Leno, O’Brien to Return Without Writers
NBC Talk Shows Will Go Back Into Production Jan. 2
By Linda Haugsted -- Multichannel News, 12/17/2007 3:09:00 PM
The Tonight Show With Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O’Brien will go back to into production Jan. 2, six weeks after the hit NBC shows were shut down because of the writers strike.
But the shows won’t contain monologues, since Leno and O'Brien are going back without their writers.
Both hosts have been staunch supporters of the Writers Guild of America strike, but each issued statements indicating that they were also concerned for the other staff members who were out of work due to the strike.
Leno said 100 non-writers of his staff had out of work, and as the Christmas holidays approached with no new talks scheduled, he decided to go back to work.
O’Brien, who started 
his career as a writer for The Simpsons and other shows, also said the decision to return to production was wrenching, but noted his concern for 80 workers, some of whom have worked for O’Brien for 14 years.
Though he is returning to work, O’Brien predicted the show “may not be good. In fact, in moments it may be terrible.”
The Writers Guild blasted NBC for returning the two shows to the air.
“NBC forcing Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien back on the air without writers is not going to provide the quality entertainment that the public deserves,” the union said in a prepared statement.
In other strike news, the WGA leadership met with the peers from the Directors Guild of America Monday to talk about new media issues. Though the WGA confirmed talks were held, the union would not elaborate on the substance of the talks.
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