As we mentioned in our post earlier today, Jay Leno used a monologue on "The Tonight Show" last night in apparent defiance of union rules. Friday, the Writer's Guild informed union member Leno he was wrong to do so.
The Guild issued the following statement on Friday:
“A discussion took place today between Jay Leno and the Writers Guild to clarify to him that writing for The Tonight Show constitutes a violation of the Guilds’ strike rules.”
The Writer's Guild blog United Hollywood also noted:
We've spoken to our WGA sources, and here's what we have: The Guild talked on the phone with Jay today. They discussed the strike rules and how they apply to him. As a WGA member, he can't write anything, including monologues.
Jay is a strong supporter of the Guild and writers, but at the same time he has a show to put on and wanted to see if there wasn't some way he could write his monologues as a "host." The Guild told him, diplomatically, respectfully but directly, that there is not.
As the blog notes, the dispute is not with Leno, it's with NBC. Where David Letterman's agreement with the writers broke the logjam of negotiations, should Leno defy the union, the results could get more contentious.
We hope they don't. The writers are only asking for what they deserve.
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