WGA strike week six update: talk shows and awards

There has been quite a bit of activity in the Writer's Guild of America strike since we last checked in on the situation. As week six draws to a close, both sides seem likely to continue without budging, and it's probably worth noting that last time a strike like this occurred (in 1988), it lasted 22 weeks.

Perhaps the most noteworthy change has happened within the talk-show ranks. While David Letterman, Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien have all shown unflagging support to the WGA's cause, the studios' threats of firing the shows' staffs has caused a change of heart. For the sake of their crews, both Leno and O'Brien will be returning to the air on Jan. 2, both without their writers. O'Brien released a statement saying he was, "left with a difficult decision: either go back to work and keep my staff employed or stay dark and allow 80 people, many of whom have worked for me for 14 years, to lose their jobs." What this means for the shows themselves is that they won't have monologues, as under WGA rules, the hosts cannot write material on their own that would've been written by WGA members during ordinary conditions.

Letterman instead chose to negotiate a contract with the WGA that leaves CBS out of the equation, instead just working with his production company, Worldwide Pants. Letterman's producer (and CEO of Worldwide Pants) said, "Because we are an independent production company, we are able to pursue an interim agreement with the Guild without involving CBS in that pursuit." Pants reached an agreement and will probably also return on Jan. 2, though specific details of the deal reached are still unknown. Since Craig Ferguson's show is also produced by Worldwide Pants, it will be returning alongside Letterman's in a couple weeks.

Previously, the WGA held protests against Carson Daly when his show returned to the air, but they seem to have no ire against any of these hosts, instead expressing disappointment with NBC for "forcing Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien back on the air without writers." CBS responded to Letterman by saying that, "this development should not confuse the fact that CBS remains unified with the AMPTP."

Jimmy Kimmel will also return on Jan. 2, while The Daily Show and The Colbert Report will be returning Jan. 7, sans writers. Since those two are about the most heavily written daily shows on television, what this means for their quality on return is really anyone's guess.

The main non-talk show development has been the WGA's refusal to work on the Oscars. Rumors of a WGA protest at the event seem likely, considering, for instance, how many invitees are WGA members. The Golden Globes, which happen on Jan. 13, also won't have writers. Oddly enough, the Indie Spirit Awards were granted a waiver by the WGA, so expect their host, Rainn Wilson, to be suitably hilarious.

Right now the strike looks no closer to ending than it did a week ago, or two weeks, or a month. We'll keep you posted on future developments. For now, enjoy your re-runs of 30 Rock, The Office and Heroes. It looks like we've got a long winter ahead of us.

Got news tips for Paste? Email news@pastemagazine.com.