Writers’ Strikes Hits Talk Shows … Hard

When the writers’ strike first hit last month, we knew it was rumored to be a big one, and that it could seriously affect our television viewing habits, but we were looking more at our comedies, dramas, etc. We weren’t even thinking about the writing process in the talk show circuit, but it seems that’s where it’s hitting the worst. Or maybe not the worst, but the most noticeably.

The other shows are all on hiatus, and nothing much is being said about it, but there’s much talk about these talk shows. Ellen DeGeneres was the first to hit the news, as she danced across the picket line to continue her show. Many people had many things to say about it, and this was coming just after she was already being attacked for breaking down on the air over the puppy being taken away from her hairdresser. Now she was crossing a picket line, a person who is a talented writer in her own right.

Ellen explained it away as this. She gives full support to her writers and believes fully in what they’re fighting for; however, she has many other people on her staff other than writers. If she were to suspend production of her show, the other staffers and their families would be hit hard without a paycheck, and right around the holidays. She didn’t feel that would be fair to them, so while she continues to support her writers, her show continues on in fairness to the others.

The other talk show hosts felt differently. Jay Leno, David Letterman, and Conan O’Brien, also talented writers of their own merit as well, all suspended production of their shows. Someone from Leno’s show contacted the staffers last Friday and told them all they were being laid off because of the strike, and they may or may not be rehired after the strike. Many of them cried foul, and within a few days, it was announced that Jay himself would paying them out of his own pocket for at least one week. Letterman’s company produces both his show as well as The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, and he has agreed to pay the staff at both shows until the end of the year. O’Brien is paying his staff on a week to week basis out of his own pocket.

It seems like it might stand to get a little ugly here. Regardless, while DeGeneres was slammed by many for her choice to cross the picket line, suddenly her choice doesn’t seem so bad, as her employees aren’t disgruntled in the least and haven’t missed any pay whatsoever, not to mention keeping their job security.

Comments about the writers’ strike? Contact me at LauraBelle@sofachip.com