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mark

11/09/07 04:46PM

Filed to: Defamer

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The nonwriting staff of The Tonight Show has been told that they will be laid off at the end of next week, an announcement sure to send host Jay Leno's compassionate Krispy Kreme expenditures soaring. But hope remains that they could be back on the job shortly: If they can find guests hosts (Andy Dick? NBCU boss Jeff Zucker? The ghost of Jack Paar?) willing to cross the picket line—Leno has so far refused to do so, having previously acknowledged he'd be like a crippled, unfunny lamb led to the talk-show slaughter without his writers—people could be back on the job November 19th. [B&C/Photo:Franklin Ave]

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Magister mark 11/09/07 06:37PM

I remember '88 and as a viewer, I'd have to say that the return of Dave and Johnny sort of gave us permission to watch the show. If nothing else, they kept the strike on the front burner by talking about it in their act and they had valid reasons to want a settlement.

Scab hosts wouldn't have that same motivation because once the stars return, they'll be out of a job. And, though I sort of fish around for the proper etiquette in comments to a previous post, I have to say without reservation that I wouldn't be able to justify watching a scab. The non-writing staff would get paid whether I watch the guest hosts or not, so I wouldn't want to do anything that might prolong the situation.

jasonelias mark 11/09/07 05:38PM

@nojo: What a great idea

Her Royal Empress Dr. Bufflekins III, Esq. mark 11/09/07 08:07PM

@Mr-Busy: But by writing, he would become a scab. That's the point of a work stoppage—stopping work. People getting laid off as a matter of course of business (there being none) drives the point home that many, many people benefit from the services that writers provide.

Will someone correct me if I'm wrong? There are so many ISSUES

Mr-Busy mark 11/09/07 06:51PM

This guy worked as a stand-up comic for years before getting his big break... and now he can't write and deliver 10 minutes worth of material? So now his whole staff has to be unemployed? Me guesses that his writing staff disliked him before the strike and this won't inspire the love.

Say what you want, but Ellen DeGeneres seems pretty Generous after Leno... at least her people have a job - for a while...