Leno on Kimmel, Kimmel on Leno

Ingenious move or simple desperation? I’m thinking it was a bit of both that encouraged producers at Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk shows to have each comedian appear on the other’s show this week. It’s a one night swap that will make history and at the very least solve the problem of filling time on shows that have been hit hard by the ongoing Hollywood writers strike. Set your TiVos for Thursday night, that’s when the madness is scheduled to occur. According to show producers, Kimmel will travel to Leno’s studio in Burbank, California, and Leno will return … Continue reading

Can the Show Really Go On?

In a previous blog I noted that despite the ongoing Hollywood writers strike the Hollywood Foreign Press Association along with NBC vowed to move forward with the Golden Globe Awards presentations, which is scheduled to air January 13th. However, less than 24 hours ago, the Screen Actors Guild threw a major wrench in the broadcast’s plans and you now have to wonder how the show could possibly go on. SAG officials announced yesterday that Golden Globe-nominated actors and presenters won’t attend the televised award because doing so would mean they would have to cross Writers Guild of America picket lines. … Continue reading

The Show Will Go On

In a previous blog I reported that David Letterman plans to return to the airwaves with new shows beginning Wednesday night. However, when the announcement was made that Letterman’s production company had reached an agreement with striking writers no one knew for sure if celebrities who supported the work stoppage would appear as guests on the late-night talk show. Well, it appears Dave won’t have to chat with himself come Wednesday. According to show producers, Robin Williams has agreed to be Letterman’s first guest when the show returns in two days. Some TV critics are speculating that the appearance of … Continue reading

David Letterman Strikes Deal with Writers

Unlike his late-night rivals, when David Letterman returns to the airwaves on Wednesday night he’ll do so with a band of writers backing him up. So does this mean the joke is on Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, and Jimmy Kimmel? You’ll have to tune in to see, but as it stands now Letterman is the only late-night host who has finagled a way to get striking Writers Guild of America members back to their desks to crank out fresh material for his show. According to executives at Letterman-owned Worldwide Pants, an interim agreement with the Writers Guild of America will … Continue reading

Major Changes in Store for This Year’s People’s Choice Awards

If you haven’t noticed how the ongoing Hollywood writers strike has affected various TV shows then you will definitely be in for a shock when you tune into this year’s People’s Choice Awards. The ceremony, which typically airs live, will be far from it during the January 8th telecast. According to show producers, the only thing that hasn’t changed to accommodate the work stoppage is that Queen Latifah, who previously was announced as host, will still be part of the new format. The show will go on, but not in a way that any of us has ever seen before. … Continue reading

Kimmel, Stewart and Colbert Returning with New Shows

Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert will join NBC’s late-night hosts in returning with new shows next month. ABC made the announcement regarding Kimmel’s show, which was later followed by a statement from the comedian who added that it was a difficult decision to resume work without writers, but he planned to do so to save the jobs of other staffers on the show. “Though it makes me sick to do so without my writers, there are more than a hundred people whose financial well-being depends on our show. It is time to go back to work,” Kimmel said … Continue reading

Save Your Jokes Late-Night TV Hosts Can’t Take Them

Word sure spreads fast… Shortly after the announcement came that late-night TV hosts Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien plan to cross picket lines and get back to work by January 2nd amateur comedians got busy. According to NBC executives, both the network’s website and switchboard were inundated yesterday with material from jokesters around the country trying to peddle their laughs. Well, as of this morning, the peacock network has this to say to anyone who wants a new job as a late-night TV writer: Keep your jokes to yourself. Actually, the notice posted on NBC’s website reads as follows: “NBC … Continue reading

Leno and O’Brien Returning to Late-Night TV

Fans of Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien will get to start 2008 with fresh laughs from their favorite late-night comedians after all. Executives at NBC just announced that both the “Tonight” show and “Late Night” will return to TV with new episodes beginning January 2nd, almost exactly two months to the day after the Hollywood writers strike sent them into repeats. According to NBC bigwigs, both late-night talk shows will not include jokes supplied by writers. They didn’t elaborate on who will be writing material, but you’d think that the life-long comedian/hosts could help come up with a few minutes … Continue reading

Ray of Hope Emerges for Striking Hollywood Writers

For the past six weeks members of the Writers Guild of America have been out of work and slowly running out of patience with the negotiation process. Two days ago the situation look even grimmer when the announcement came that talks had been indefinitely suspended. Then, just last night, a ray of hope emerged when the union representing the picketing writers said it would try to deal directly with Hollywood studios and production companies, bypassing the umbrella organization that has been representing them. That’s welcome news for companies like the one that produces David Letterman’s “Late Show.” Letterman’s Worldwide Pants … Continue reading

The Continuing Writers Strike—What’s Happening with Your Favorite Shows?

It doesn’t look like striking Writers Guild of America members will be having a very merry Christmas this year. Prospects for a compromise came to an abrupt halt when talks collapsed last week. What’s more, no new negotiations are scheduled. So, now that we know that it is very, very unlikely that a new deal will be reached by the end of the year what does this all mean for your winter TV viewing? Most of the major networks are keeping tight-lipped about their plans for the first few months of 2008, except for ABC. Big wigs at the Disney … Continue reading