There are a lot of rumors that David Letterman's Worldwide Pants may not get its interim agreement because of a change of heart by the WGA leadership. But here's a new statement from Rob Burnett, president/CEO of Worldwide Pants and long-time executive producer of The Late Show With David Letterman, regarding the status of its request for an interim agreement with the WGA:
"We are willing to agree to the writers demands that are within our control, so we have no reason to believe that an interim agreement can’t be achieved with the WGA. As a result, our only focus is on returning January 2nd with writers."
Right now there's still no firm date for Letterman, a WGA member, to return to work. Both Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien announced Monday they would go back January 2nd. ABC said today that Jimmy Kimmel returns then, too. "Though it makes me sick to do so without my writers, there are more than 100 people whose financial well-being depends on our show," Kimmel's statement said. "It is time to go back to work. I support my colleagues and friends in the WGA completely and hope this ends both fairly and soon."
Update: I'm told co-head writer Eric Stangel and his wife Elizabeth Weitzman just had Late Show's first "strike baby": Eva Weitzman-Stangel, 7 lbs 12 ozs, born at 3:50 PM today, 19 inches long.
We need to give Letterman his waiver and then do everything in our power to get celebrities to appear on his program and not the shows hosted by scabs Leno and O’Brien. Any word on what’s going on with Kimmel and SNL?
Comment by Jordan — December 18, 2007 @ 4:19 pm
I think the WGA should go for it. If they want a domino theory of falling studios, it has to start with one. And even though WP isn’t the biggest company, Letterman himself is high-profile enough to make an impact. I worry if the WGA denies Dave, if and when he does go back (kvetching and complaining all the while) he’ll be mad at both sides, thus taking a huge asset away from the WGA. At the same time, I wouldn’t put it past him to hold out even longer despite the hit he would take ratings-wise.
Comment by Geroge Zip — December 18, 2007 @ 4:22 pm
That would be great news for the quality of Dave’s show, even though it’s very unlikely that an agreement will be reached.
At the same time, I find it interesting that the WGA has announced that it has no plans to single out Jay Leno or Conan O’Brien for the kind of targeted protests aimed at Carson Daly.
“Jay and Conan have been supportive of us from the beginning, and we understand the pressure they’re under,” said guild spokesman Jeff Hermanson.
However this plays out, I hope Dave returns in one form or another. The real villains here are the networks, and they — not these few comics — should be the target of our wrath. IMHO.
Comment by Max — December 18, 2007 @ 4:24 pm
Can somebody explain to me the downside of giving WP the waiver? I’m confused.
Comment by Mandy Lane — December 18, 2007 @ 4:36 pm
Why does Letterman want to go back the same day as Leno? Leno will trounce him in the ratings that one day, because everyone will want to see how bad bad can be.
Comment by nobody — December 18, 2007 @ 4:41 pm
A strike waiver by any other name is still a strike waiver. That is clearly what Worldwide Pants is seeking, not a contract.
If Worldwide Pants signs a 3-year contract with the WGA, they should return to air with their writers. A strike waiver agreement to retroactively apply whatever the new contract is to the date that the strike waiver takes effect is not a contract. When writers return to work under a waiver, there is little difference between that and being financial core. The reason is that those writers do not have to suffer the challenges of the strike, yet will enjoy the benefits of whatever agreement is reached following the strike. That is EXACTLY how financial core works.
Even this AP article refers to strike waivers that were denied to HFPA and AMPAS as “interim agreements.” This “interim agreement” wordplay by Worldwide Pants is disappointing.
The Late Show is probably going to return to air on Jan. 2 - waiver or not, contract or not. I can acknowledge that Worldwide Pants wants to return to air in the best way, but I don’t respect returning under a waiver. Waivers do not help end the strike. Contracts do.
NO TO WAIVERS. YES TO CONTRACTS.
Comment by Interim Agreement = Strike Waiver — December 18, 2007 @ 4:41 pm
Dave can be trusted.
Comment by e — December 18, 2007 @ 4:48 pm
David Young pretty much said last night that there’s no point in making a deal with Worldwide Pants as it gives us no leverage towards other networks and just brings in money for CBS.
So i really don’t think they’re getting a waiver.
And yes, the WGA isn’t calling Leno and Conan scabs because they’re doing exactly what Johnny Carson and David Letterman did 20 years ago. Going back to their shows without their writers after waiting two months, so the non-writing staff and crew who has been with them for 10 years or more doesn’t go hungry. It’s not ideal, but it’s hardly a “scab” move.
Comment by Realist — December 18, 2007 @ 4:48 pm
how can the WGA not grant a waiver to Dave when they are willing to meet the demands by the writers? isn’t the idea to get individual companies agreeing to put pressure on the rest of them? i wonder if the wga even knows what it wants. let dave get on the air ranting at THEM, not us.
Comment by annoyed writer — December 18, 2007 @ 4:54 pm
Leno and O’Brien are not “scabs”. Even if you don’t approve of what they are doing, they’ve expressed an intention to abide by guild strike rules. The “S” word should not be used indiscriminately.
Comment by anon — December 18, 2007 @ 4:58 pm
How on earth can the WGA support Leno and Conan? Leno is already saying he will ignore strike rules and do a monologue! Both of their producers are saying that the resolve of actors not to cross a picket line has “softened” since December. Why are we supporting this? This could be a disaster….
Grant the waiver to Dave and put out a statement condemning those who appear on the scab shows! If we deny it and he comes back as well it will look like the WGA has no power at all….
Comment by Mike Baldwin — December 18, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
Betrayers of the WGA:
Scab Dave
Scab Jay
Scab Conan
Scab Ellen
Scab Whoopi
and if they’re next:
Scab Jimmy
Scab Craig
Anyone who goes back to work hurts the strike.
Comment by Angry writer — December 18, 2007 @ 5:09 pm
All this does is help CBS get it’s ratings back up.
Comment by Rinsler — December 18, 2007 @ 5:10 pm
This is absolutely unbelievable. What incentive does Letterman have to agree to this deal if the WGA has announced an Amnesty for Scabs policy? Oh gosh, what are they going to do to punish him if he withdraws from negotiations, send him a smaller cookie basket than the lavish “Thank You For Scabbing” assortment we sent Leno and O’Brien? If we make the deal, we have to go to the wall for Letterman and against Leno and O’Brien (oh and if we don’t make the deal, then we STILL have to go to the wall against O’Brien, Leno, and any other host who scabs, Letterman, Stewart, whoever), but we’re not going to, so it’s the worst of all possible worlds. Leno and O’Brien will be blatantly scabbing, not even making a pretense of attempting to follow the strike rules, Letterman will get precisely no benefit out of this, and that will really help us push the 342 to break up the cartel. “Join us– get nothing and we’ll sell you out to Rupert Murdoch first chance we get. We just like him.” And meanwhile, NBC and CBS will both be rolling in cash and there’ll be blanket coverage of all the studio releases. If our new policy is Scabs Yay, then Ellen and especially Daly deserve a damn apology, sorry we lost our minds and for a moment imagined we were a union, and Ellen should take out full page ads pointing out the hypocrisy. What are we doing? Did we experience a takeover by Tom Short in the middle of the night?
Comment by WTF? — December 18, 2007 @ 5:17 pm
Advertisers shouldn’t buy these bastardized versions of Tonight and Late Night.
This thing NBC has coming on January 2nd at 11:35 may be called The Tonight Show, but the Tonight Show includes a monologue and sketches. Maybe it has Jay Leno in it, but without a monlogue and bits, it ain’t the Tonight Show. Same goes for Conan.
If I were an agency buyer, I would not buy these shows. They are not the shows they claim to be.
Comment by Dave — December 18, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
I want to make this clear - “Guild spokesman” Jeff Hermanson does not speak for me nor for the majority of WGA writers. Mr Hermanson: the vast majority of the WGA membership does NOT approve of Leno and O’Brien returning. The vast majority of WGA membership feels you are sadly out of touch. Mr. Hermanson, Leno and O’Brien are viewed by many guild members as scabs. Why the hell would you give these idiots a pass and accord Ellen and Carson Daly such horrible treatment? Daly, in particular, is not even a WGA member.
I’m starting t think the Guild leaders are sadly out of touch. Maybe it’s time to throw in the towel if our leaders misunderstand us to this degree.
PS - I am not a shill, I am just thoroughly disgusted.
Comment by David McKinley — December 18, 2007 @ 5:29 pm
Letterman should NOT be getting the waiver. No show should be getting a waiver. This is a strike goddamn it! Thousands of people are out of work and struggling to pay the bills and it’s a slap in the face to them as well as everyone else affected by this strike if a handful of WGA members are allowed to work and earn a paycheck during a strike called by the WGA. But Letterman’s writers want to work over the holidays while the writers they were standing with on the picketlines last week are still going to be standing on the picketlines in the fucking snow and catching their deaths. Disgusting. Either this is a strike for ALL members of the WGA or else it’s just a joke.
Comment by Sandy Daley — December 18, 2007 @ 5:39 pm
“Jay and Conan have been supportive of us from the beginning, and we understand the pressure they’re under,” said guild spokesman Jeff Hermanson.”
ATTENTION EVERYONE: It’s OK to scab, as long as you’re not Ellen or Carson Daly!
That is depressing. Why is the WGA giving these guys a pass?
Comment by Drake — December 18, 2007 @ 5:40 pm
WGA needs to get all over this thing. Someone is willing to negotiate and WANTS to bring their writers back to work. Get the damn deal done. It would be a shame if Letterman couldn’t go back on the air WITH HIS WRITERS the same day his competitors are returning WITHOUT theirs.
Comment by Wanna-Writer-Be — December 18, 2007 @ 5:46 pm
Give Dave his deal. Let him be the only guy with a writing staff, because he’s the only guy with the nerve to stand up the studios and deal with the WGA.
(Yes, I know Dave owns his company, and Leno doesn’t. But let Leno put the pressure on Zucker, what does he have to lose, his relationship with NBC has already been shot. By them.)
Comment by Anonymous — December 18, 2007 @ 5:55 pm
Sandy Daley -
Your entire post was slewed with misinformation. This is not a waiver like the Golden Globes and Oscars wanted. The Writers Guild made a clear statement over the weekend that they were willing to begin negotiating with individual companies. Well, they have to start somewhere - even if it means David Letterman’s small production company, which cuts its writers’ paychecks. By the way, this situation has total precedent since Carson did the same thing in ‘88.
The Late Show has already canceled its shows through Jan. 1, so your idea that they want to work during the holidays is completely misled. I can also guarantee that should Letterman’s writing staff return before any other writers, the first place they will be on dark days is on the picket line, supporting the writers still on strike.
I understand that you’re probably not the only one to allow your rage to blind you, but many guild members have spoken out supporting Letterman and his writers. At least get your facts straight before ranting about something you know nothing about.
Comment by MJL — December 18, 2007 @ 6:57 pm
“Even if you don’t approve of what they are doing, they’ve expressed an intention to abide by guild strike rules.”
Uh huh. NPR is quoting The Tonight Show’s Executive Producer as flirting with the idea of a monologue, after all Johnny did one, right? And if Jay does one, the WGA will do nothing. Except cheer and send flowers. There is virually no way these guys could abide by the strike rules even if they wanted to, and there’s absolutely no reason to give them the benefit of the doubt there. There’s almost no way they can fill an hour of television without performing any tasks usually performed by writers. And hell, with leaders like these, next we’ll all be ordered to scab for free to help them out, because it’s so sad that they have no writers–that was SUCH a good pizza Leno brought!
Oh, and BTW? The deal’s dead. Vickers is also quoted as saying, “It certainly isn’t our first choice to go against them with writers,” and well, that’s good enough for the WGA. We don’t want to harm our scab friends.
“David Young pretty much said last night that there’s no point in making a deal with Worldwide Pants as it gives us no leverage towards other networks”
Not with our guys performing fellatio on Conan and Jay, it doesn’t.
Comment by WTF? — December 18, 2007 @ 7:01 pm
If Letterman, Leno, O’Brian and Kimmel all go back to work, and CBS / NBC get the rewards of being able to sell advertising space at a higher rate… this is good ??? You don’t find this counterproductive??? Lots of crew people are out of work, is this the excuse that can now be used “I’m going back for my crew”. This is the sort of action that is going to start causing division. You can’t pick and choose who gets a pass and who gets called a scab. If you’re a member of WGA and your union is on strike against CBS/NBC, there is no excuse for crossing a picket line.
Signed,
An unemployed Teamster btl crew person, who walks the picket lines in support of the WGA.
Comment by btl teamster — December 18, 2007 @ 7:07 pm
Folks -There are thousands out of work. The only thing that will settle this impasse is for the AMTPT and Guild to ultimately sit down hammer out a deal acceptable to both. In the meantime, the only power the WGA has is to with-hold services in an attempt to pressure the other side to coming to some type of accord. What Letterman, O’Brien, Leno and Kimmel are proposing is tantamount to offering aid and comfort to the enemy (as the members of the Guild, that they are). It is tantamount to lifting the embargo and allowing a massive revenue-stream to pour into the network’s coffers thus empowering the AMPTP and in effect prolonging this strike. Please spare me the talk about “concern about our staffs”, when in reality these selfish and self-interested millionaires are concerned only about themselves. If they had any real compassion or concern about their fellows or in bringing a conclusion to this impasse, it would be by continuing the work-stoppage and thus motivating the AMTPT to action. All they are doing now is prolonging the strike by allowing their corporate bosses to resume their revenue-flows. They are hypocrites and sell-outs and have evidenced not a whit of sincerity in wanting to stand by their mates or use their influence to try and affect a resolution. Please. Let these gentleman be labeled for what they, in fact are and know in their own hearts to be. Sleep well, our good friends. You can be assured they’ll be hundred on the sidewalks with signs in our hands, only to glad to tell you to your face exactly what you are. But you know. And we know, and always and forever and ever will.
Comment by beekay — December 18, 2007 @ 7:16 pm
i think the wga should be generous towards both letterman and the awards shows. the more you give the more you get back and the more you tactically justify other people’s suffering to further your own union’s self interest, the less moral validity you have. the AAMPT are dickheads but my opinon’s turning against the union by the day. you’re either good guys or not.
Comment by foreign writer — December 18, 2007 @ 7:18 pm
MJL, your entire post was slewed with misinformation.
1. “This is not a waiver like the Golden Globes and Oscars wanted” - Yes, it is, except it is not for one night’s show. Worldwide Pants does not appear to be pursuing a contract with the WGA. They appear to be pursuing a strike waiver with an agreement that the new contract would be applied retroactively to the date of the waiver. INTERIM AGREEMENT = STRIKE WAIVER. That does not help end the strike. A contract would.
2. “The Writers Guild made a clear statement over the weekend that they were willing to begin negotiating with individual companies” - Yes, FOR CONTRACTS, not strike waivers. If Worldwide Pants was to sign a long-term (i.e., 3-year) contract, that would be good. Strike waiver? Bad.
3. “By the way, this situation has total precedent” - You’re not kidding. Similar mistakes in the 1988 strike resulted in a HORRIBLE deal in the end.
4. “I can also guarantee…” - Unless you’re Letterman, Burnett, Stangel, et al, you can guarantee as much as I can (i.e., nothing).
What I wish I could guarantee is that Worldwide Pants agrees to a formal contract, instead of pursuing a waiver. Only Burnett and Letterman can guarantee that.
Comment by Interim Agreement = Strike Waiver — December 18, 2007 @ 7:39 pm
Realist,
Allow me to set you straight. Johnny Carson returned to the air after 2 months in ‘88 but the difference between Mr Carson and scabs Leno and O’Brien is that Mr. Carson was never a member of the WGA. He didn’t desert his own union as Leno and O’Brien are doing. If you compared Johnny Carson to anybody you’d have to compare him to Carson Daly. And Letterman didn’t return to the air until the ‘88 strike was over 4 months old, and it was apparent the thing would probably be settled any day.
Comment by Dave's Son — December 18, 2007 @ 7:42 pm
At this point the WGA will do much more damage to itself with regular people if it suddenly reneges on the waiver/agreement/whatever with Letterman. Their best hope in focing the AMPTP to deal with them is to make these side deals with production companies. And they need someone who sympathisizes with them being able to go on the air every night and talk about it. Since Leno, Kimmel, and O’Brien are returning anyway, with or without their blessing, just having Letterman return without their blessing anyway just takes away their soapbox.
Maybe the WGA hardliners need to take their head out of their collective keisters before they destroy a perfect opportunity here.
Comment by Meli — December 18, 2007 @ 7:42 pm
I think Letterman should be allowed to go back with the full staff… and with Dave’s good graces he can get up every night and lambast the idiots who run his network and tell all of North America (and northern Europe where he is hugely popular) that the terms the WGA is asking for are VERY easy to meet for any employer. It will only make the networks (Moonves, Chernin, et al.) look more petty and greedy and could be the start of a populist groundswell of public pressure, as Dave would be seen taking care of his own and the audience, whereas the moguls aren’t taking care of anyone at all, including themselves.
Additionally, every big company that negotiates directly with the WGA weakens Nick Counter and his side of the table hugely, rendering them irrelevant. If enough big companies adhere, the less they need the AMPTP, and the more everyone will see that Counter doesn’t serve anyone but the Big Eight… not the industry, not the rank-and-file, and not the “average” everyday producers who are taking the brunt of this strike.
Bypassing Counter and his tactics would neuter him, absolutely.
And everyone would see it.
Comment by Big C — December 18, 2007 @ 8:03 pm
Re: Dave
If it’s a waiver, then no go. If it’s a substantial contract that reflects the goals of the WGA and undermines the ridiculous hard line taken by the AMPTP, then game on.
Comment by George Zip — December 18, 2007 @ 8:08 pm
Letterman should not get a waiver from the WGA. Nor an Interim Agreement, nor a full agreement. And, as of today, the Guild is not going to give him any of those. There are many reasons why not and I’ll list just a few.
1) His show would add revenue to CBS which is a struck company. CBS should not have the benefit of WGA writers unless they sit down and with the Guild and come to an agreement that covers the entire struck company.
2) If WGAw came to an agreement with Letterman, actors could go on his show and flack their product for the studios without crossing a picket line. Also adding revenue to struck companies.
3) Any kind of agreement with a company should have the potential of benefiting a good number of writers and not benefit another part of the struck company (this part is tough because of limited distribution and vertical intergration.) But an agreement that benefits just thirty writers (on Letterman and Ferguson,) yet brings revenue back to CBS doesn’t benefit the Guild, nor even a good part of its membership. If the Guild came to an agreement with CBS, itself, many writers would be employed, and those that weren’t could pitch for work. We’re used to competiting for jobs and, at least, under that scenario, we all could.
On the other front, some writers consider Jay et al. scabs and some don’t and some feel both ways. But the key thing is that these are individuals (the late night hosts) making these decisions and not the Guild. The Guild itself is still united and has as much resolve as I’ve ever seen in any organization. Even with dissent over this issue.
Comment by Another Thought — December 18, 2007 @ 8:14 pm
Dave, Jay and Conan are honoring their AFTRA contracts as performers. They are not going back as writers. They are not scabs. Sheesh.
Comment by Anonymous — December 18, 2007 @ 8:21 pm
“The guild said it has no plans to single out Jay Leno or Conan O’Brien…”
“‘Jay and Conan have been supportive of us from the beginning, and we understand the pressure they’re under,’ said guild spokesman Jeff Hermanson.”
“I think the temperature may have changed a little,” said Jeff Ross, the executive producer of Mr. O’Brien’s show. Mr. Ross said that “early on” during the strike, potential guests had indicated real reluctance to cross picket lines to appear. Lately, he said, that has been less of a factor when the shows have contacted publicists for stars.
–from NY Times
==========
So Leno and Conan go back to work, essentially say they will disregard any strike rules and state that guests won’t care about crossing a picket line.
And the WGA’s response? They give them a pass.
Bravo, WGA, bravo. Glad you are saving your wrath for Carson Daly.
And to top it off, they hang out to dry the one late-night host that was at least trying to get a waiver. Of all the late-night hosts, who would be the most vocal and supportive of the WGA? The same guy who called the AMPTP “cowards, cutthroats and weasels” before the strike even began.
The WGA has basically taken the strike out of the late-night realm - the one place the general public would be reminded of their cause on a nightly basis.
What kind of game plan is this exactly?
Comment by John Galt — December 18, 2007 @ 8:21 pm
I’m a little confused. The WGA is a UNION, right? We’re all in this TOGETHER, aren’t we? I appreciate the support David Letterman has given to the WGA up to this point, but it seems a little odd to me, the idea that thousands of writers would still be striking while David Letterman’s staff goes back to work. Is everyone going to go back to work little by little via a waiver here, an individual contract there, until there are only 3 or 4 writers officially on strike? That would kind of suck for the 3 or 4 writers left on the sidewalk. Shouldn’t ALL writers be on strike until ALL writers go back to work? What am I missing?
Comment by confused — December 18, 2007 @ 8:35 pm
“David Young pretty much said last night that there’s no point in making a deal with Worldwide Pants as it gives us no leverage towards other networks and just brings in money for CBS.”
Hey, no big loss. We put out the call, we’ve got mini moguls lined up around the block to break ranks. I mean, it’s not as if Letterman is the only person in the industry willing to work with us on our terms so far, and we’re telling him to screw off. Oh, wait, it is like that? Well, thanks Dave, but come back when you have a larger production company. We don’t want to bring hosts back to late night. Well, not union ones, anyway. You try to work with us, we’ll try to stop you. You want to scab? We’re in your corner. Jesus, if we did reach an agreement with letterman, we’d probably be picketing and asking SAG to boycott HIS show.
Yeah, we don’t want to make money for CBS, we want to make money for NBC. If we brought back Letterman with Guild approval and writers, NBC would have a tough time competing. Oh, it might be a show of strength for us, but so what? The scab shows of NBC would suffer, and we like to think of them as “our” scab shows. So better to clear the field entirely and allow NBC to have an open shot at the entire late night audience and their pick of all the guests. Up and at ‘em SAG, promote to your little hearts’ content, there’ll be no pickets. That’ll show ‘em! Choke on our sternly worded letter where we heaped praise on Scab Jay and Scab Conan but expressed disdain for NBC.
You know, I would totally understand and approve denying this if Conan and Jay weren’t scabbing (fat chance). BUT THEY ARE. So we have a chance to wipe their scab shows off the map with a union show. WITH WRITERS. Which would tend to illustrate the importance of, say, writers? Yes, CBS would make money but NBC is going to make that money anyway. Since that’s a given, hell yeah I’d rather take that money away and give it to CBS. The minute Jay and Conan decided to scab, we had no good option. It might not accomplish much, but it wouldn’t hurt and would be a symbolic victory. And now we look like complete ineffectual buffoons, sitting on the sidelines giving our blessing to scabs, cutting union friendly producers off at the knees and refusing to get in the game. And if Letterman decides to scab, what then? Do we have a memo on whether Letterman would be one of the Bad Scabs like Ellen and Carson, or one of the Good Scabs like Conan and Jay?
Comment by drunkandcrying — December 18, 2007 @ 8:49 pm
You guys need to stop and think before you start writing nasty things about Conan and Jay! They are not scabs! Never have been, Never will be!
Life isn’t fair kids! You guys should have learned that years ago! Each person should be of equal worth to every other person, but that’s not the way it goes!
All of Late Night has been shut down for two months now! It’s been long enough. It’s time for all the Late Night shows to come back, even though the strike isn’t over yet.
Conan and Jay made the right decision to come back. It was their only choice. They should not suffer any back lash. They fully support their writers and want them to get a fair contract.
Get Real People this strike is so bitter it’s going to drag on and on and on for at least a year! Are we Conan fans to be deprived of our Fearless Leader for at least a year? I think not! I am over joyed that Conan is coming back! I wish the strike was over. I wish the Big 8 fat cats that run the entertainment business would stop being stingy pricks and give the writers a fair and just deal!
I am pro union, pro writer, pro WGA, pro little guy vrs. big corporate corruption but let’s be fair here! Will allowing Late Night shows to return make that big of a difference? No it won’t! And I work hard everyday and Conan’s show is one of the highlights of my day!
I want Conan back! I deserve Conan back! All of us Conan and Dave and other late night show fans work hard everyday and deserve to get our laughter back! Two months is long enough! The Late night shows have made their point, they have showed their solidarity with the WGA now it is time to Move On and give us fans
back the Late Night shows we Love!
Cindy Loves Conan
Comment by Cindy Loves Conan — December 18, 2007 @ 9:16 pm
Who does Rob Burnett think Dave is? He’s not Moses, he’s not going to deliver the WGA to the promised land.
Dave’s business isn’t new media focused (I don’t believe). A contract with him will easily be laughed down by the AMPTP as ridiculous and beside the point. Why wouldn’t he sign; how many people stream or download his show? Not exactly proving the studios could be making a deal, is it, if his business model is nothing like theirs?
Comment by tf — December 18, 2007 @ 9:25 pm
Now Kimmel’s coming back Jan 2, too? Well, if he’s near bankruptcy from supporting his staff, so be it. But Leno is the last person in Hollywood who deserves a break from the WGA. It’s pretty well known that Leno buys LOTS of material from freelancers, i.e. “scabs” even when he has his staff writers. Leno should’ve been expelled from the WGA years ago.
I hope Letterman gets the deal from the WGA, although what appared to be a certainty now appears in doubt because after all we don’t want the scabs to have to compete against Letterman with writers in tow.
Comment by Les — December 18, 2007 @ 9:30 pm
With writers, Letterman dunked canned ham to see if it’d float. But there’s no way he can keep up that level of entertainment without writers.
A free suggestion, Dave. See if Nick Counter floats.
Comment by Dave is not your enemy — December 18, 2007 @ 9:45 pm
drunkandcrying:
Can I have a swig?
Comment by Anonymous — December 18, 2007 @ 9:56 pm
We are starting creating down a class system. If you support us we’ll give you something in return — like a waiver. This is a strike damn it! There should be no waivers. Leno and Conan are scabs. As is any other WGA member who returns to work, crossing our picket lines.
Comment by bonnie — December 18, 2007 @ 9:57 pm
“Slewed” means drunk. I don’t quite get how something could be drunk with misinformation. But, hey, I’m only a writer — and, come to think of it, drunk.
Comment by Old Writer — December 18, 2007 @ 9:58 pm
Waivers are a smack in the face of solidarity. No waivers. Period.
Comment by WGAEESH — December 18, 2007 @ 10:21 pm
“If WGAw came to an agreement with Letterman, actors could go on his show and flack their product for the studios without crossing a picket line. Also adding revenue to struck companies.”
Hey, yeah! This way, stars will have no place to go to promote their movies. Um, except for The Tonight Show and Late Night. But I bet actors won’t go on there because they’ll have to cross our picket line–whoops, no they won’t, because we don’t want to do anything to target Jay and Conan. They support us, they love us! So don’t think of it as adding revenue to struck companies, think of it as our love letter to Conan and Jay.
“But an agreement that benefits just thirty writers (on Letterman and Ferguson,) yet brings revenue back to CBS doesn’t benefit the Guild, nor even a good part of its membership”
Yeah, while by contrast publicly endorsing scabbing by just two writers (who we so accurately and helpfully pointed out didn’t wanna do it but got “forced,” they’re the true victims here) not only brings revenue to a struck company, it miraculously benefits all of us. Cause they’re so supportive! Look, it’s fine for the Guild to deny this, but if we’re going to say things like this as if they make logical sense, we need to drop the hammer on Conan and Jay and do it now. And firing the idiot who deemed them Acceptable Scabs would also be a great idea. How did the “division” over whether they’re scabs come up, before or after we sent letters to Ellen? We don’t want to see revenue go to struck companies, so how’s about we start monitoring Jay and Conan’s every on-air move, apply the maximum penalty for every violation, stop announcing that they’re good guys and we’re with them and instead loudly, publicly plead with SAG members to boycott their shows, set up daily pickets in Burbank and at 30 Rock, in short do everything we can to have an impact here? Maybe take as firm a line with them as we have with Letterman? Because honestly, patting ourselves on the back about how we’re allegedly stopping revenue flowing to struck companies under the explination you laid out when we’ve already announced we won’t lift a finger to stop revenue from flowing to struck companies seems a little silly. It’s great that we have resolve, but maybe we could use it to resolve to try and minimize the impact of the hosts going back to work, making a ton of money in ad revenue and providing a forum for the promotion of studio product?
“Dave, Jay and Conan are honoring their AFTRA contracts as performers. They are not going back as writers. They are not scabs.”
First off, so far only Jay and Conan are going back. Second, they’re not allowed to do any writing. “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.” Unless they spend the entire show singing and doing off-the-cuff interviews, it’s probably going to be hard to to comply fully with that provision, these shows tend to be highly scripted.
Comment by drunkandcrying — December 18, 2007 @ 10:33 pm
ALL the late night hosts were planning to go back at the start of the year — Dave included — with or without their writers. Of course they’d all prefer to have their writers so that they’d (a) have a much stronger shows and (b) wouldn’t be accused of hurting the strike.
Knowing Dave was coming back, but hoping to avoid (b) the people at Worldwide Pants, who are in a unique position to bargain among the late night shows as they own their show, approached the Guild and said in interviews that they wanted to make a deal. The Guild, as far as I can tell, did not start this process.
Seeing how all the hosts — again, including Dave — were set on coming back, the Guild talked with Worldwide Pants, thinking maybe there could be a small PR victory in all this (we made a deal for writers!). But they quickly realized that as long as all the hosts were planning to come back (Dave included) this was not a situation in which there would be any leverage that could hurt the major studios and bring the strike to a faster close.
If ONLY Dave had new episodes and the other shows were in repeats, yes, there would be leverage (great leverage.) But if all the hosts were planning on coming back (as Dave was planning to do, with or without writers), and Dave had his writers and the other didn’t — well, yes, his show would be a much better show and might do better in the ratings. But when Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts went on the other shows to promote their new movie, the ratings would still be strong on those shows. Most people watch because they like the specific host and his sensibility (which the writers write towards), and they like the guest of the night. The monologue and the sketches, while important, are not the whole reason, nor for many the main reason, to watch. (For me, Jay has the strongest monologue, Dave is by far best interviewer — better than Johnny — and Conan has the best sketches. And the oddest, too.)
When the day comes soon that the Guild does make a deal with a smaller production company or (hopefully) one of the big studios, then some percentage of our fellow picketers will go back to work. And yes, the rest of us will still be picketing. But that is the ONLY way to get the other studios to fold. It’s our strongest leverage and if it takes months off the length of the strike, that’s a good thing. To say we all must stay on strike together or not at all, even if making a deal with one company shortens the length of the strike (for all of us), is amazingly shortsighted. I agree strongly that we are all in this together, but we’re all in this together to get a good deal as quickly as possible– not to stay on strike.
And to say that any of these performers is a “scab” when they’re not going to be writing for a struck company seems bizarre to me. The only person who is a scab is someone who performs WRITING duties for a struck company. That’s it. An actor, host, comedian, musician, producer, teamster, talent booker, etc. who works on these shows is in no way a scab.
Comment by Realist — December 18, 2007 @ 10:49 pm
Another Thought said, “Letterman should not get a waiver from the WGA. Nor an Interim Agreement, nor a full agreement. And, as of today, the Guild is not going to give him any of those.”
Another Thought, is it reasonable to assume from that wording that Letterman was willing to agree to a full agreement (which I’m assuming but please correct me if I’m wrong means a formal, long-term, three year contract) but was turned down? In part because WWP doesn’t employ enough writers to overcome the fact that they work for CBS?
If so, can we have some clarification on which (or if not which, at least how many) companies would be large enough to make agreements with considering limited distribution channels and vertical integration?
Comment by Anon — December 18, 2007 @ 11:03 pm
Innocent bystanders will always be hurt during a strike. When teachers strike, students lose out by not being able to attend school. During the writer’s strike, non-writing staff will inevitably be hurt.
I don’t imagine it was easy for Leno, O’Brien, and everyone else to essentially cross the picket lines, but people are being put out of work. People who didn’t agree to strike are losing their jobs. To me the difference between O’Brien and Leno and the others are that they waited until the last possible minute to go back whereas Daly went back a while ago. Then again, Daly is unbelievably replaceable, so he must’ve been a much weaker target than Conan and Jay. It can’t be easy to choose between your peers and saving the jobs of people who haven’t done anything wrong. If Letterman wants to make a point, he should go back sans writing staff. And spend as much time as he can get away with plugging for the writers.
This situation isn’t easy for anyone, except the network fatcats. And they depend on the lower-paid to turn on each other. If the late-night guys can keep non-writing staff in business, it may actually help the WGA’s side, because they don’t have to worry as much about pressure to stop putting non-writing staff out of business.
Comment by TVLover — December 18, 2007 @ 11:07 pm
Welcome to the world, Eva Weitzman-Stengel!
Now see if you can get Nick Counter back to the changing table.
Comment by Lizzie'scousin — December 18, 2007 @ 11:18 pm
Please Guild leaders,
WWP will agree to our terms. Let’s show that we were serious when we said that we are willing to bargain with individual companies. The proof is in the Christmas pudding.
WWP is doing everything that we wish the Big Media companies were doing — so let’s reward them for it.
WWP is at our table. They should get a carrot. All the media moguls who are off on vacation should get the stick.
Comment by Anonymous — December 18, 2007 @ 11:30 pm
Guys– (that’s the gender-neutral “guys”)
It’s pretty clear to me the leadership kinda fucked themselves on this one. They wanted to be cool to Letterman by granting him a waiver, but probably weren’t expecting the huge backlash, and now they’re caught in a situation where they may piss members off whatever they decide.
They better make a decision quick, **thoroughly explain their thinking/strategy to the membership** before there can be a backlash, and move on.
And this is offtopic, but here’s another thought– WGA members should realize that reality jurisdiction is not just about being nice to writers working insane hours w/o health care, but much more importantly is about **maintaining the WGA’s influence and relevance across the industry in the future**. It’ll help us during the next strike (and to avoid a next strike), so it’s kind of a big deal, not to be dismissed as easily as some suggested at the meeting on Monday.
Happy holidays.
Comment by Writer — December 18, 2007 @ 11:37 pm
To the “Anonymous”/troll who keeps posting that Conan and Leno are not scabs, OF COURSE they are scabs.
They are WGA members. Of course they will be writing. Just like the corrupt Ellen is writing.
How else are they going to fill up an hour of air time? Read a newspaper?
And whomever believes any of these guys will go on the air and discuss the strike, is terribly naive. Contractually, they might not even be able to, but, regardless, they won’t. They intend to be “entertaining” but their shows will just stink worse than they usually do. Also, viewers will see how boring and vapid guests are without writers - talk show guests don’t write their own witticisms and anecdotes.
TV viewers, change the channel - don’t watch these guys. We won’t be.
Comment by TV Viewers — December 19, 2007 @ 1:36 am
A waiver for Letterman is a waiver for Les Moonves. Read the stupid, ugly “Open Letter to the Entertainment Industry” Moonves signed on the AMPTP website (dated 12/17). To give that arrogant executive the slightest advantage would be an unholy mistake.
Comment by Jenn — December 19, 2007 @ 2:01 am
- “And Letterman didn’t return to the air until the ‘88 strike was over 4 months old, and it was apparent the thing would probably be settled any day.”
Dave did WEEKS of shows without writers in 1988. It’s easy to look up a timeline. He was given due respect for staying out as long as he could and suffered NO long-term repercussions for that decision. And neither should the late-night hosts during this strike who have sided with the guild, at great personal expense, and now are trying to fulfill their obligations as AFTRA performers and keep their staffs whole.
Let’s direct the ire where it belongs. At the producers.
Comment by WGAeastcoaster — December 19, 2007 @ 2:54 am
There’s still a strike, right? So why are we even discussing this. What’s good for Leno, Conan, and Letterman is good for their networks. Wake up WGA. No waivers. No exceptions. Period.
Comment by Jazzence — December 19, 2007 @ 5:34 am
The WGA will look like morons if they don’t cut a deal with Letterman. He wants to go back to work with his writers, and the Guild can’t distinguish between him and the NBC scabs? Please. Make the deal.
Comment by Anonymous — December 19, 2007 @ 6:29 am
So let me get this straight. Letterman is being granted a waiver to go back on the air and be a cash cow for his network and his competition is supposed to just stay home? Either treat them the same and expect the same response or don’t complain when the others are forced to return because the WGA wants to pick winners and losers.
Comment by perplexed — December 19, 2007 @ 6:34 am
For being “drunk & crying,” drunk & crying still makes the most sense of any post here.
Remember the power of the bully pulpit, y’all - and Dave is ideal for this position. We’re finally entering the first crucial period for this strike; and not having a writer-friendly voice on the air during this time (while the other late-nights shows muddle on) is going to hurt the writer’s cause.
It looks like Common Sense has been the major casualty of this strike; then again, perhaps there hasn’t been much evidence of that in this biz for quite some time…
…so maybe it’s time we put aside the rhetoric & start using some.
Comment by exbucks — December 19, 2007 @ 7:08 am
The weasel words are “that are within my control.” Dave is a content provider. He doesn’t control internet distribution.
Jay and Conan also are also agreeable to WGA demands within their control.
If you are going to give an interim deal to one late night host, give to all.
Comment by let's get back to work — December 19, 2007 @ 7:19 am
I couldn’t agree more with drunkandcrying’s post above.
Comment by anon — December 19, 2007 @ 7:31 am
This is pathetic… One tactic of the strike is to have the general public start complaining to the networks about the fact that “their favorite shows” aren’t on anymore - show the world what it’s like without writers and put pressure on the networks, AMPTP to end this. It makes no difference what “special” arrangements Dave makes or if Leno and Conan are going to do a completely ad-lib show, the fact is if Americans see Dave, Jay and Conan back on the air… that HURTS the WGA. Appearances count. The general public will believe that the strike is over or that the writers have caved in. I pray that Jon Stewart and Colbert aren’t mulling any “special” deals… Yeah Dave has to worry about his staff and crew, but what about their brothers and sisters in the guild?! What about the rest of Unemployed Hollywood?!
These late-night hosts are SCABS!! The WGA must be stand united and denounce them in VERY strong terms.
Comment by dante writer — December 19, 2007 @ 7:58 am
Waivers, schmaivers. We need to keep reminding the public that the strike was caused by the media conglomerates, not the WGA. Every statement we issue should refer to the way the AMPTP forced the strike. G’r'Chrissakes, we’re writers, can’t we come up with the language?
Comment by Nat Segaloff — December 19, 2007 @ 8:01 am
drunkandcrying -
I’m not a WGA member, just an aspirant to that status. So I have no skin in this game (compared to strikers), but I have a dog in this fight. And I am following the WGA’s strike rules for non-members.
What you’re reacting to seems to be a really bad move on the part of the WGA’s leadership. It’s one thing to decide on a divide-and-conquer strategy — which requires that the Guild members accept that some of them go back to receiving paychecks as a lever to help all of them win the strike, which (as you can tell from some of the comments here, is a tough pill to swallow for some members).
But it’s another thing entirely to announce that divide-and-conquer strategy as the WGA’s entire new direction toward forcing the AMPTP to negotiate… and then, when faced with the first AMPTP company to volunteer to split from the association, to have the Executive Director come out and tell the members that the Guild didn’t really mean it, that concluding a separate agreement with this company doesn’t actually give the Guild any leverage and helps one of the Big Eight conglomerates.
We call that process getting called on a bluff, and it’s never good for the bluffer.
Does anyone on the WGA side know how to play this game?
Comment by Stuart Creque — December 19, 2007 @ 8:26 am
conan’s and jay’s shows consist of written segments and non-written segments. if they want to go back on the air without the written parts, so be it. if the crux of the writers’ argument is that you can’t do the show without them, i say let them try. what seems far more insidious to me is the guild making piecemeal deals on the side. as others (in the small minority on this site, evidently) have asked, is this not a union? i could have sworn the phrase “collective bargaining” had the word “collective” in there somewhere. how does dave’s writers going back to work help writers on other shows, cbs or otherwise? this sends a terrible message, in my dues-paying opinion, and cannot bode well for the future of the union.
Comment by nametbd — December 19, 2007 @ 8:36 am
Here’s how I see this playing out:
1) Letterman and Kimmel will both go back on the air in January, interim agreement or not. Leno and Conan are returning anyway and they’re in the ratings game. None of them are going to sacrifice their multi-million dollar salaries for a strike.
2) They’ll all be denounced as scabs. They’ll shrug, point at each other and say “well, HE started it.” (Letterman also will not rail nightly against the AMPTP because he knows viewers will find it boring).
3)A few more independent companies with TV series will start seeking interim agreements, waivers (NOT contracts) to go back into production, citing concern for BTL workers, dying grandmothers, whatever. They’ll get them and their writers will throw down their picket signs and rush back to work, yelling “I’m still with you guys!!” over their shoulders.
3) The AMPTP will start negotiating with the DGA. Both parties will reach an agreement regarding New Media, which will used for re-negotiating with the WGA. DVDs will be left unchanged.
4) Half will hate their offer and demand that Verrone/Young reject it. The other half will think it’s better than nothing. It won’t matter because they’ll accept it anyway.
5) The strike will end mid to late February.
6) The Oscars will be held, including movie clips, written material, and lame “ironic” jokes about the strike. It’ll get shitty ratings because movies like “Atonement” are nominated.
Comment by tom reynolds — December 19, 2007 @ 9:25 am
The divide and conquer strategy is in full effect and a very smart move. That doesn’t mean you make a deal with every production company that wants one. You make a deal when it will have a very strong effect on the negotiations and cause other producers to also negotiate. Just because Worldwide Pants wanted a deal that doesn’t mean giving them a waiver helps the WGA side at all.
Some of our membership has the idea that some writers shouldn’t be allowed to go to work while others are still picketing. While understandable (we’re all in this together) this is a shortsighted view. If the Guild can make a deal, with let’s say NBC, and those writers go back to work and they have new episodes– this puts tremendous pressure on the other networks. And that kind of pressure will cause the entire strike to end faster and ALL writers to go back to work faster.
We are all in this together, without a doubt. But we’re in it together to get a fair deal and get back to work as fast as possible — not to stay on strike.
Comment by Verrone Supporter — December 19, 2007 @ 10:13 am
a side note–if letterman has rob burnett as his spokesperson, he’s got bigger problems than just being a scab.
Comment by merryj — December 19, 2007 @ 10:13 am
Dave was planning to go back with the other hosts, with or without his writers, but to avoid having him be called a scab Worldwide Pants tried to make a deal.
The Guild mulled it over and realized the deal does nothing to bring other networks (or even CBS) to the bargainng table and so turned it down.
Dave will go back as he was always planning to do, but can now look like a good guy for trying while his competitiors look anti-Guild and like saps.
Well played.
Comment by Jenny C — December 19, 2007 @ 10:21 am
Why are you surprised at the WGA giving Jay and Dave a pass?
They’ve given them passes for years by letting indie writers send in jokes via fax for whatever the heck they pay these days.
The guild knew it and did nothing.
Jay and Dave will now have the writers fax and email the jokes to their homes instead of the office.
Writers lose. Again.
Comment by Mad Max — December 19, 2007 @ 10:26 am
Mad Max - Letterman pays 100 bucks a line and Jay 50 bucks. But Jay’s a lot easier to sell to because he buys lots more material. And he’s gonna need even more material come Jan 2.
Conan, who everyone is villifying, does NOT buy material and relies on his staff writers.
Has anyone heard if these shows are having any luck booking guests? I heard that publicists have been contacted already to see if their clients are available in January. Let’s see which celebrities cave and which don’t and compile a list.
Comment by Aspiring — December 19, 2007 @ 11:00 am
Tom Reynolds said:
“…writers [who are granted waivers] will throw down their picket signs and rush back to work, yelling ‘I’m still with you guys!!’ over their shoulders.”
*chuckles*
That description made we wish Tom Wolfe were covering this strike. There is ego, folly and humor on all sides.
Comment by justlearning — December 19, 2007 @ 11:05 am
Everyone please read Another Thought’s post. If what s/he says is true, we are not talking about a WAIVER. We are talking about a FULL AGREEMENT, ie A CONTRACT. S/he is saying that Latterman will not be allowed on the air even if he agrees to a THREE YEAR CONTRACT THAT MEETS ALL OUR DEMANDS.
And all I can say to that is WTF? Do the WGA leaders even talk to each other? Why the hell did we publicly state we would like to cut separate deals when we won’t even make deals with companies that will give us a CONTRACT? Jesus, maybe we should go out an clarify that we were thought we were on an episode of Punk’d. And how long have we been negotiating with Letterman, anyway? Since there’s nothing he can do to make a deal with us, we probably should have told him that upfront instead of wasting his time.
“That doesn’t mean you make a deal with every production company that wants one.”
Yeah, well thank god we’ve had so many requests. We have the luxury to pick and choose. It’s good we’re busy so your spokespeople have less time to laud the virtues of teh scabs and call around to the talent to help the scabs with tough bookings.
“Some of our membership has the idea that some writers shouldn’t be allowed to go to work while others are still picketing. While understandable (we’re all in this together) this is a shortsighted view.”
It’s not a view we came up with, IT WAS PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED BY THE GUILD. Nobody would be upset if it hadn’t been. “We’ll never negotiate a separate deal, we all go back together or not at all” is a great sentiment, but kind of undercut by the fact that that’s not what we said, we said the excat opposite. Again, we ned to get on the same page and stop issuing press releases that AREN’T TRUE.
“The Guild mulled it over and realized the deal does nothing to bring other networks (or even CBS) to the bargainng table and so turned it down.”
Yeah, well thank god we never went out and asked the companies to make deals with us, then we’d look like liars, saps and worse. Since we never did that, we’re blameless, it’s all on Letterman and his evil Machivellian plan to comply with our request and give us what we asked for.
Comment by Anon — December 19, 2007 @ 11:50 am
DrunkandCrying makes a ridiculous amount of sense. So WHAT if it doesn’t work out tactically? Has anything that the WGA expected to work actually succeeded yet? Having Worldwide Pants sign with them would be the first stone to be pulled out of a massive dam of agreements with individual companies, both big and small. Don’t you think that a ton of production companies would come forward and sign their own individual agreements when they realize that they can come out of the shadow of the bigger conglomerates? There are over, what? 300+ signatories on the WGA’s list? Having the production companies begin negotiating invidually (from smaller producer-director entities up through Lionsgate, etc.) should be something the WGA is actively courting, not tossing away. If Dave Young really meant what he said the other night, he’s truly as obstinate as the AMTPM has demonized him as being.
Comment by Jack Burton — December 19, 2007 @ 12:15 pm
“The only person who is a scab is someone who performs WRITING duties for a struck company.”
Right. And is it your realistic opinion, Realist, that the scabs aren’t going to be reading anything off cue cards? Aren’t going to perform any material usually written by the writing staff? They’ll just sit there silently with dead air and do interviews without introductions (guess who writes those)? If they tell a joke outside of an interview, whoops, the jokes are usually written by the writers.
“But when Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts went on the other shows to promote their new movie, the ratings would still be strong on those shows.”
Yes, and that’s why posters have been calling on the Guild to do everything in our power to put pressure on SAG members to stay off scab shows, while the leaders have been debating appropriate “welcome back” gifts for scabs. If Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks DIDN’T go on scab shows and they only guests they’d be able to get would be Vincent Gallo and James Woods and random people off the street, what kind of ratings do you envision there?
Comment by Anon — December 19, 2007 @ 12:17 pm
The WGA should NOT sign the agreement with Letterman. Although he is for the writers, at the end of the day CBS airs the show. If his writers go back, they are suplying product for a struct company.
I have heard many a time, a Letterman writer mention Dave on the air without writers and all pissed off about it. That will be better for us than some writers getting to work when the rest of us are walking and walking and walking.
I’m sorry, but we are either all on strike or we aren’t.
Comment by Lola — December 19, 2007 @ 12:27 pm
“Letterman should not get a waiver from the WGA. Nor an Interim Agreement, nor a full agreement. And, as of today, the Guild is not going to give him any of those.”
The Guild is not going to give him any of those? We’re not going to give him a full agreement? Then–what in the world are we doing? How can we be refusing to come to terms with production companies that offer us full agreements when we’ve said we want to make separate deals? Denying a waiver is one thing, denying an Interim Agreement is one thing, but denying a full agreement?
So in other words, it is impossible for anyone other than the Big 8 to cut a deal that we can agree to, even a full agreement?
Comment by applesandoranges — December 19, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
MJL, whether they go back to work before or after Christmas Day doesn’t mean jack. The main thing is that the writers KNOW that they have paychecks coming and so don’t have to worry this Christmas about how far they have to stretch a penny.
Meanwhile, the rest of the writers thrust out of work don’t have that luxury.
And however thinks that Letterman is going to use the show as an attack on the AMPTP needs to pull their head out from their nether regions and get with reality because he’s NOT going to bite the hand that feeds him.
Do you honestly think CBS is going to allow him to trash them every night?
Of course not.
I’ll be keeping note of who appears on Letterman’s show (as well as the other scabs’ shows) and won’t be paying for their movies/shows/music ever again.
Comment by Sandy Daley — December 19, 2007 @ 1:05 pm
I have no stake either way in this strike. I’m just a TV and movie viewer, who, by the way, is enjoying all the extra time I have each night to read. Thanks WGA and AMPTP!
But anyway, here’s my question: Why do so many people on this board expect there to be dead air if the late night guys go on without writers? I can’t speak so much for Jay or Conan, because I mostly watch Dave. But Dave was a stand-up comic. Do you think he’ll have absolutely nothing to say if someone doesn’t write it for him? He couldn’t do a monologue using his own jokes? He couldn’t pick out an item for Will It Float on his own? Yes, I’m sure things would be tougher, but these guys aren’t puppets who need someone to put words in their mouths. Now whether they can fill an hour if they can’t get guests is another story, but I don’t think they’ll have nothing to say or do.
And someone also mentioned that they were going back to work because they’re, essentially, greedy millionaires. Yes, millionaires who have been paying their staffs out of their own pocket almost 7 weeks. Not a small chunk of change! I think it’s pretty petty to be calling them “greedy”.
That’s my two cents. And for what it’s worth, I’m on the writers’ side, but I’d also like to have Dave back.
Comment by Braniff77 — December 19, 2007 @ 1:26 pm
I’m grateful for Letterman’s vocal support for the WGA but good will should be set aside and whether or not to sign a contract with WWP should be solely based on whether it’s a good strategy or not for our union. I can tolerate Letterman writers working before me if this is a good bet to help acheive our collective rights. Such decisions should be made coldly. I’m not averse to CBS making money if that is money NBC is losing, forcing them, and then everyone else to reach a comprehensive deal with us. This is perhaps something that maybe the membership should vote on. If a WWP deal is coupled with picket lines to deter SAG actors and presidential candidates from guesting on NBC shows, it could be effective.
Someone on United Hollywood comments even suggested picking a random company and un-striking them only to bury every competitior who resists making a deal. This insane idea, if managed right, has potential but would probably be difficult to sell to the WGA membership.
Any separate peace strategy needs to be accompanied by a rock solid strategy to maintain discipline and our unified commitment to the WGA’s fight to a fair deal for all our members.
Comment by Anonymous — December 19, 2007 @ 2:19 pm
“Do you think he’ll have absolutely nothing to say if someone doesn’t write it for him?”
It’s not that he wouldn’t have anything to say, it’s that he’s constrained in what he’s allowed to do and say by the strike rules. None of the hosts are allowed to do any writing whatsoever. They can’t create original content. He’s not allowed to write his own monologue. He’s not allowed to use existing segments like will it float. He can’t perform any tasks at all that would normally be performed by his writers, because that constitutes struck work.
Comment by Anon — December 19, 2007 @ 7:22 pm
Jack Burton –
“If Dave Young really meant what he said the other night, he’s truly as obstinate as the AMTPM has demonized him as being.”
Remember, David Young was hired originally to be the WGAw’s Director of Organizing, because of his background in trade union organizing. He’s not a contract negotiator by experience or inclination — and his main career interest has always been in recruiting new members to the labor movement. It’s totally unsurprising that his focus has been more on reality and animation jurisdiction than on New Media, and it’s sadly also unsurprising that he has such a tin ear for how to bargain across a table (first step: induce your opponent to sit down at the table).
Comment by Stuart Creque — December 19, 2007 @ 9:22 pm
How many writers do Dave and Jay have on staff? And they still have to buy jokes from nonwriters? I’m stunned by this, really. Of course they’re going to keep doing it. If the WGA has let this go on for so long, what’s the downside? I can’t believe the guild lets this go on!
Comment by Shay — December 19, 2007 @ 11:25 pm
Mad Max and Aspiring:
So, if what you say is true, then the WGA has been sending verbal and written bouquets to a host who has been buying loads of scab material for over a decade? Where’s the outrage? Doesn’t this policy of buying material “under the table” essentially mean the shows are partially written by scabs, and those are jobs that should go to WGA people? Not to mention the benefits that aren’t paid into. When many of us are sacrificing tremendously and seeing our staffs and crews laid off over the holidays with an uncertain future this rankles me big time.
Also - did anyone catch Gavin Polone on CNBC last night? I missed it, but I’m guessing he was mildly critical of the wga.
Comment by Matthew Pen — December 20, 2007 @ 2:40 pm
>>But Dave was a stand-up comic. Do you think he’ll have absolutely nothing to say if someone doesn’t write it for him? He couldn’t do a monologue using his own jokes? He couldn’t pick out an item for Will It Float on his own?<<
David Letterman is a member of the WGA. Thus, if he did write his own material, he would be a scab and should be kicked out of the WGA as any lesser member would if they were to sell a script or write for any struck company during the strike.
Comment by Francine Fishpaw — December 20, 2007 @ 6:28 pm
>>And someone also mentioned that they were going back to work because they’re, essentially, greedy millionaires. Yes, millionaires who have been paying their staffs out of their own pocket almost 7 weeks. Not a small chunk of change!<<
I feel the urge to respond to this misinformation as well.
It IS a small chunk of change when Leno and Letterman each get (last I heard) around $60 million a year.
Comment by Francine Fishpaw — December 20, 2007 @ 6:31 pm
Last I checked, Letterman, Leno, DeGeneres, Daly, Kimmel, O’Brien, and any other talk show personalties, have the right to earn a living according to the Constitution of the US. Knock off the trash talking and posturing already. It’s quite frankly embarassing that a bunch of so-called adults have resorted to name calling and the classic “oh I’ll never watch them ever again because of this.” Try earning a living as a ditch digger. Then, maybe you would understand how us less fortunate people struggle to earn a living day in and day out. Be thankful for what you have.
Comment by US Constitution — December 27, 2007 @ 3:42 pm
Letterman has been paying his crew their entire salary since the strike started!
Comment by RrockndeeockndeeRRocknDee — December 30, 2007 @ 8:17 pm