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- fernB, on 12/29/2007, -1/+54This makes the "Big Studios" look like schmucks, If Dave can reach a deal with the writers why cant they????
- spudnic, on 12/29/2007, -0/+29I'm honestly amazed the strike has lasted this long...
The studios really are utterly moronic if they think they can survive without looking after the writers.
Personally I'd like to see the big stars payed less, and the writers payed more. - harlowsmonkeys, on 12/29/2007, -0/+25A couple weeks ago, they talked about this possibility on NPR, and mentioned the difficult position it put the Writer's Guild in. The Guild had said it would like to do individual deals like this, and Letterman immediately approached them, wanting to deal.
Then the Guild realized that if they made a deal, it would kind of be screwing the writers on the other late night shows--they would still be out striking, and Letterman would have new material, which could permanently hurt those other shows (and, therefore, their writers). So, in a sense, by making a deal like this, the Guild would be hurting those writers at the other shows. (Those shows are not as independent as Letterman's, and cannot enter into their own deals--they are stuck until the studios deal).
But the Guild had publicly offered to consider such deals, and Letterman accepted publicly, so it would also hurt the Guild if they then didn't deal. So it was unclear which way they would go on this.
Oh, the other thing they mentioned on NPR was that the Director's Guild contract also comes up for renewal soon, and the Screen Actors Guild contract a few months after that. These are going to affect what the studios are willing to do with the writers. The Director's are expected to be an easy renewel--they didn't say it this way, but the impression NPR gave was that the directors are wimps who will go along with whatever the studios offer. The actors, on the other hand, are behind the writers, and have said that if the writers don't get a good deal, the actors will put taking care of the writers as one of their demands.
Hollywood is not in an easy negotiating position here. - Funnysoul, on 12/29/2007, -3/+28That's what happens when you put your World Wide Pants on act like a man. Dave rules!
- banmaster, on 12/29/2007, -1/+21Coz they're greedy *****!
- VMark, on 12/29/2007, -0/+11Wow, RockGuitar's comment may be the dumbest I have ever read on Digg.
Letterman does a great and funny interview, but the little "bits" in-between guests are corny as can be. Off to Gitmo I go! - MindTrigger, on 12/29/2007, -0/+10The strike is still on? Man, my life has not changed one little bit. TV sucks.
- fantasticFlan, on 12/29/2007, -0/+9Perhaps he fulfilled their reasonable requests.
- Frostman3D, on 12/29/2007, -8/+17Nope, it'll be the same old unfunny ***** he always has, with a few extra writers strike jokes thrown in to rub it in everybody's noses.
- robbob, on 12/29/2007, -2/+10Now the creativity will be flowing with all that motivation
- MediaShipper, on 12/29/2007, -0/+8It's not like the Late Show sells a lot of dvd's and there isn't a lot of online content, so Dave's writers don't have much to gain from the strike anyway.
- buzmcg, on 12/29/2007, -1/+8I'm glad somebody's taking charge!
- jphicks, on 12/29/2007, -2/+9Maybe he can create a new segment called, "Stupid Studio Executive Tricks".
- detree, on 12/29/2007, -0/+5Good, now we can go back to not watching TV.
- Frostman3D, on 12/29/2007, -2/+7I wanted to make a joke about what a stupid ***** you are, but the more you talk, the dumber you look, so just keep on talking mate.
Seriously though, Letterman hasn't been funny since he left NBC. - speedyrev, on 12/29/2007, -0/+5What's with people calling scabs? Letterman made a deal with the union. Union writers are going back to work. Leno and Conan are using scabs.
- pmctosh, on 12/29/2007, -0/+5I really haven't spent that much time watching the TV lately. Truthfully it's sucked for some time now. Even before the strike.
- Aensland, on 12/29/2007, -0/+5Speaking as someone who doesn't live in the west and has (thankfully) little occasion to watch your media, I once managed to catch several episodes of Letterman at a friend's place. From all the hype I heard previously I thought he'd be real funny and witty. Nope, I get stupid crap like inane "top 10" lists and wtf-inducing "is this funny" segments. Admittedly some of his stuff is chuckle-inducing, but a high class act he isn't.
- LoadStar, on 12/29/2007, -1/+6I see this as being VERY good for the WGA, actually. This makes a giant statement: if shows want to return to the air with writers, all they have to do is forget about the AMPTP, talk to the WGA, and agree to their terms. Right now, Hollywood needs the WGA more than they need the AMPTP. Personally, I'm betting that the AMPTP is utterly floored, and they'll be scrambling back to the negotiating table as soon as possible, just to try and regain some semblance of relevance.
- fuzzynyanko, on 12/29/2007, -0/+4I think Jon Stewart is the executive producer for both, and I hope they reach an agreement.
- Xizer, on 12/29/2007, -1/+5PRON HAUL 2008
- lordno, on 12/29/2007, -0/+410,000 writers get paid more and the quality of TV for 300 million Americans goes down.
- qwertydvorak, on 12/29/2007, -2/+6hollywood is in the best negotiating position. they will churn out whatever they want, if they want. writers could be a problem, but just like any other company facing strike they could just scab it out. there are tons of writers who would like the chance to write for tv. there are tons of potential scab actresses hopping off the bus daily hoping to become a tv/movie star. it may not be the perfect solution, but if they wanted to, they could. either way the masses have already proven they will watch just about anything. a perfect example is the rise of reality tv and youtube.
- chinolofus, on 12/29/2007, -1/+5letterman still has hype?
- inactive, on 12/29/2007, -1/+5Wow...so not the place to spam for Ron Paul...unless your intent is to alienate even MORE people.
- combatchuck, on 12/29/2007, -0/+4Dave Chapelle did it, and it nearly drove him crazy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Chappelle#Season ... - inactive, on 12/29/2007, -0/+4Yeah but can you write funny material 5 days per week full time and get a show running and host it as well?
- MScrip, on 12/29/2007, -0/+4Any new shows will be better than reruns. I haven't watched Stewert or Colbert in months. How much longer will advertisers keep paying for reruns? I hope the writers get what they want from this strike. While getting no paychecks for months, is it worth it?
- Frostman3D, on 12/29/2007, -3/+6I haven't missed anything by this writers strike. I don't watch that stupid advertising filled ***** we call TV anymore. I get all my entertainment from the web.
- rickcarson, on 12/29/2007, -0/+3Oh awesome, now we can have new top ten lists again, with plenty of new inspiration:
10) Top Ten Reasons Why Hollywood Sucks Ass
9) Top Ten Reasons Why We're Not Scabs
8) Top Ten Holiday Destinations We'd Have Liked To Go To But Couldn't
7) Top Ten Ways To Pass Time On The Picket
6) Top Ten Ways To Feed Your Starving Kids On A Low Budget
5) Top Ten Reasons Why Being Grossly Overpaid Is Better Than Being Poor
4) Top Ten Garbage Cans To Root Through Outside The Ed Sullivan Theatre
3) Top Ten Organs To 'Donate' To Science
2) Top Ten Reasons Why The Number 2 Item Is Always Much Funnier Than Number 1
1) Top Ten Strip-Clubs We Can Once Again Go Back To With Dave After The Show - yunus, on 12/29/2007, -1/+4Its how Unions work, the good of the many outweighs the good of the few. If a few writers lose their jobs but overall writers in general get more money, in the Unions eyes thats a win.
- inactive, on 12/29/2007, -2/+5Not to mention, they get the best of both worlds. This is an interim contract. Both sides agree to honor whatever contract the WGA gets eventually. So, to these writers, they get the short term benefits of getting paid now, and also get the long term benefits of whatever the union gets.
This will not go over well with the other union members. Most are against it. The only reason why some are OK with it is they think that Late Show having writers will put pressure on NBC to get their writers back since it will hurt Leno to be doing a comedyless show while LEtterman does his usual show. (Even though LEtterman's show is always comedyless.) - MikeonTV, on 12/29/2007, -1/+4LOL I wonder if this means Howard Stern has to do the show finally - http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/radio/writer ...
- inactive, on 12/29/2007, -0/+3It was simple...they get to get paid duringhte strike. And when the strike ends, they get all the benefits that the other writers get. When the new WGA contract is signed, both Worldwide Pants and the Late Show writers will be bound to it. So they get the best of both worlds.
- inactive, on 12/29/2007, -0/+3Is it possible to alienate any more? I kind of like what RP says. But I am afraid to vote for him because of all his psycho fans.
- trghpy, on 12/29/2007, -0/+3So like... what was the compromise that world wide pants made?
here is a longer summary...
http://www.nola.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/ente ...
I hope that a writerless John Stewart and Steven Cobert won't ruin the images they have already made. - nukethewhales, on 12/29/2007, -2/+5Either I am confused or you are confused. You say you don't support the Writers because they don't make deals with individual companies? Even though they did make a deal with an individual company. The only reason they were able to make a deal with Worldwide Pants is that they own their own show. They are completely independent of the conglomerate that is the AMPTP who might not be allowing some of the other companies to talk to the writers.
- DeepFriedFetus, on 12/29/2007, -1/+3Hmm, kinda sounds fishy to me...Dave can't do it without writers? I think it says a lot. Nevertheless, I'm not watching any other clown when it comes to late night tv. Dave is my guy.
- Tangeuray, on 12/29/2007, -1/+3Daily show and colbert are back soon. They are both writers themselves so I hope they get a good message out too.
- airwalkery2k, on 12/29/2007, -0/+2They never mentioned the terms of the deal. Was it gobs of money? Was it Letterman's first born child? Perhaps they rescheduled the strike to some time in 2010.
- VinceNoir, on 12/29/2007, -1/+3Apparently greedy human ***** who post on Digg don't like being given a dose of reality...
- Thumper13, on 12/29/2007, -3/+5This is why I don't support the writers strike. They should make deals with individual shows on their own. There are far too many crappy tv shows to support the writers as a whole. The writers should be able to work for whomever they can reach a deal with.
Once you pay them and treat them as an employee, and shuffle them from show to show, you end up with crappy tv shoe-horned by writers that may not be suited for what they are writing.
Let the writers make their own deals.
I know I will get dugg down by the Union folk.
I'm a writer and I don't get a union. I get to make my own deal with a publisher. They should work the same way.
Good for Letterman. - Thumper13, on 12/29/2007, -0/+2Then lets cheer for the individual groups!
I am glad you, the master of all digg knowledge, allowed us to read your enlightening post.
Weeeeee......for you. - mwrl, on 12/29/2007, -1/+3Am I the only one that looks for strikers just to do whatever it is that they don't want you to do. They are just selfish people who want more money, why do I care if they work or not, it doesn't help me any.
- heinousjay, on 12/29/2007, -2/+4If union workers weren't such pussies, they'd understand the importance of quitting.
- jgzman, on 12/29/2007, -0/+2One could also argue that Letterman's deal will put pressure on other groups to make deals as well. Currently, he's the only intact show in town. Everyone else is by definition second best.
- inactive, on 12/29/2007, -0/+2Nah, my left hand just moves a little faster than my right some times.
- Thumper13, on 12/29/2007, -0/+2That was my point. The writers should be hired by shows, not the company. If the show ends then they should be thrown back into the gene pool with all the other writers. The good ones will get work, the bad ones will disappear and maybe, just maybe, our TV will get better.
I'm not counting on it, but that's what I think. - Markpdotcom, on 12/29/2007, -0/+1The thing is, these guys are funny, just not funny by todays standards. They are from a time when comedy was a few standard wise cracks and thats all a crowd needed, they survived on their reputation, rather than their last gig. Today we're spoiled by great writing and on the ball, sharp, intelligent comedians. Its not a bad thing, I just don't think its fair to knock down comedians because they don't fit with whats funny now.
- VinceNoir, on 12/29/2007, -2/+3Newb. I've been aloof offline since 1983. Nay, I have been called "the haughtiest man in all of Cleveland", (look it up). Can you top me? I think not. Child.
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