security breach over the past 27 years. According to Deadline Hollywood, it was discovered that virtually anyone could wander onto the Universal lot-- with or without proper ID-- by uttering a phrase that's familiar to anyone that's ever attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting: "I'm a friend of Bill's" (Bill W., of course, is the man who started AA however-many years ago, and this pass phrase is generally used as an identifier of sorts for those that attend the meetings). Yes, even after the increased security on the lot following 9/11, people were still allowed to wander onto the lot if they used this secret pass-phrase on the security guards on-site.

Here's what Deadline Hollywood's saying about the breach:

The bigwigs had no idea non-employees have been able to go onto the lot without showing any ID by telling security guards they're "a friend of Bill's" and then heading to the 12-step meetings held in a building near the front gate.

(Studio boss Ron) Meyer personally found out about the situation by accident 3 weeks ago and immediately ordered a stop to a 27-year-old practice. "Ron went ballistic. He was out of his mind. And it was embarrassing beyond belief that this was allowed at the same time people were using mirrors to check under cars," a source tells me.

Over the years, there have been any number of massive security breaches at various studios. Studio security's a big concern for anyone that works on a lot, and not just because of personal safety and the threat of terrorism: studios also don't want secrets about their upcoming films revealed.A few years ago, the Paramount/Dreamworks production offices where Steven Speilberg was putting together Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Terrible Sequel were broken into and robbed of a treasure-trove of behind the scenes photos and knick-knacks. Ironically, Spielberg has told stories about sneaking onto studio lots prior to having his own working relationship with them, back when he was a young, bearded whipper-snapper looking to get into the business.

Obviously, measures have been taken to stop this from happening in the future-- from here on out, all AA meetings on the lot can only be attended by Universal employees-- but it's still left a little egg on the face of Universal's execs and security team. At this time, no official statements have been made by the studio, but it's likely we'll hear some sort of announcement before too long. Stay tuned for more on this situation as it develops, my precious snowflakes. And, if you're looking for an AA meeting in downtown Hollywood any time soon, don't bother going to the Universal lot unless you've got the proper ID.