Stewart--Colbert--Shouldn't we be angry they crossed the line?

[flamingpie2500]

As much as they are admired, I am really disappointed they aren't showing more respect to the guild. Anyone else feel that way?

[Marrah_G]

1. I love them- not sure why you are upset with them

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. They are scabs who have crossed a picket line

I do not watch them any more, and won't until the writer's strike is resolved.

[Marrah_G]

11. Ohhhh---- I was completely lost on what the issue was, I get it now.

[flamingpie2500]

4. The writers strike is still on and they returned to work despite that.

They can't get guests because some people won't cross the picket lines. I am not mad as much as I am disappointed.

[thereismore]

22. That explain the fascist on the show. nt

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

3. I refuse to watch. When their writers return, after negotiating a fair contract, I'll watch again.

MKJ

[Ganja Ninja]

8. I'm not watching them either.

The shows suck without the writers.

[Richard Steele]

41. Same here. No Jon for me until the strike's over. nm

[wndycty]

5. Its funny we single them out but ignore all the stage hands, electricians, grips. . .

. . .camera operators, etc. and others who also crossed the lines. What I find amazing is how the other unions seemed to have no problem crossing the lines as well. Something is up if there was no solidarity from those other unions.

Think about that.

[flamingpie2500]

6. It's the writers who are on strike--not stage hands etc.

[wndycty]

9. Yes but traditionally ALL UNIONS respect their picket lines. . .

. . .I'm a member of the Illinois Education Association and there is a strike at a local hotel and everyone regardless of the union they belong to are told not to patronize or do business with that hotel.

Its called solidarity, but something is up if that is not being honored. Its something to think about.

[TahitiNut]

28. The other union contracts often have a "no sympathy strike" clause

... that prohibits them from honoring another union's strike. (Personally, I think such clauses are disgusting.)

[ProfessorGAC]

30. That's Why They Went Back, Isn't It?

Didn't they go back so all the others involved wouldn't have to be laid off. I know that is why Letterman went back. I thought i read that is why Stewart went back too.

All the other workers on the show have been without a paycheck for quite some time. None of those people deserve to be out of work, do they?
The Professor

[Bluenorthwest]

39. Letterman's company signed a deal with the WGA

Letterman is back with his writers, as is Craig Ferguson, whose show is produced by World Wide Pants, Letterman's outfit.
I was in the biz for many years. Letterman did the good thing. Also note that Dave and Craig are currently funny.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

44. I don't really understand why the WGA did not accept Stewart's attempt

to do a Letterman-like deal. As I said, the only thing I can think of is that they want Viacom to secure a contract for all of its shows, not just the two.

[wndycty]

46. I think the reasoning was that. . .

. . .Letterman owns his two shows and Stewart doesn't. So the WGA would have had to cut a deal with Viacom, with Letterman they did not have to cut a deal with CBS.

[BoneDaddy]

7. No I don't

I think that their political commentary is more important during this time than support of the guild, if I was to prioritize.

[flamingpie2500]

12. I can get better and more informed politcal commentary elsewhere.

Without the comedy they are nothing.

[BoneDaddy]

20. That is a matter of opinion and taste

and although you may be more erudite than the rest of the population, many people (who don't search for the truth) are able to get it in a palatable and enjoyable form.

Besides, I do not do a knee jerk reation to everything Union. They are not 100% right all the time.

[TNOE]

24. ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

Their voices are too important to be silenced - they are fighting back at the big corporations - plus they have begged for their writers to come back.

[flamingpie2500]

26. Then they should change their venue--If they don't need writers for

political commentary-then don't hire any.

[Orsino]

50. The show has become a different animal...

...consisting of Stewart's ad-libs rather than scripted jokes. It's still political commentary, though, and I like the way Stewart is keeping the show going for an eventual return of the writers.

[Rosemary2205]

10. I am very pro union and I think the writers are the ones crossing the line.

If I understand it correctly, they are refusing to even sit down at the table. My family is a former IBEW, my parents were both UAW and 2 siblings are Teamsters leadership. There's widespread disgust amongst many union leaders over what the writers are doing. It's gone beyond a fight for workers rights into the realm of economic terrorism.

[wndycty]

13. I talked about it upthread, do you have any idea why the other unions

(electricians, stage hands, grips, carpenters, et al) are not honoring the picket and still working on these shows?

[flamingpie2500]

16. You raise a good point. I am not that savvy on union activity. But I don't

think that when one union strikes they all do.

[wndycty]

18. They don't necessarily strike but the usually will not CROSS ANYONE'S line. . .

. . .at least that is my understanding.

[flamingpie2500]

14. Colbert and Stewart are both members of the writers guild.

That is why on their shows they can't even write anything for themselves. To me just being back on the air is crossing the line.

[gatorboy]

15. I have conflicting feelings about Maher being back.

Unlike Stewart and Colbert, Maher's show doesn't rely on massive amounts of skit work and humor writing. It has it, but it's not necessary. The meat of the show is the weekly panel. If he cut the humor writing out completely and stuck to a more "Politically Incorrect" model (No real gag material, just straight discussion) would it also be disrespectful?

[flamingpie2500]

17. I would say yes--especially if he is a member of the guild that is on strike.

I don't know that, but talk about solidarity seems to have been clouded by the importance of politics.

[malaise]

19. I will not watch either program

I am pro Unions.

[Redbear]

21. Arent they under personal contracts with Comedy Central?

as Maher is with HBO?

So, the company can say to these guys you must fulfill your contract or we will sue you?

[flamingpie2500]

25. Here is a NY Times article about that- it says they were"forced" back

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D02E3DC153BF932A15751C1A9619C8B63

[OneMoreDemocrat]

34. The article says that the Guild accused....

Comedy Central of forcing Stewart and Colbert back.

It doesn't say how, if it's accurate, or even follow up on the statement.

Anyway, regardless of what people say publicly about solidarity with the writers,
I can tell you that at least here in NY, people are really losing patience with them.

While the reasons they are striking are valid and need to be addressed and ironed out
for future contractual agreements, there are hundreds and hundreds of people who are being hurt financially
by the walkout. It takes more than writers and hosts to put on a show, and the longer this
drags on, the harder it's gonna be on the people who's names you'll never know and their
families.

[Johonny]

35. Interesting

I think Colbert has made it pretty obvious he's not happy to be back on the air without writers.

[marlakay]

42. Is that why Jon has had only repubs on this week?

all of his guests have made me want to mute the tv

[mac56]

23. Yeah, I'm kind of disappointed.

I don't plan to watch till they settle. And yes, I'm disappointed with the camera crew, light techs, etc., as well.

[Uncle Joe]

27. Last night on Conan O'brien,

he did a skit about how he and Colbert were arguing over who made Huckabee and I will be the first to say it was a funny skit.

Having said that, I believe they were taking aim at the people who believe a corrupted corporate media has disproportionate influence from breakfast time to the midnight snack hour, on which candidates are featured and or pumped up and which ones are trashed, ignored and or slimed in one form or another.

I believe both of them are funny, but their first allegiance is corporate and I believe anyone would be making a mistake to believe otherwise.

[KharmaTrain]

29. Think Of Those Who Went Without Paychecks...

I'm a very strong supporter of the WGA and am curious to see how the new Director's Guild deal affects the strike.

While writers are important to these shows, they're just a handful of the dozens who are employed in these shows. Technicians, office staff, production people and so on...many who are members of other unions that still have valid contracts. It's a sticky situation but be assured that none of these people went back to work with a smile on their face...they all but were forced to.

Considering most the shows went out of production for 6 weeks in sympathy to the strike, it surely has been noted by many and a case can be made that it's strengthened the union's exposure and cause. Having these shows out there also have been used to spotlight the on-going strikes...especially "A" Daily Show and Conan. There's not a night where Letterman...who settled completely with the WGA...doesn't show a picket sign and openly discuss the strike. It beats being off the air and the only reports are on web-sites.

The nightly shows are minor change in the WGA battle. The real money is being lost in the prime time, syndication and international distribution. I suspect things will start to move now that there has been a settlement with the Directors, the threat to the new season and the Oscars telecast.

I have been boycotting Leno (but I have for years)...but he did pay his staff for the 6 weeks the show was off and is sympathetic to the WGA...and Carson Daley who has scabbed...but who cares, not one watches his drivel anyway.

[judy]

31. I heard they were paying their writers

through the strike.
Hasn't anyone else heard this?
From the beginning of the strike, Stewart (who produces the Colbert show) said that he would pay their writers so they would get a paycheck.
I think that gives them the right to air the show without writers, don't you think?

[Cabcere]

48. I'm pretty sure I've heard that too

although I can't remember the source at the moment. :blush: :hi:

[wintersoulja]

32. the powers that be need them to work their magic

they arent what the viewers wish them to be.
Olberman as well. Thats Entertainment.

[blondeatlast]

33. I despise scabs but Letterman, Stewart, and Colbert may be helping the WGA somewhat.

The shows are pretty lousy without the writers and Letterman, Stewart, and Colbert know it--and point it out at every opportunity (yes, I've watched a couple of times--my very, very bad).

They manage to keep the strike in the public eye and demonstrate how valuable the writers are because the shows are awful without them.

It's a tough call but at least the Worldwide Pants talent acknowledges and publicly supports the WGA. Since their shows are so popular, it's hard fro the bigwigs to silence them, too.

BTW, the "Late Show Writers on Strike" site is a must-see. I gets to the heart of what's happening and is very, very funny:

http://www.lateshowwritersonstrike.com/

Also: Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily is a great one too: http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

49. Thanks for the late show link - nikki's is very good too

Other blogs found it suspicious that she went on hiatus right when the DGA negotiations were moving forward (I don't) so it's good to find a source that's picking up the slack.

It's hard to find clear, up-to-date info about WGA negotiations. One poster here says the writers are refusing to bargain - I can't find any information about that. Didn't know about Stewart and Colbert's no-sympathy clauses till recently, and not sure if various crew members' contracts contain them too.

It's good that Letterman, Stewart and Colbert are helping educate viewers but I think that the WGA weakened their stand by settling with World Wide Pants because the ultimate beneficiary is CBS through ad revenue, the most powerful leverage the WGA has. If I was a rank-and-file writer I would be mightily pissed by what I would view as betrayal by my leadership.

So I'm not watching any of them. Nothing against anyone who chooses to do so; I just can't.

[bbgrunt]

36. the whole point of solidarity is to apply the maximum amount

of pressure. Be assured that if all the other unions refused to cross the line, a settlement would have been made and all those who are suffering tangentially would not have to bear the burden. By getting other unions to agree to not honor the lines, the corporate interests break the unions. That is how it works.

I don't know what pressure was applied to Stewart and Colbert, but I am very disappointed in their acquiescence--and the fact that the other unions have allowed their members to work.

[LSK]

37. I had my mini boycott of them broken to see Stewart interview that Goldman twit

[jus_the_facts]

38. Don't really care.... I don't pay for television at all..... and next year after it's all digital...

....and no longer FREE then I won't watch it at home anymore. That's why instead of paying for cable/satellite for the last 20 years...I've bought books...DVD's...and CD's to keep me entertained....I'll just have to go mooch the sporting events I enjoy off my friends and family who can't even begin to *think* without the boob tube on 24/7. :crazy:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

40. Jon mentioned that he...

tried to make the same deal with the WGA that Letterman did, but that it was turned down.

He honored the strike for several months. He paid his striking workers. He made a good faith effort to come to an agreement with the WGA.

He has done the right thing as best as he can, as far as I am concerned, and I give him a break for fullfilling a contractual obligation to Comedy Central.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

43. Two things: First my understanding is that they were forced back, see the NYT article posted in the

thread above.

Secondly, Stewart said that he actually got his parent company to agree to the WGA demands, but was turned down by the WGA in his bid to secure a deal like Letterman. Probably because the WGA doesn't want to negotiate with Viacom unless Viacom gives the writers their fair share on all shows, not just Daily Show and Colbert Report.

Soooo, while I personally wouldn't watch, I cannot be angry with them.

[Cleita]

45. I understand that crossing the line doesn't apply to management.

As the stars of their shows they are bosses, can have people hired or fired, can set an agenda and a routine. This makes them managers and not employees.

[Orsino]

47. Not me--and I think Ted Rall's very wrong about it.

http://www.gocomics.com/tedrall/2008/01/17/ is an attempt to hang the "scab" label on Stewart, who is nightly reminding us of the strike, and pining openly for the return of the writers. I think he's working on the side of the WGA, more or less. Besides, he's not a writer, he's not the boss, and he is obviously working without a script--or without much of one, anyway. Let's not forget the weeks he took off, either.

I have some tiny qualms about watching his show, but we should also remember the other people who make it happen, and who needed to go back to work. The writers were only a small part of the production, and Stewart has worked around them in an entertaining way that still leaves me anticipating their return.

[Mutineer]

51. So if we like them

then it's okay if they're scabs?

[2rth2pwr]

52. People here are conflicted. They enjoy Stewart and Colbert and agree with the

two mostly politically. So, hypocrisy is basically the answer.