The L.A. Dime

I’ve been asked several times now, why, given the strike, Dave Letterman has his writers back but Leno doesn’t. The answer is this: Dave owns his show, but Leno’s is owned by NBC. The Late Show is property of Dave’s company, World Wide Pants, which was part of his deal when he left NBC. As such, he can make whatever deal with the Writer’s Guild he wishes, and in this instance, he made the exact deal the Guild has been asking for from all of the producers. NBC, however, is the cornerstone of the producer/studio consortium known as the AMPTP, it owns The Tonight Show, and ain’t no way it’s making a deal for Leno to have writers until our Guild backs down. Which, hopefully, it won’t. BTW, every time Jay delivers a monologue, he’s in violation of the strike because he wrote it, and he’s a member of the Guild.

While there has been much gnashing of teeth here by writers and industry pundits claiming that a deal for only a few writers will split our solidarity, I think the Dave deal is good. It says to everyone that our demands are not unreasonable, and that we are willing to make a deal and get back to work. It is my hope that other producers and companies that are being damaged by the strike far more than the giant congloms will soon break ranks and deal with the Guild individually.

You may or may not know that award shows like The Golden Globes are actually written by writers hired by Dick Clark Productions. The Hollywood Foreign Press, which puts on the Globes, has offered a similar deal to the Guild, and it has been denied, meaning that presenters are on their own for quippy intros and outros, the event will be picketed, and that many writers, actors and even directors will likely not attend. The show is in jeopardy of not being broadcast. If you ask me, there is a bit of a double standard being applied here, and I think it’s a bad move with regard to message, tactics, and PR. It’s okay to make a deal with late-night TV, but because we really want to make our point and hurt the studios, there can be no Globes? The same deal is the same deal. I’m confused. That being said, I stand behind my leadership, I will not attend the Globes (despite not being invited), and may even try to join the picket out front.

If you’re interested in keeping up with the latest strike news from the writer’s point of view, I recommend Deadline Hollywood, and United Hollywood.

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