January 3, 2008
Late Night Returns! Golden Globes Doomed?
Last week everyone from writers on the picket line to bored couch potatoes were abuzz with news that the late night heavyweights would be returning with all new shows. Last night was the big night (Letterman, O'Brien, Kimmel, Ferguson and Leno all returned), and both Conan O'Brien and David Letterman took the stage showing solidarity with strike beards intact. Letterman threatened to shave his later on Conan's show, saying that he'd probably be helping his New York late night pal out since he's returned sans writers.
For those keeping score, the WGA has been on strike since November 5th, with late night airing reruns immediately. While Letterman was able to work out a deal with the writers independently through his WorldWide Pants Corp. (which includes Craig Ferguson), it's unsure how long the strike will last and how it will affect regular programming (the one in the 1980s lasted over 5 months). Here's the opening monologue (including a Hillary Clinton cameo) from Letterman's show last night (all videos after the jump):
Later, as Letterman held up a pair of electric underpants, the Late Show "strike captain" interrupted and addressed "the arrogant media moguls," saying: "stop spending all your money on cufflinks, cocktails and whores...and start bargaining in good faith with the writers. Maybe then America won't be denied the joy of seeing David Letterman hold up a pair of flaming underpants." Later in the night a troupe of striking writers from other shows (ranging from The Colbert Report to Law & Order) delivered the Top 10 List (pictured below is a Conan writer with #2).
Over on ABC and NBC, Kimmel, Leno and Conan were without their writing staff and delivered more off-kilter shows. In their opening monologues Leno (who broke the rules) stated that “There are more people picketing NBC than watching NBC,” whereas Conan found ways to draw attention to the lack of scribes by improvising (spinning his wedding ring on his desk for 36 seconds). They were both picketed yesterday at their respective studios (something Kimmel addressed), but The NY Times reports that "in both cases, the protesters took pains to emphasize that their quarrel was with NBC and its parent company, General Electric, and not the hosts themselves."
The Guild will also be monitoring the content on the shows who have not yet reached a deal, and are attempting to stop guests from appearing on them. Guests (WGA affiliated and otherwise) to appear last night included Robin Williams (who didn't cross because he appeared on Letterman), Bob Saget, Emeril Lagasse and Mike Huckabee (who totally doesn't understand the strike).
The future is still uncertain, but next week will bring the return of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, who have both been trying to reach an interim agreement similar to the one Letterman has. And as for those Golden Globes, they're fast approaching and currently hanging in the balance.
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By mentioning Robin Williams in the third paragraph, you are implying that he crossed a picket line, he did not. The Letterman Show reached an agreement with the WGA, Conan and Leno did not.
Chuck Norris Fact: When Chuck Norris picks a scab, he calls it Mike Huckabee!
Am I the only one who finds Robin Williams' improvisational rants tired and uninspired?
Used to be those rants were 87% funny. Now, he hits the mark only 8.7% of the time. And, man, did he miss the mark with that Brittany bit.
You get the feeling Huckabee isn't the sharpest bit in the belt?
famdoc, I totally agree. Williams is no longer funny, he's just another manic guy who acts like he's off his meds.
I know Huckabee's probably preoccupied with the Iowa caucus and is not counting on the support of organized labor under any circumstances, but the fact that neither he nor anyone(!) on his staff had a clue that he was crossing a picket line to appear on Leno is astounding. To be escorted in by skull-thumping Pinkertons would have been distasteful for a candidate. To walk in in total ignorance is alarming. This guy wants to be President?
"meds" can mean "cocaine", right?
Williams' antics are a riot and he's right on the money most of the time...
So is CONAN a scab since he's a WGA Member and he's crossed the picket line? Should the WGA call for his head?
My gosh ROFLMAO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPsDO0Qc1-M
How come you didn't mention Carson Daly? Who the heck is Ferguson?
Williams used to be funny, but now he's just annoying. I'd advise any guests booked on the same night as him on any talk show to cancel immediately. How can anyone stand his constant interruptions?
I decided to watch Letterman and Ferguson, mainly because I really didn't want to support the strike breakers - Leno, Conan, and Kimmel. It seemed like crossing the picket line to watch.
Plus, Dave proves yet again he is a class act and hopefully he'll do more top ten lists using striking writers so they can get some income.
The funny thing is that Letterman is in the situation where he was able to negotiate with the WGA as an independent production company thanks to NBC choosing Leno as Carson's successor on the Tonight Show and the whole stupid battle of what was intellectual property of NBC (that sounds like an oxymoron).
Isn't it pretty hypocritical of Letterman's writers to cut a deal? what happened to union solidarity? What would stop every other show from cutting a deal with it's individual producer i.e. no more "union"? There are plenty of writers in LA that don't give a crap about reality show writers and want the union leadership to drop this demand. What would stop network show writers from cutting a deal for reduced internet royalties simply to get back to work?
And the idea that by watching Leno you are supporting strike breakers is a joke Toby. How long do the cameramen, lighting, makeup etc. have to suffer? Instead of praising Letterman you should stop and think about how he takes home the lion's share of the profits from the show. That's why there is less for everyone else. I bet Carson didn't take home 100 times the pay of his staff. If you are truly pro-labor I would think you would like to go back to a time when there wasn't such a gap between top and bottom.
EastRiver: Not necessarily so...
With the alliance of producers having walked away from the table and still refusing to negotiate, the WGA has petitioned to be able to cut deals with individual producers and networks. Letterman wanted his company, WorldWide Pants, to work a deal so his writers could come back and the rest of the staff wouldn't get laid off. Since this also fit the WGA's agenda, as described, they got together. The WGA said that the deal with WorldWide Pants wasn't just an interim deal, it was a fair, comprehensive contract. The hope is that it will be a model for other producers to follow, should they choose to.
I could be wrong, but I read your post as implying that the Letterman writers went rogue. That's not the case.
Your point about the gap between the top and the bottom is well taken, but bear in mind Letterman (like many of the other hosts, to be fair) used that pot of cash to make sure the non-writing staff and techs of his shows stayed on salary during the strike.
My old man and my grandfather were union guys, and they would be the first to say that no one wins a strike. They present unforseen and gut-wrenching decisions at every turn. Personally, I think Letterman did the right thing here, and while it's easy to see Leno and Conan were in a spot, it's still dissapointing - to me, anyway - that they went the route they did, as it was when Carson did it in the 80's.
Andy Dick as both a WGA and (I'm pretty sure) a SAG member, crossed for Jimmy Kimmel. Oh and yes, that D-list hack was not even entertaining.
Shame on Dick for crossing, shame on Kimmel for speaking against the writers.
Tim. N,
I'm not suggesting "they went rogue" if the WGA signed off on it but it pretty much is 180 degrees opposite of the idea of a union. Dave is in a unique position in that he owns the show and presumably will simply demand more money from CBS when his contract expires - assuming he doesn't retire. He can make this kind of deal in part because he show isn't syndicated and doesn't have much of a web presence anyway - the sort of things the WGA wants in a deal. I assume that NBC is not free to make the same deal because they have other shows to consider with many more writers i.e. they can't cut deals one show at a time.
Anyway, I'm torn on this because in the end the top actors, directors, and producers are the ones making all of the money. The studios don't make much as a return on investment. If running a studio was as lucrative as the WGA suggests then everyone would be doing it. As for Letterman paying his staff during the strike I think I am going to hold off on the humanitarian award for now. It wouldn't have been possible if the elite in the entertainment world weren't modern day robber barons.
EastRiver,
Not to mention that Dave paid not only HIS entire staff, for the duration of the work stoppage, but he ALSO did so for the entire staff of Craig Ferguson's show AS WELL AS that of ALL the employees of the Ed Sullivan Theater (the building), including its operating expenses (rent, electric, etc.). He may make boatloads of money but he totally takes care of the people who put him (and keep him) in the top earner's spot. So, yeah, it really WAS rather humanitarian-like for him to dig into his own pockets to do so (to the tune of around $250,000 per week in combined below-the-line salaries alone!!). Failing that (humanitarian) category of awards, at least he certainly was the menschiest of the lot, for the grace of his efforts.
Yup, Letterman cares about the people around him. Not like the stinking union that not only says they won't work, but they won't let anyone else work, either. Not the non-writing personnel, not the guests, not the people who want to put on the Golden Globes. It's all about them.