Ack. I’m utterly conflicted about the impending return of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report tonight.
On the one hand, I have missed them so much and, like it or not, they have become the main source of common sense in the media over the past couple of years. They are our modern versions of Mark Twain and Jonathan Swift.
On the other, I feel awful for the striking writers. If Stewart and Colbert come back strong, then the cry will be “who needs writers?” (On the third hand, I really hope they don’t suck.)
Despite the title of this post, I’m not going to get all judgey judge on them for coming back. It’s more complicated than simply refusing to cross picket lines for them. Much like David Letterman, I’m sure they’re thinking about the rest of their starving staffs…not to mention their own wallets. They don’t own the game ball, like Letterman does, so it’s hard to pick it up and take it home with them if they don’t like the rules.
It would be nice if the idiots at Viacom, et al, would open up their Grinchy hearts a bit, but I’m not holding my breath. Unfortunately for the writers, I think the return of these shows is a huge win for the production companies and a blow to the union.
Just read that Jon’s first guest will be Hillary Clinton. Your favorite! Cool!
Just kidding.
I think that if these shows have to go on for a couple more months without “real” (read:celebrity) guests, it will have almost the same effect. If the big movie studios can’t get the stars of their movies to go on Leno & Kimmell, it will hurt their box office. If the TV production companies can’t get their shows stars out pimping their shows when we come to sweeps again (only a few weeks away) they will all struggle. It’s actually kind of funny how the late night shows have to scramble, like Leno and Kimmell visiting each others shows this week.
Viacom is bringing Big Brother into February (as opposed to the usual summer run) because they have so little new programming. Expect more of this, and more awful “reality” programming. NBC ran two hours of American Gladiators last night!
While I believe you’re right that Stewart/Colbert returning doesn’t help the strikers, I believe that if they hold firm they will get at least some concessions. Maybe not all that they want, but more than they have.
I hope.
i think the writers are definitely needed — i recorded both shows – and while decent, they weren’t the same. I don’t think that they were trying to do better than when they have writers. but they held their own.
(happy new year, by the way)
I thought Colbert did better than Stewart, but Colbert has perfected the character he plays so well that he really could do most of it without writers. I did miss “The Word” though. 🙂