Carl Icahn Now Wants ALL Of Lionsgate 
FINAL MGM BIDS DUE FRIDAY: So Who's In And … 
Action Comedy TV: Showrunner Matt Nix 
SAG National Board Approves Joint Bargaining … 
BBC Drama Unfreezes Development Money; … 
Lionsgate Board Rejects Icahn's $6/Share 
Is Betting On Box Office Good For Films? 
Marvel Still Looking For Captain America 
'Sopranos' Creator To Film Rock Drama 
LIVE-SNARKING THE 82ND OSCARS... 
'ALICE' IS A MONSTER! $116.3M Blows Past … 
Oscar Not-So-Thriller: Diller Mogul Picnic 
'Precious' Sweeps 25th Indie Spirit Awards 
Howard Stern Won't Be Next 'Idol' Judge 
Justin Theroux Readying 'Zoolander 2' For … 
THURSDAY 4TH UPDATE: Leno Writes Own Monologue Again! WGA Denies NBC Claims That Jay Had Union OK & Guild Would "Look The Other Way"
THURSDAY 3RD UPDATE: LENO/WGA: WHAT'S THE REAL STORY? NBC Claims Jay Asked For & Received WGA Permission To Write Monologue At Secret Monday Meeting With Guild President Verrone
THURSDAY 2ND UPDATE: NBC Claims "Leno Can Write Own Monologue"; WGA Says He Can't But Doesn't Want War
THURSDAY UPDATE: I had a feeling this controversy not only isn't going away but will probably deepen over the next days -- and it has. The Writers Guild Of America just confirmed that "a discussion took place today between [its member] Jay Leno and the Writers Guild to clarify to him that writing for The Tonight Show constitutes a violation of the Guilds’ strike rules." Leno admitted last night on the air during his first show back from strike hiatus that he wrote his own monologue. That's a huge problem because it violates the strike rules of one of his unions, the WGA, which is currently on strike and picketing NBC and Leno's Tonight Show. Meanwhile, early ratings for late night TV's return show that Jay scored a 5.3 rating and 12 audience share in the nation’s 55 largest markets for his best ratings in two years, according to Nielsen Media Research. Leno’s ratings were up 47% over what he achieved before the strike. Meanwhile, David Letterman's Late Show had a 4.3 rating and 10 share, or 39% better than his pre-strike average. I don't find this surprising, since Leno had been consistently beating Letterman for years and TV viewing habits don't change overnight. Plus, there was the "car wreck" phenomenon at work and audiences may have wanted to watch how The Tonight Show would fare without writers. I can't help but think that Leno knows full well he could lose viewers if he stops his topical monologue altogether (which is what Conan O'Brien appeared to do last night). So will Jay keep writing his signature stand-up opening? Stay tuned.
WEDNESDAY PM: Leno did deliver what was a funny monologue. So the big question was who wrote it: WGA members or scabs (i.e. the usual contingent of joke writers who hang out around Jay's kitchen table)? Leno addressed that very issue during the monologue: "You know what I'm doing? I'm doing what I did the day I started. I write jokes and wake my wife up in the middle of the night and say, 'Honey, is this funny?' So if this monologue doesn't work it's my wife's fault," he explained. "We are not using outside guys. We are following the guild thing... We can write for ourselves..."
Earth To Leno: That's not the way the WGA interprets its strike rules as spelled out here: "The Strike Rules, among other provisions, prohibit Guild members from performing any writing services during a strike for any and all struck companies. This prohibition includes all writing by any Guild member that would be performed on-air by that member (including monologues, characters, and featured appearances) if any portion of that written material is customarily written by striking writers." (See my previous: WGA Reminds Returning Jay And Conan: No Monologues.)
Now the question is what will the WGA do about it? The irony is that Leno last night sounded so proud of the jokes he claimed to have written for his monologue. Jay's in a tough spot, to be sure: after years of beating Dave week after week, Leno could fall to No. 2 now that he's doing The Tonight Show without his writing team because NBC won't bargain with the striking writers. Whereas Letterman's production company Worldwide Pants owns The Late Show (not CBS) and negotiated an interim waiver from the WGA allowing Dave to return on air with his writing team intact. Sure Leno's ratings may stay the same or even go up as audiences anticipate a potential on-air train wreck. But can they stay there? Will America's late night viewing habits change? And will NBC suffer?
What makes the situation even trickier is that Leno has been very supportive of his own picketing writers and the entire WGA since the strike began two months ago (see photo above) by delivering food and drinks to the scribes walking the line. So the WGA, which has made it clear it's picketing NBC and not Leno, may not want to make an example of a high-profile member like Jay for breaking its strike rules.
Loading ...
Go Jay!!!
I agree that fair is far, but UNIONS RUIN AMERICA!
Now’s the time to pull Jay in to the Guild, ask him if he was being honest in what he said about having written his monologue and if he says he did write it, he must be brought up on charges… Those are the rules… And to flaunt that on TV is to thumb his nose in the face of all writers. Shame on Jay. D.
Leno is two-faced, and into himself to even read WGA contracts. From sources, he definitely doesn’t “jay-walk” his talk!
I am in full agreement with Leno..”HE” is the star and “HE” is who is responsible for his family and their welfare..”HE” is doing what any hard working AMERICAN would do..He is “WORKING” even though nobody else wants to!
To hell with the unions! Go, Jay, go!
If the WGA targets Leno, they’ll make a martyr out of him. Then any gains and/or leverage they have received from the Letterman deal will be lost.
What they should do is simply ask Leno not to mention that he is writing anything on the air, even if he is. That will make this news story die quickly.
Leno is writing his own jokes and being funnier than a team of writers working for Letterman. Does the WGA really want to point out that one man could do the job of several writers?
Someone has to have some common sense here.
<<>>>
Are you kidding me? Workers are just supposed to rely on the benevolence and the good nature of the faceless global conglomerates who employ them? Sure.
He did better without the writers… let ‘em eat cake.
So the union claims to own Jay Leno. Get real. The show is Jay Leno. It’s all about him and his talent. If he can do the song and dance as well as produce his own material…so be it. Fire the writers and they can simply find a job somewhere else.
If Jay does not write his own stuff, how is he supposed to go on the air to support the 160 non-writers, who need income to support their families. Does he have to make it up on the fly? The union rules seem to be crazy — that a man cannot write his own material. I guess Jay will have to give all teh writing duties to his wife!
Let’s get the two sides together and get this thing negotiated like grown people.
2 faced?……. how about 2 1/2 faced!!!
I empathize with the striking writers, but this is ridiculous to me. Leno has a show that employs a lot more people than just the writers. They aren’t on strike and have no way to make a living. They are caught in striker’s hell. Leno has a show to deliver. What about his contracts to perform a live show?
Send this mess to arbitration or settle it or pretty soon we the mass audience will move on to other things and you will be but a blip in our memory.
Brought up on charges? Is writing a joke against federal or state laws? Worst they can do is kick him out of the union (huge dissapointment, I’m sure).
Unions are a pimple on the ass of free markets.
World needs ditch-diggers, or in the writers case, Baristas.
Isn’t it odd that a comedian can’t write his own jokes in America? I think maybe the union is a little too full of its own importance.
Unions don’t ruin America. Unions are the reason for the 40 hour work week, workers compensation, child labor laws, decent medicical benefits and the list goes on. In this case the Guild is trying to pry a few bucks for writers from the billions of dollars corporations will make because of their efforts.
Jay’s “the” talent but he knows he cannot do the show without a team. Educate yourself before posting some thing stupid like to hell with unions and that they ruin the USA.
It’s hilarious that Politically Correct Jay trampled over his employee’s rights. I am sure it was unintentional. PC bimbos like Jay always see others’ rights through the prism of their own self-interests.
But it is ludicrous that we actually have a union for joke writers anyway.
Can the rest of the world do anything but stand back and wonder about us?
Whoa Nikki, FYI… this particular segment made the “Drudge Report”.(go check) Perhaps if Drudge is linking here, then the return of the Late Show hosts HAS upped the strike’s profile considerably.
Got to be kidding Me. Leno is the jerk here. Sure, lets pretend to bargan while the WGA is left in the cold. This is foolish, and Leno has just upped the stakes. I hope he cares.
charges against Leno?
For what?
Jay, take your WGA card, tear it up, and burn it.
I enjoyed the show last night. Great stuff.
I sympathize with what the WGA is trying to do in regards to being rewarded for internet and “other’ media income, but trying to strong-arm a media darling will quickly whittle that sympathy to ZERO.
idiots.
I watched Jay last night and taped Letterman to watch afterwards. Leno’s monologue not written by WGA writers was a lot funnier than Letterman’s, who was written by WGA writers. And with the exception of Robin Williams, who was the funniest I’ve seen him in a long time, The Tonight Show was better overall than the Late Show.
Strike? What strike? Go Jay!
Union idiots! Jay does a better job than his writers. I hope they stay on strike another ten years!
Leno’s a bum who hasn’t been funny in years.
(I can relate to that.)
Who’s your master? Money, Big Corporations or the Guild? You can only serve one.
If it’s thought, remembered, said but not written down, it’s not a violation.
There are some BIG holes in the “Strike Rules” that are very easily walked through.
Make a “martyr” out of Leno?!?!? Amongst whom? The 60-yr-old grannies who watch his show?
Write on Jay!
I’m “just” a viewer, squarely on the side of the WGA and it’s clear to me Jay Leno, whom I happen to like, did the WGA a gross disservice last night. Either his monologue was pre-written (and he admitted it was) which was a clear violation of WGA rules or he winged it, in which case he proved writers aren’t needed. Either way, he hurt the WGA last night.
What next?
“I couldn’t let 16 people put 190 out of work.” That’s why Leno has my support!
To those of you who say, “To hell with unions,”: because of unions, you have a 5 day work week, vacation benefits, eight hour work days, over time pay, holiday pay, our children aren’t working in sweat shops…I could go on and on. NO COMPANY EVER GAVE WORKERS ANYTHING OUT OF THE KINDNESS OF THEIR HEARTS. It was the UNIONS that made this possible for you.
What promised to be a strike for a very fair reason is turning nasty. I hope the producers and the union end this fast because public and professional sympathy is waning. But here it is not the union that should be considered unfair – the producers are in fact the ones who need to negotiate fairly.
Good for Letterman for striking an interim deal and taking the high road, but also good for Jay for putting money back into the hands of all the other employees being affected by this.
Producers, please wake up. Union be careful, you are becoming a bit surly.
Going after him would be a bad move. Most people don’t care that Letterman came back with writers and Leno didn’t. They are just happy their favorite is back on. (99% of the people I know aren’t changing their viewing habits. They hate one and love another to the point that it won’t change.)
If the WGA goes after Leno and kicks him out, they’re leaving a man on the air who has been a big supporter free to do and say whatever he likes. Considering he’s run by NBC who’d love anything to stick it to the writers right about now, he’d have free reign to do and say anything. I don’t think hiring non-WGA writers would be too much of an issue; there’s always someone who’d want to work and I think working out a deal straight with Leno or NBC would probably be more lucrative (remember sticking it to the WGA). And remember, he’s leaving in a year anyways — standup comedians doesn’t need permission from the WGA.
Any hey, Leno without writers is funnier then Letterman with writers and if they go after him, they’d be admitting their own mistake about any of their late-night decisions.
Although it was never stated in the article, I’m assuming Jay is a member of the WGA. If so, then he obviously did violate the WGA’s strike rules. However, I agree with MutualDisdain that getting too tough with Leno would be an unwise move by the WGA. Jay is well liked by a lot of America and a lot of people know that his return to work has allowed many other people to resume their jobs. They should allow him to continue to perform his monologues, but just don’t mention anything about how they are created.
Wake up, people. Leave Jay alone. Jay was a stand-up guy last night. Being in an impossible situation and without the resources Letterman has at his disposal, he did the only thing he could that would not wreck the lives of 160 other, non-guild people. He went to work. He explained to the public very well why he was there, how he still supported the strike, and why he would continue to support the strike.
Attacking your most visible link to the viewing public is not just stupid, it borders on the suicidal. He can do more for your cause from his platform than any picket line simply because he can reach so many people and explain to them in terms they can understand just why they can’t see their favorite shows. He can ridicule the powerful producers who make obscene gain off your hard work.
Stop the Jay bashing. It doesn’t make him look bad and it reflects badly on you. Just how do you think the public views you – as heroic laborers against the machines of industry or a bunch of spoiled illiterate hacks who’ve been shoveling their sorry idea of dialogue and plot so long that they can’t understand why they’re losing our support? Think about it. You’d be surprised by just how fast you can lose our support.
Oh, and for the record – Jay was funnier than Letterman last night.
Good for Jay!
The writing’s on the wall. The WGA will fold by February because of their eroding support. The AMPTP knew this would happen and it seems to be right on schedule.
correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the union’s beef about DVD and Internet revenue, and wasn’t it the union that basically gave away those revenues because they looked at “money now” rather than “money later”?
Why is it that the union feels their members (such as Leno) must adhere to their union contract (agreement) but the union strikes because they don’t want to stick to the deal they made in regards to DVD and internet?
But I guess in a town where people drive a Prius to the airfield to board a private jet, hypocrisy is a way of life.
Of course he wrote his monologue- what was he suppossed to do? Play a Creed CD??????????? This is stupid. How can he be on the air with no words coming out of his mouth?
this why granting letterman an interim agreement was a dopey move. here come the ramifications. either we are on strike or we’re not. look for a major split in the guild beginning any day now. moguls win. game over.
WGA over played its hand and made a strategic blunder by cutting a side deal with Letterman–leaving Leno and the other late nighters no choice but to go back to work (or lose their audiences). This is the crack in the dike that the networks needed. The networks will not budge now–even if we have a full season of reality shows. Face it writers, you can be replaced and you will be if WGA does not back off and make a reasonable compromise.
Thank goodness someone is willing to work in Hollywood.
Unions ruin America? The depth of your ignorance is astounding… you forget the years of struggle for workers rights, safety, living wages, job security, etc… for the American Worker. The only people that do not like Unions are the greedy employers that would forsake all that was fought for over a few pennies.
Thank god for Unions, and the millions that struggled for the rights gained. Open an American history book. My goodness… would you rather they were chained to their desks for 14 hours a day making pennies? Move to China, they would love you there…
So it was OK when Letterman and Johnny Carson scabbed during the 1988 strike? And that Carson used scabs to write his monologue? Short memories…
To Ed, Mike whomever…
What Jay did WAS against the strike rules and the sooner he’s forced to go fi core (leave the Guild) the better. I’ve walked NBC and after a week of striking, Jay disappeared and we haven’t seen him since.
Hopefully, no reputable SAG member will cross the line, forcing Jay and his kitchen full of writers to make up 60 minutes of “priceless material” as he entertains America with interviews of people no one wants to see.
I was shocked to hear he had 19 writers! What a crock. How does it take 19 people to create 7 minutes of humor that all comes from the day’s news? Rarely is there anything organic. The network has probably realized they do not need more than three, bring back Rob, Salley and Buddy!
Jay actually DID NOT break the rules by writing his own material. The writers guild indicate that the opening of the Tonight Show Jay performs a “monologue”, Jay can call it his “opening act” and therefore is not in violation of the contract. I know it’s splitting hairs, but this type of thing goes on everyday in our court rooms. Sorry writers guild union, next time you better be ultra specific in your contract rules.
It would also be funny if all the non union writers got together, along with the national public and sued the writers guild union for ruining there lives because all there are on TV lately are re-runs. Don’t be to surprized if sometyhing like this does happen. I’m sure there are several capable law firms out their right now who would love the opportunity to start a class action suit against the writers guild union on behalf of the American public.
Jay just proved again that he is the funniest man in the USA. Keep up the good work, Jay!!
Im shocked at the uninformed yahoos posting on here. The writers on strike aren’t making the problem, the studios are. It’s not the writers who created this situation.
Unions are not the pimple on the ass of free market economy. But minds like yours are, lowest common denominators who file in line and believe they make a change by watching commercials. Listen, capitalism was built on the sweat of those who could not defend themselves, at wages that were ridiculous, slave wages, until Unions stepped in to defend the common man, just because you aren’t represented by a union doesn’t mean they’re work has not benefitted you.
It was the studios that last left the bargaining table, and the writers seek a return to negotiations. People, educate yourselves.
And also, calling Jay Leno a comedian is like calling an onion an orange.
I think it is rather insane that people fault unions for protecting their people. Unions helped to change the child labor laws in the US when corporations where exploiting kids.
Corporations have shown themselves to often do what they do best, make money at the expense of others. There needs to be a counter balance to their actions. Unions fill that role. Sure, they go overboard, sometimes, but so do the corporations. Stop drinking the Drudge, Limbaugh, Hannity Kool-aid and adopt a balance thought process people.
Please.
Look at these comments! AMPTP was up late last night!
Dave’s writers are being used as scabs.
Since when do the writers own Jay Leno? How idiotic to tell your star (the reason you have a job in the first place) that he can’t create his own stuff! What about the other people who depend on the success of Jay Leno to put food on their families’ tables? Is there life supposed to be crippled by this leach of a union?
I can see that the AMPTP shills are out in force, trying to pretend the whole country isn’t behind the WGA and the striking writers.
Do you actually believe what you’re saying? Or is this just a better paycheck than Jack in the Box?
Jay can’t pretend to support the writers and then turn around and cut their legs out from under them by scabbing for NBC. He came back as a host… HE IS STILL ON STRIKE AS A WRITER!!!
Or is he?
Is Jay a guild member himself? That is the defining
question. If not, he is NOT bound by guild member
rules.
Jay’s deal is ending and he’s going to be replaced by Conan. NBC doesn’t care if he goes down in flames in the process as it makes his replacement easier and a bigger deal. I suspect they’ll protect Conan from any of this stuff.
Jay should have been smarter. He doesn’t own his show so he should have stayed on strike until a deal was struck. If he was sued he’d become a hero which is not a bad way to go off into the sunset. I can only guess they offered to negotiate his contract after all or I can’t see why he would have gone on.
Maybe Jay out-sourced his joke writing to India or China? Some of them fortune cookies are dang funny. As for having the Union-hatin’, Bible-thumpin’ Huckabee on as his first guest, Leno really did cross the line. He wants to be all things to all people, but ultimately, it’s all self-serving, isn’t it?
The writers have a legitimate beef, but need to be more “creative”. Let Jay do his schtick, but as a union member have him promote its cause on the air. Should NBC Universal choose to fire Jay, then it’s on them.
Does everyone forget the reason for the stike is the unfair monetary division of profits paid writers versus what the producers are keeping?
Get some perspective people!
Blaming the WGA for the owners intransience just because Leno’s presence on television is missed is what allows the corporations to continue to reap huge profits at the expense of the working writer.
Let me welcome back the AMPTP shills from their holiday vacations. The message boards have lacked your acidic vitriol over the last two weeks without you. But boy, you’re out in force today. It’s just sad that this is what the AMPTP has resorted to to try to divide the union. Letterman back on the air with writers and A-list guests will help the WGA.
EARTH TO WRITERS: Maybe you want to spend the next year waving signs in righteous indignation but we want to watch tv.
Go Jay!
The environment today isn’t like it was years ago when the WGA last went on strike. Today the networks have more options than reruns. Reality shows and competitions are not covered by the writers strike and make more profits for the networks. Expect to see more shows like Survivor, American Idol, Dancing withthe stars as well as more sports, movies and special events. As time goes and the people the WGA has made unemployed start to grumble, the Union will be willing to Compromise.
Sorry, but Jay Leno has sucked rocks for years. Now it is just the time to see who is/was responsible.
How do the arm-twisting enforcers (union thugs) at the WGA define “writing?” Is Leno is free to perform, but “strictly prohibited” from jotting down a few thoughts about what he’s going to say beforehand?
This sort of techincal hairsplitting is simply nuts (albeit the traditional “union” way of looking at the world).
The WGA should be glad that Leno apparently intends lace his alleged “scab” program with pro-union propaganda every night. Going after Leno on a technicality is sure to create an anti-WGA backlash.
On the other hand, given the abysmal quality of most TV writing these days, most of the WGA membership apparently doesn’t care about public opinion.
SCAB
Let me see if I understand this. Jay Leno can go to Vegas, Reno or Tahoe, perform on a stage in front of a SRO crowd and use material that he wrote himself but put him in front of a TV camera and turn it on, he has to use someone else’s words just because an “organized” group of people say so? The WGA’a beef is with NBC et al. and not Leno as a person. The WGA has an ally in Leno so I wouldn’t think it’ll be a good idea to lose his support. If need be, Jay could forgo the monolouge and fill the whole hour with guest, interviews, music acts, headlines and “Jay-walking”. I’ll still watch him over Dave.
This isn’t just about the writers. There are thousands of entertainment professionals who are being punished because of this strike. People who can’t go to work to support themselves and their families because the writers are upset. Those are the people who are really going to feel the financial hurt of Hollywood…etc grinding to a halt. People love to protect the little guy from the big bad studios, maybe they should also protect the little guy from the writers union.
Stop hating on Leno. David Letterman got a pass because he cut a deal, or because he’s just more popular with the Hollywood crowd? I think it is just a fig leaf the guild did because they like Letterman more, and how can it be illegal for the guy to do his own improv monologue? Finally, don’t you all think Leno would have his writers back if he could make a deal like Letterman, whether or not the guild would accept that from him as opposed to Letterman?
Hmm, so does this mean that Jay can’t even come out and talk on his own show? Isn’t he in effect writing as he speaks even is he has not written anything before hand?
Unions are free market. Every bit of labor law and protection for any employee or worker today was hard fought going back to the time of Guilds. Slaves are not allowed to have unions.
Leno said last night he supports the writers and that they are right. If he believes this then he should honor the guild rules, which prohibit him from “writing any part of the show that would have normally been written by writers.” This means he can’t do a monologue. If he writes one, even for himself, then he is a strike breaker and scab, period.
The day that stand-up comics can’t write material for themselves is the day that socialists get to dictate what kind of comedy an audience can see or laugh at. The WGA is making a big mistake on this issue. Boo to WGA leadership. Go Jay!
Bring us a few more boxes of donuts, Jay. That’s the real sign of solidarity. Breaking the clearly delineated strike rules meant for ALL writers, that’s nothing compared to a couple of dozen donuts delivered the first day of the strike when all the news cameras were rolling. The corollary is clear: DONUTS HAVE A HOLE, AND YOU ARE AN A-HOLE.
Whole lotta union hate. Lazy this, lazy that, unions ruin blah blah
Such rhetoric out of such pimply, misinformed internet dweebs.
There are writers right now whose homes are being foreclosed upon because they can’t pay their mortgages. Call them “lazy” all you want, bitch about the other people getting paid all you want… when WRITERS don’t WORK, WRITERS don’t get PAID EITHER.
These people are striking in solidarity against an industry that doesn’t properly compensate them for their talent. If your precious television is so damn important, pay attention to what they want. It’s plenty reasonable. Dave Letterman seems to be willing to give it to them… why won’t the studios? Simple: GREED
Wow! A lot of people who seem to think that the union’s in the wrong here. Sorry, but it isn’t. Whether Jay likes it or not, he’s a member of the WGA, and he’s been trumpeting that fact since day one of the strike. And as such, he’s not supposed to be doing any writing for a struck company. NBC is a struck company. So whether or not he’s writing his own jokes, he’s in violation of the union’s rules.
It’s one thing to say “I support the writers.” It’s another to actually behave in support of them. (Just ask Mike Huckabee, who’s probably going to do poorly in today’s Iowa caucases, because he claimed to be in support of the WGA, yet crossed the picket line to appear on Leno’s Tonight Show. How self-serving is that?)
He was funny last night. Can he be funny every night until the writers come back? Something tells me “no.” So for everyone above who thinks he can maintain last night’s level of performance: one man can’t do the work of an entire writing staff, day in and day out.
As for what the guild should do: have a private meeting with Jay making clear the union’s rules and spell out what he did wrong last night. Appeal to his sense of fair play and ask him to do the right thing. Otherwise the guild’s giving Jay a free pass, sending the message that if you say you support the union yet don’t, nothing will happen to you. If he’s doing nothing wrong, then every writer-producer in Hollywood can go back to work today and write their own shows…
Leno’s in a tough position, but he was a fool to say he was writing his own material. This should be a “don’t ask, don’t tell” situation. Now that he’s let the scab out of the bag, so to speak, the WGA has no choice but to go after him. This reveals Leno as a corporate tool, by the way. How disappointing.
Amazing the number of trolls on this site, incidentally., sucking the flatulence from the butts of their corporate masters.
Jay had one of his best nights in long, long time.
He worked hard and he was funny.
I do not know if it is a reflection of his Writers that I am sure are very talented people.
The Union and the Owners should find a solution and fast, because the American Public may loose their patience and strt getting the talented Congress involved.
Than you will see a real mess………………
I am tired of being griped at because the writers want more money….people have to work. In the real world when you feel cheated you either negotiate and make changes or move on. In the dream world of unions you are allowed to stretch out this crap and milk it for all its worth. In the beginning I supported the writers. Now it is just getting stupid. People are pissed at Leno for writing his own jokes. People are pissed at Huckabbee for crossing the picket line. GET OVER IT. People would be pissed if Leno had to fire his entire staff..so how does he win??
Unions Ruin America?!?! You got to be kidding! If it weren’t for unions, we would all be working for $4.25 hr and thats a fact! Without unions, companies wouldn’t share the wealth. If you don’t believe me look today. Hell, if we had a union at HRB when I worked there, I would still have a job now. Instead of them out sourcing the positions to Dallas because they could fill seats at $5.00/hr and brag about their stock going up $2/share!
Wow. Leno was funny last night for the first time in years. Maybe writers are over rated?
Just toss Jay from the Union!
Leno is the best late night on. All the rest suck. Can’t see Conan as a replacement. Stay on Jay! I understand guild people ONLY make over 100k a year!!!
Jay and his wife did great last night. Looks like the writers aren’t needed after all!
Oh please, like he’s REALLY writing his OWN material. Who are we kidding!?
The writers have already lost the support of the average Joe. Their strike has past the point where their gains would make up what they have lost by being on strike.
While I am no fan of Leno (never watch the late night stuff) it would be a huge mistake for the writers to go after him.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The AMPTP’s Troll Collection. Collect the whole set.
They’re all on display here today.
save unions, they created the american dream
Keep letting Leno write his own material. The show will be in the crapper soon enough. That guy and his material is old, tired and not funny.
Unions have the power to fine their members. And if Jay is kicked out of the union, then once the strike is over, he will be barred from doing any writing. At all.
Unions provide a safety net for the rights of workers. Look at this strike. The networks want to take the work of the writers and recycle it for profit in new media. All the writers are asking is to be cut in on the deal — it only seems fair.
Jay should apologize and not do any more monologues.
These unions need to go over themselves and agree to a deal already. Jay is hilarious and he needs to be back on the air with a full complement of writers.
Hollywood might support the writers, but America doesn’t
Jay is an inherently funny guy and was a standup comic for decades. I have met the guy, he really is funny. Funnier than his own writers, but hey they need a job too when they are not on strike that is. Leno is definitely funny enough to write his own monologue for the Tonight Show. I think Jay will have plenty of comedians on too so there be no “joke deficit”.
Jay is doing a service by keeping the Tonight Show on and keeping all his other employees working. And the Tonight Show band is the hardest working band in show business (with apologies to the late James Brown)
I understand the tough position the late night hosts are in, and I understand why they had to go back on the air to support all the non-writers on their staffs. However, as a WGA member himself, Jay Leno is technically a “scab” for writing during the strike. I know most people don’t care if he’s a scab or not as long as they get to watch an entertaining monologue, and they have every right not to care, obviously, but that doesn’t make Leno any less of a scab.
Face it, the leadership of the WGA has led it’s members down a dead end road. Performers are leaving the striking WGA members behind and they’re moving on. The networks will replace SITCOMS and other WGA product with reality shows, sports, and news magazines. Late night will morph it’s format into pure interview and talk, eventually phasing out pre-written material.
So, WGA, how’s that strike working out for you?
Jay should quit the WGA and just write his own stuff from now on.
LENO IS A WEASEL! IF YOU HAVEN’T FIGURED THAT OUT YET, YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T NOTICE THEY WERE RUNNING REPEATS EITHER.
HIS COMEDY WAS LAME WITH WRITERS. SO IT CAN’T BE MUCH WORSE WITHOUT THEM.
DAVID LETTERMAN IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE THE TRUE HEIR TO CARSON EVEN IF A MILLION MORE SHEEP DON’T KNOW IT EVERY NIGHT.
KW
You silly people who talk about unions. You should thank them for giving you rights as an american worker.
If the WGA knew what it wanted in this strike, it would make more sense, but asking for “downstream royalties on web media” means this will go on forever and tying up everyone else in entertainment over demands so vague they aren’t even negotiating makes no sense. Letterman has chosen to use this as a marketing opportunity (he is ‘the virtuous man’ and back on the air) — fine. Let others work and if the writers are as valuable as they think they are, people will be begging them to come back.
Jay should write his own stuff then have the writers to fall back on if he hits a block. I dont believe Jay needes the writers as much as they need him. He is super funny alone. I will always be a Leno fan. He is a good guy with some sweet cars.
Leno was great without the writers. He needs to sever his ties with the writers guild and move on with life!
jay and conan are dirty scabs.
Over and over I hear people parrot the excuse that Jay himself gives “what about the rest of my staff!”…what is different about his show and every other show out there? Heroes doesn’t have any other staff? If you follow that thin excuse out then what he’s saying is to not strike at all because someone might be hurt. That’s bull. Every other entertainment union has this same battle ahead of them, and they need to support each other. Jay is a scab. I’m in general a very anti-union Libertarian, but this is one of those cases that it’s needed. What the producers are doing is deplorable. Go writers, go!
Sounds like?
LOL!
I was really surprised when I saw the clip on TV this morning.
I mean, I expected that Jay Leno would scab. We all know how two-faced he is.
But I never thought he’d have the gaul to actually ADMIT to scabbing.
If the WGA doesn’t kick his ass out of the guild then the guild is even more of a joke than I thought it was. God knows if I sold a script to a struck company during this strike, I’d never be allowed in the guild and they’d do their best to blackball me from the biz.
But it appears that, so long as you make the WGA a shitload of money in fees, you can not only do whatever the hell you want but also give your fellow writers the middle finger by bragging about scabbing during a strike.
Only writers could make an issue of greed sound like an issue of oppression.
Only a media conglomerate would cut off it’s own nose just to spite it’s face.
It never ceases to amaze me how some people are so quick to blame unions for so much of what ails society. I would just remind these critics that unions are responsible for the 40-hour workweek, sick leave, annual leave, just to name a few of the benefits that too many of us take for granted.
How about asking why the networks and studios are so reluctant to pay writers a fair price for whay they create. It strikes me as convenient to point the finger at writers while studio and network execs receive compensation packages that most of us can only dream of. Are the execs going to have downgrade their lifestyle if they pay writers a fraction of the profits they generate?
Finally, as a member of a union, Leno is obliged by the terms of the guild’s contract, which is a legally binding document.
Folks, let’s not be so quick lay blame. Instead, let’s try to support those among us who are fighting for what is just and right.