Saturday, November 03, 2007

What talkshows should do during the writers' strike

Apparently TV writers are going to go on strike and, among other things, this will stop production of talkshows like Leno and Conan.

So why not can the comedy part of the show and add another interview or performance segment instead?

I don't know the details of the unions involved, and I'm not trying to encourage scabbing, but the impression I get from the articles I've read is that TV shows can keep on working and producing and airing whatever they can manage to do, they just can't write new material. But you don't have to write interviews, you just have to get someone to interview.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

TV talkshows use writers?

laura k said...

Is that a serious question, or sarcasm because the shows are so lame? Surely Finn doesn't think Letterman and Leno and Conan are making it up as the go along?

Anonymous said...

I am guessing Leno and Conan may be members of the writer's union themselves (they probably at least contribute to their own monologues and sketches, I know Conan had been a writer for SNL and other shows in the past) and/or would shut down their shows to demonstrate support and solidarity with their staff, guests, etc., who are active members of the union, even if it's elsewhere in the country. To continue to produce shows would be considered akin to crossing a picket line, I think.