So it seems that Conan O'Brien and Letterman are going to be returning sans writers at the beginning of January. While I hope this has the effect of demonstrating the extreme importance of writers to shows that seem less scripted, than, say, Weeds or 30 Rock (side note: Can we put Mary Louise Parker and Tina Fey in a room together with the instructions 'be awesome' and see what happens? I think we should do that), the effect of giving a loud voice to people who clearly support the WGA's strike, and the benefit of getting a lot of staff members paid as soon as possible, it doesn't seem like a good idea.
Okay, maybe putting on ONE episode of these shows might be entertaining from the 'train wreck' perspective, but other than that? It's gonna be embarrassing and while it's not exactly scabbing (since they'd have WGA permission), any perceived breaking of ranks is not going to be a good thing.
Now I'm hearing rumours that my boyz Jon and Stephen (shut up, let me live in my delusions) might in for the same treatment a few days later.
The Daily Show and, to a greater extent, The Colbert Report are highly scripted shows. I really can't imagine an non-written episode being anything more than a two minute interview with, say, Will Smith (who is in I Am Legend and also recently said he'd like to run for President someday! IMAGINE THAT INTERVIEW, people!), and twenty minutes of Jon Stewart standing there going, 'Wait, really? For real?' or maybe just reading the New York Times to us all. I'm not saying I wouldn't watch it or the Report (which I envision as 22 minutes of Stephen Colbert running back and forth, high-fiving the audience) but, really, AMPTP, do you actually want to give a mouthpiece to a man who tore George Bush a new one to his face while he's mad at you?
No, I thought not. Now pay up...Fine, be that way.
Another side note: Someone needs to poll a bunch of young people about the news over the past month and see if they know what's going on (they do). Maybe people would finally stop trying to claim that all young people only get their news from the Daily Show.
Anyhow, if we're gonna go with unscripted television, let's really go with it! I'm not talking reality tv (that's just written by non-union writers!), I'm suggesting unscripted episodes of everything from Heroes (and by 'Heroes' I mean, 'wet mostly-naked Sylar') to House (and by 'House' I mean 'Hugh Laurie being British'), to Law and Order (and by 'Law and Order' I mean 'Jessie L. Martin reading a Crim. Pro. textbook to me') to How I Met Your Mother (and by 'How I Met Your Mother' I mean 'NPH and Jason Segel singing songs at me'). None of these people have to recite any scripts, just hang out and do whatever else it is they do best, much like the Late Night TV hosts will be forced to do. Of course those writers will still be out of work. But at least they'd be entertained?
Okay, maybe putting on ONE episode of these shows might be entertaining from the 'train wreck' perspective, but other than that? It's gonna be embarrassing and while it's not exactly scabbing (since they'd have WGA permission), any perceived breaking of ranks is not going to be a good thing.
Now I'm hearing rumours that my boyz Jon and Stephen (shut up, let me live in my delusions) might in for the same treatment a few days later.
Comedy Central says no decision has been made on whether Stewart and Stephen Colbert will return, and a writer on one of the shows told us they are unaware of any plans. But we hear that all "Daily Show" and "Colbert Report" employees -- except for writers -- been told to show up for work Jan. 7, whether a strike is resolved or not, and we find this plausible.
The Daily Show and, to a greater extent, The Colbert Report are highly scripted shows. I really can't imagine an non-written episode being anything more than a two minute interview with, say, Will Smith (who is in I Am Legend and also recently said he'd like to run for President someday! IMAGINE THAT INTERVIEW, people!), and twenty minutes of Jon Stewart standing there going, 'Wait, really? For real?' or maybe just reading the New York Times to us all. I'm not saying I wouldn't watch it or the Report (which I envision as 22 minutes of Stephen Colbert running back and forth, high-fiving the audience) but, really, AMPTP, do you actually want to give a mouthpiece to a man who tore George Bush a new one to his face while he's mad at you?
No, I thought not. Now pay up...Fine, be that way.
Another side note: Someone needs to poll a bunch of young people about the news over the past month and see if they know what's going on (they do). Maybe people would finally stop trying to claim that all young people only get their news from the Daily Show.
Anyhow, if we're gonna go with unscripted television, let's really go with it! I'm not talking reality tv (that's just written by non-union writers!), I'm suggesting unscripted episodes of everything from Heroes (and by 'Heroes' I mean, 'wet mostly-naked Sylar') to House (and by 'House' I mean 'Hugh Laurie being British'), to Law and Order (and by 'Law and Order' I mean 'Jessie L. Martin reading a Crim. Pro. textbook to me') to How I Met Your Mother (and by 'How I Met Your Mother' I mean 'NPH and Jason Segel singing songs at me'). None of these people have to recite any scripts, just hang out and do whatever else it is they do best, much like the Late Night TV hosts will be forced to do. Of course those writers will still be out of work. But at least they'd be entertained?
http://xkcd.com/270/