One of the best parts of David Letterman's first night back on CBS after the strike-induced hiatus was the Top Ten list read by actual writers from other TV shows currently on strike. I thought this was a cool, classy move, made even cooler by getting writers from other late night shows, including The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. But they originally had writers from another late night show.
Slate reports that the show originally wanted writers from Saturday Night Live to appear on the show, but the appearance was squashed by NBC head Jeff Zucker. Sources say that he didn't want the writers to go on Letterman's show when they could have gone on Jay Leno's show (which is on NBC). Of course, NBC denies that Zucker was involved, though what's interesting is that the NBC spokesman doesn't deny that the writers were pressured not to do it, they're just saying that Zucker himself didn't do it. His name was just used to put a little more pressure on the writers.
Late Night with Conan O'Brien writer Chris Albers still did Letterman anyway.
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-23-2008 @ 6:59PM
Coonass said...
Why should any of the broadcast networks spend money on plotting? The trousered apes who fill out Nielsen surveys apparently prefer "reality-based" shows (like a show called "Survivor" in which the first guy to wash out is the ex-Green Beret - if there were an Honesty in Television Act, that show would be renamed "Office Politics") and guys in elastic trunks grabbing each other in the wrestling ring. I just don't see it.
Eventually public tastes will change and the sat network which goes back to scripted shows for at least some of its content will clean up. Then over-reaction will set in and Jeff Probst will retire to his well-deserved ignominy.
Reply
1-10-2008 @ 3:53PM
Jeff N. said...
The Studios, Networks and such, really really want to break the writers union in the worse way. Even if they lose Billions of dollars doing so. Seems crazy and egotistical in my opinion!
Reply
1-10-2008 @ 4:03PM
James said...
It is crazy, but it's also an investment on the part of the AMPTP. If they can stop them now, they'll never have to worry again about those uppity writers wanting to, I dunno, actually get paid for their labor. They'll be able to turn them into the mindless slaves that they think their viewers are. It's shrewd business, but then again, so was the Death Star...
1-10-2008 @ 4:00PM
Karen said...
Well...walking off the job kinda puts everyone in a "face off" type positon. The only choice is to break the other guy and it is all about who flinches first.
The writers are going to lose this one.
Reply
1-10-2008 @ 4:05PM
James said...
Or, and this is a radical suggestion, both sides could sit down, negotiate in good faith and come to a mutually beneficial agreement that will serve the common cause of profit for all. It is a modest proposal, but I think it's about time for it, don't you?
1-10-2008 @ 4:11PM
Jeff N. said...
I think the ulitmate losers will be the audiences for Movies and TV. Cause you'd have to be crazy to start a career as a writer for TV and the movies. If your employers are going to treat you this badly why would you encourage anyone to join this profession. Scripted shows will be less common and crapola reality shows will replace them. But then studios and Networks haven't ever really given a damn about their audiences so why should that change. Meanwile everyone involved is losing Millions.
And no one is talking. It has to hurt Southern Cailfornia's economy quite a bit too.
1-10-2008 @ 4:12PM
kevjohn said...
I'm inclined to agree with Karen. The Networks can air reruns, sports, and "reality" shows til the cows come home. Production studios will probably lose money more rapidly with nothing to produce.
This is turning into a discussion better suited for the business blogs than the entertainment ones. How long will it be before we learn exactly how much money the various parties are losing from this strike?
1-10-2008 @ 4:37PM
Jeff N. said...
James that actually makes sense. But then doing things that makes sense in Hollywood is contradictory. Yes, a compromise is the best solution. But I think Hollywood egos are involved thus each side wants to break the other.
Reply
1-10-2008 @ 4:22PM
Karen said...
I agree that a compromise is the best solution, but once they walk off the job, it puts the studios in a position where they have to "break them."
To me it is like dealing with terrorists...you can't ever give in to their demands or they will just continue to make demands. If walking off the job works, then they may be inclined to walk off the job agan. I am NOT calling the writers terrorist, but the same principle applies. I have referred to the writers as holding their employers hostage, and that is really how I look at it. So, I would never give in to hostage takers. Even if there are great costs now, I believe it prevents further problems down the road.
Again...will someone explain to me why writers must be unionized? Why can't they negotiate their pay individually instead of through a union? If writers can negotiate with individual production companies, why not do that ALL the time?
1-11-2008 @ 9:40AM
tcc3 said...
Karen
Just what were they supposed to do? Their current contract expired. Are they supposed to work contract-less and trust they'll get their fair share? Are they just supposed to keep working and say "pretty please?"
You blame them for the strike: what was the other option?
1-10-2008 @ 4:37PM
Jeff N. said...
Karen from what I have read I don't think the Studios and Networks and producers offered the WGA much to even compromise with. Neither side trusts the other.
The terrorist comment was a bit over the top for me.
Reply
1-10-2008 @ 4:37PM
Jeff N. said...
Kevjohn, I am sure you are right, that most likely the Producers, Studios, & Networks will win by breaking the WGA. My point is at what price? Billions of dollars, declining audiences and demoralized writers. They can scream we win we win, ...but what did they really win??
Reply
1-10-2008 @ 5:54PM
Ronda said...
My experience with unions has never been good. They operate under the guise of looking out for the people but most of the time it is the people that lose or what they actually get could have been negotiated without belonging to a union.
The studios, producers, and networks will survive the strike but some of the writers and all of the "little" people that work in the industry may not survive. What they stand to lose is their entire lives and everything that they have worked for.
The fact that neither side will get together and talk this through is shameful and selfish, but in today's world, not a surprise.
Reply
1-10-2008 @ 6:49PM
Jeff N. said...
Both sides should come up with a compromise. They should be talking. No matter who really thinks they won,.. neither side will really win.
1-10-2008 @ 7:43PM
Oreo said...
The new thing will be that scripted TV shows will slowly die off and will be reborn on the internet.
Reply
1-23-2008 @ 8:06PM
vfrickey said...
The Internet doesn't have the bandwidth to carry large-format TV; not yet, anyway. (Satellite barely manages as it is. You can watch the resolution suffer - images break down into a blocky mess when there are extreme color changes such as flashes on the TV image, or on rainy or snowy days).
But satellite and cable TV will be where quality TV comes back. It's already begun in with channels like IFC, which show really great independent films you'd never see on network TV such as The Final Cut and Primer.
1-10-2008 @ 7:45PM
loomisigloomis said...
why must writers be unionized? It kinda speaks for itself, don't it?
Reply
1-10-2008 @ 8:24PM
C C said...
It's believed that the WGA didn't give wavers to Leno or the Golden Globes because they are specifically targeting Jeff Zucker. Zucker is one of the big bad dogs of the AMPTP, and has a lot more sway than the other tv network heads. Zucker also may be biggest joke in tv as well:he has a horrible development track record, but he manages to survive by blaming other executives for his failings. The tv world despises him. Last year he got Kevin Reilly (possibly the most innovative and progressive programmer in tv; he greenlighted 30 Rock and Friday Night Lights) dismissed from NBC in order to save his own skin after a poor ratings year.
Reply
1-11-2008 @ 10:51AM
it-s said...
I have an idea. Why don't we use our clout as viewers to protest the strike. Pick a night, I think a Thursday night would send the strongest message, to all turn off our TVs. If enough people do it, and it registers in the overnights that there was a significant drop in the number of viewers, maybe the powers that be will realize that the longer the strike lasts, the more viewers will find alternate means of entertaining themselves.
Reply