Back after a nine-week hiatus because of the writers’ strike, Jay Leno didn’t waste any time during his Tonight Show monologue Wednesday before making a joke about the ongoing labor dispute and the lack of writers helping him out with the show. "Folks, let’s get right to it. A Jew, a Christian, and a muslim walk into a bar. The Jew says to the Muslim…see I have no idea what they say because there’s a writer’s strike. We don’t know what they say.
"As you know, we are in the middle of this writers’ strike here in Hollywood. It’s already cost the town over a half billion dollars. Five hundred million dollars! Or as Paul McCartney calls that, `a divorce.’"
Leno’s monologue, which he admitted to writing himself with a little help from his wife, included various explanations for why he resumed production today. "We had to come back because we have essentially 19 [writers] putting 160 [crew] people out of work." He also said the public relies on his show for information they may not normally glean from the mainstream media. "For example, did you know that just three weeks ago, Idaho Senator Larry Craig married Britney Spears? Did you know that?’" he joked. "See, no one knew! This is the only place you will find that out."
Over at Late Night, Conan O’Brien joked about how the ongoing strike has forced Americans to "read books and occasionally even speak to one another" while leaving his show in the lurch when it comes to his more popular features. "My biggest wish is that they get a great deal very quickly and get back here because we desperately need them on the show. Think about it: Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, The Masturbating Bear, The Walker Texas Ranger Lever – it’s all writing. Well, not the Masturbating Bear. That’s just instinct. "
I love Conan. Did Leno have a beard, too? I missed him.
No, Leno didn’t have a beard, though that would have been cool to see
These guys are comics who have been writing their own jokes for years! Big freaking deal that they have no writers. I dont know why they didnt just write their own jokes to begin with.
They’re not allowed to write their own jokes. They’re all members of the Writers Guild, too, so they can’t write until the strike is settled, either.
patty is totally wrong. if the writer himself is performing his own jokes outside primetime, which is wut leno and conan are doing (latenight), everything is fair game
I’m surprised that these late night hosts aren’t more supportive of those who work so hard to make them look good. I’m glad to see that the Screen Actors’ Guild is more appreciative of their efforts.
that’s crazy. conan started out as a writer, and he totally supports his writers, as do the other late-night hosts. but he also support the previously mentioned 160 people on the crew of a show like his. without the show, they aren’t getting a paycheck. so they go on the air and do it. i can get behind that 100%.
Exactly. They were told to come back or everyone was fired. The deal the writers want would increase theri AVERAGE working salary to approx. 230,000 a year! I support union strikes that are fighting for a living wage. I support union strikes that are fighting for health care. I support union strikes that fight for safe working conditions. I don’t support people who go on strike so they can upgrade their mercedes. I do understand that studios make 100′s of millions, but it is hard to support people who make what would take me 5 years to make – and I consider my self lucky to have a good job….there are a lot worse off than me! Fighting for survival I can understand. Fighting for gold and diamonds….well if you are going to do go ahead, but don’t expect me to support it.
Before getting on these Late Night Hosts cases for going back to work, think of those stuck in the middle without a paycheck. Oh yeah, the writers and actors seem to care less about them.
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I hope Leno stays..
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