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Late-Night Hosts at a Loss for Words

Guild rules prevent headliners from writing monologues, sketches

By Wesley Oliver,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 28, 2007 12:38 PM CST
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(Newser) – The late-night talk shows will be back next week, but they’ll be virtually unrecognizable, the Wall Street Journal reports. Broad, vague Writers Guild rules prohibit the hosts, many of whom belong to the striking union, from providing their shows with “writing services.” That means no scripted monologues, sketches, or fictional characters.

The shows, which will back the writers, will be short on scripts and Top 10 lists and heavy on extended chit-chat, YouTube clips, and musical acts. With the Screen Actors Guild's contract up in the spring, many actors have balked at crossing picket lines. "I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but we'll be able to do the shows," says the executive producer of the "Tonight Show."

The writers strike will put a particularly heavy burden on the The Daily Show and its spin-off, The Colbert Report. These shows, which return on Jan. 7, have a greater dependence on scripted material, but they're also are more focused on politics than their broadcast-network counterparts and have some prepared...
The writers strike will put a particularly heavy burden on the "The Daily Show" and its spin-off, "The Colbert Report." These shows, which return on Jan. 7, have a greater dependence on scripted material,...   (Associated Press)
Actors Sonja Sohn, left, and Jeffrey Pratt Gordon, center, from the television show The Wire talk with screenwriter Rafael Alvarez. A number of prominent actors with major movies arriving in theaters this winter have pledged their support to the writers and said they refuse to appear on the talk shows....
Actors Sonja Sohn, left, and Jeffrey Pratt Gordon, center, from the television show "The Wire" talk with screenwriter Rafael Alvarez. A number of prominent actors with major movies arriving in theaters...   (Associated Press)
Screenwriter Rafael Alvarez holds up a sign during a protest by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) in their strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)
Screenwriter Rafael Alvarez holds up a sign during a protest by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) in their strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) Thursday, Dec....   (Associated Press)
Jay Leno of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno greets supporters of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and others on the picket line. Hosts like Leno are technically forbidden from writing and performing the traditional opening monologue, plotting out sketches in advance, or creating fictional characters that would...
Jay Leno of NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" greets supporters of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and others on the picket line. Hosts like Leno are technically forbidden from writing and performing...   (Associated Press)
David Letterman, whose production company is negotiating independently with the Writers Guild of America, will host Donald Trump on his first Late Show back since the strike began. (AP Photo/CBS, Jeffrey R. Staab, File)
David Letterman, whose production company is negotiating independently with the Writers Guild of America, will host Donald Trump on his first "Late Show" back since the strike began. (AP Photo/CBS, Jeffrey...   (Associated Press)
The late-night talk show hosts are expected to return to TV with new shows next week, but writers guild rules prevent them from providing their shows with writing services. (AP Photo/NBC, Paul Drinkwater, File)
The late-night talk show hosts are expected to return to TV with new shows next week, but writers guild rules prevent them from providing their shows with "writing services." (AP Photo/NBC, Paul Drinkwater,...   (Associated Press)
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Strike tops AFI's "significance" list
Reuters

Comedy, A-listers likely to be missing when shows return
Washington Post

Strikers have Hollywood by the Globes
New York Times

 
Jimmy Kimmel • Jay Leno • late night talk show • Conan O'Brien • Jon Stewart • Stephen Colbert • David Letterman • Writers Guild of America • Hollywood writers' strike • Worldwide Pants • Screen Actors Guild

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