By now, you've surely heard about the writers' strike currently in full swing across the television and film industry in New York City and Los Angeles. And apparently, the writers are not the only ones getting in on the act. The Huffington Post is reporting that Jon Stewart of The Daily Show has committed to pay the salaries of his own writers and those of The Colbert Report for the next two weeks, so his writers won't be harmed financially by the strike during that period.
Futhermore, The New York Times reports that Stewart and Colbert are planning shows that are heavy on interviews, that won't rely on writers. I think it's a grand gesture on Stewart's part to support his writers financially during this strike, and I also understand the need to keep these two shows going in some fashion, considering the current political climate (presidential elections a mere year away) that dictates most of their content. Stewart also encouraged viewers to check out content on The Daily Show's website.
Stewart told Maureen Dowd in the most current issue of Rolling Stone that he has admired socialist leaders since childhood, so his support of the strike is according to The Huffington Post "Mixed Media" writer Jeff Bercovici, unsurprising. I think what surprises me is that, as a writer himself, I haven't yet seen any pictures of Stewart walking the picket line.
Thank you to commenter Shayera for this tip.
Author note: We now have new information, saying that Stewart's rep has stated that the writers (and crews) of the shows will not be paid by Stewart, or his production company Busboy. Jeff Bercovici at The Huffington Post thinks there might be some other angle to the story, but at this time, we have a denial. Too damn bad!
Seven greatest hand cannons in TV history
TV Squad previews NBC's new shows (part 1)
TV 101: How ESPN controls the world and what the other networks can learn from it
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-05-2007 @ 2:50PM
No1Dad said...
"Stewart told Maureen Dowd in the most current issue of Rolling Stone that he has admired socialist leaders since childhood"
Shocker!
Reply
11-05-2007 @ 3:01PM
Marty said...
He's wise to do so. Without his writers he's just another dud on TV. Oh, that's right, he's already a dud on TV. Much admired with other's at his low IQ level.
Reply
11-05-2007 @ 3:10PM
LRS62 said...
I see Bill O'Reilly is posting under an alias again.
Reply
11-05-2007 @ 3:33PM
curtis macdonald said...
WGA DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION SOLUTION
Every digital file has a “Meta File” embedded into the file. (Digital Fingerprint)
In this “Meta File” you would have your name associated with an ID number.
Your ID number would be recorded each time the file or “Program” is Streamed, Downloaded, or an “Impression” is placed allowing a database to accurately count the number of hits and tabulating your total.
Every WGA, DGA, SAG, AFTRA, BMI, ASCAP member would have an ID associated to a program and would get paid for each hit. (Imagine when all union and associations including craft services will want an ID in the Meta File to get performance residuals. Lowered up front costs and a gamble on the back-end)
You would get paid in “Micro-Cents”, 5 hits = 1 cent, or 20 hits = 1 cent.
Establish this as the standardized digital embedded working model and you can negotiate a larger sum as time goes on. (Or make an impact and ask for $1.00 a hit!) © 2007 myspace.com/curtismacdonald
Reply
11-05-2007 @ 3:33PM
Hollywood Ron said...
I've always maintained the Daily Show was at its peak under Kilby. While it's nice for Jon Stewart to pay his writers for a couple of weeks, if he really wanted to do something he'd go on strike too. He'd have to be in the WGA.
Reply
11-05-2007 @ 3:43PM
rick cokely said...
Shouldn't Bill O's alias be "Falafel"?
Reply
11-05-2007 @ 3:51PM
Rick B said...
yeah, he is paying their salaries but not expecting them to work...thats the impression i got
if he has them doing work for him, this would contradict his socalistic utopia
Reply
11-05-2007 @ 4:46PM
Karen said...
Wow, who are all these Jon Stewart haters? He does something wonderful and generous and you pour bile on him? When was the last time YOU paid money out of your own pocket to support people who were out on strike?
I don't see how he can do any interview-heavy shows, though. He's listed as a writer on the show--he needs to be out on strike, despite being producer and talent as well, just as Greg Daniels is (according to the post on the The Office).
Reply
11-05-2007 @ 5:00PM
Joey Geraci said...
Jon's people appear to have denied the story. Too bad, as it would have been a nice gesture.
The Daily Show was the best under Kilborn, gave me the best laugh all month! Thanks, I needed that!
Reply
11-05-2007 @ 5:20PM
Jimmy said...
This is certainly an nice idea, but what about the rest of the crew who would be out of work if the show is shut down? Based on what I've read, regardless of the affect on some of my favorite shows, I'm coming down on the side of writers in this one; however, there are a larger group of people affected by this strike. It takes a heckuva a lot more than actors, writers, and directors to make a film or series. It would not seem honorable to me if Stewart paid only the striking writers while others were left out of work and pay.
Reply
11-05-2007 @ 8:17PM
Justin said...
You can't compare the Daily Show under Kilborn to the show under Stewart. Kilborn's version was pop culture perversion at its finest while Stewart and co. have transformed it into a political, though equally funny, beast.
I love people claiming Stewart is dumb and that being a socialist is bad. The US would be better off with many more socialists in power--no one argued the incompetency of Teddy Roosevelt, George Washington, or Thomas Jefferson. Oh no, 3 known socialists grace Mount Rushmore! The United States of Greed is DOOMED!
Reply
11-05-2007 @ 8:40PM
Mandy said...
"This is certainly an nice idea, but what about the rest of the crew who would be out of work if the show is shut down?"
They are not on strike and can show up to their jobs. If the show shuts down, they should qualify for unemployement like any other person who gets laid off. Still, that can be a difficult process and I imagine many will lose money. It would be nice if someone would help them out, especially if they end up out of work for refusing the cross the picket line (which would make them ineligible for unemployment).
Reply