Though his Tonight Show monologue was irreverent, topical, and clearly strong enough to help him win the night in viewers (7.19 million versus The Late Show With David Letterman‘s 5.5 million), Jay Leno‘s jokes on his first show back didn’t sit too well with the Writers Guild of America. Today, the union issued a statement saying that it talked with Leno to “clarify that writing for The Tonight Show constitutes a violation of the Guild’s strike rules.”
Leno, who is a member of the WGA, admitted on camera last night that he wrote his own jokes. (Sample: He compared the amount of money lost in the writers strike to what Paul McCartney could lose in a divorce. He also quipped about how the public relies on him to get the latest news about Britney Spears.) What’s more, it was clear during the telecast that Leno was reading from cue cards. The WGA has instituted a “pencils down means pencils down” policy for all of its members during the strike, now in its third month.
NBC issued its own statement disagreeing with the WGA’s assessment of Leno’s performance last night. “The WGA agreement permits Jay Leno to write his own monologue for The Tonight Show. The WGA is not permitted to implement rules that conflict with the terms of the collective bargaining agreement between the studio and the WGA.”
Leno was one of the first celebrities to show solidarity for the strike that began Nov. 5 by joining the writers on the picket line. He said in his monologue last night that he needed to go back on the air “because we have essentially 19 [writers] putting 160 [crew] people out of work.”
Leno is a scab.
The writers are a bunch of babies. Jay wrote his monologue WITHOUT them and it was funny as hell. Scab or not, that proves how irrelevant a lot of these “talented” writers are.
Leno was the best I have seen in years; forget the writers and return to what these guys do best; standup. Striking doesn’t help anyone, find another way; perhaps real communication?
There are 160 people who are relieved that is the case.
I think if the WGA keeps up this dictatorial treatment of the people who publicly support their cause they’re going to lose a lot of support from the general public who is already tiring of this strike. I completely support the strike but let’s face it: admonishing Jay for his 5-minute monologue when you have 99% of the entertainment industry at a standstill is just ridiculous. Their utter refusal to even consider granting a reprieve to the HFPA for the Golden Globes (an organization that hands out awards to writers/artists) even when they’re basically begging on their hands and knees is a little like cancelling the party someone has thrown in your honor because you don’t like the way it was planned. I also don’t like the way they release decrees scolding guild members like children. I understand that strikes aren’t meant to be tactful and diplomatic, but the WGA seems to be lashing out at the wrong people to compensate for the silent treatment they’re getting from the AMPTP.
These writers need to shut up and get back to work, or find a new job. The rest of the world actually works for a livin’, and I ain’t maaking no half-million a year to sit on my butt and write, like they do! Get a real job, you jerks, and stop pampering yourselves with that crap that you write, anyway.
The issue is complicated, and in this case I think the WGA is overreacting. It seems that they’re taking a hard line that is inconsistent with the WGA agreement, if NBC’s statement is reliable. I support the writers in their strike, but they need to realize that their fight isn’t with Jay Leno, who supports them, and focus their energy where it matters.
I feel really sorry for all of the no talent hacks who are currently on strike, particularly if they feel threatened by the likes of Jay Leno.
It’d be interesting for someone to report on how the nation’s libraries are faring in light of this strike.
But let us all rejoice for Jay’s brave move to relieve the 160 losers who work on his idiotic show. Given they’re all most likely related in some fashion to someone else in Hollywood, I kinda doubt they were feeling much pain.
At any rate, back to my Television Watcher Strike, which I’ve kept up for many, many years.
It’s too bad the system can’t just rip itself apart – and Americans could get back to celebrating local artists in their own communities, rather than continuing to settle for the fascist, national entertainment industry.
Come on now – if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck even smells like a duck – its a FRICKIN’ DUCK!
Jay Leno is a SCAB!
After he admitted he wrote his own monologue after being warned weeks ago that no monologue would be allowed for talkshow hosts crossing the picketline then if you allow Jay to cross the WGA is SCABBING ITS OWN STRIKE.
Stop JAY – NOW – Please! In the name of sweet Jesus on the cross.
Come on now – if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck even smells like a duck – its a FRICKIN’ DUCK!
Jay Leno is a SCAB!
After he admitted he wrote his own monologue after being warned weeks ago that no monologue would be allowed for talkshow hosts crossing the picketline then if you allow Jay to cross the WGA is SCABBING ITS OWN STRIKE.
Stop JAY – NOW – Please! In the name of sweet Jesus on the cross.
I wonder if the average American thinks that is okay for the union to tell a guy he can’t write jokes for his own show? If the janitors strike can he flush the toilet?
While support their right to ask for residuals on internet downloads think the writers have getting increasingly unreasonable. I also would support them more if they use some of the extra residuals that they get in helping non-writng staff recoup their lost income.
they are crying “pencil down means pencil down” then there should not be any deals made with letterman or only certain award shows that they will write for. that is very hypocritical.
Scab = a word used by a childish blowhard who doesn’t give a d@mn about the other 160 people who rely on Jay Leno for their jobs.
I’m proud of Jay. The show is just as good, or even better without the writers. And I think THAT is what scares them! They aren’t really needed! LOL, you’re shooting yourselves in the foot dumbfarks!
Jay didn’t mean anything by it; he was just joking.