Hollywood's Writers' Strike

[Alex]

Well, John Stewart was pretty obviously written last night. He may have ad libbed more but you can talk to a sequence of graphics (some static, some with timed changes) without having done some writing in advance.

Colbert seemed a little more spontaneous but I have to wonder what he is going to do in a couple days when he can't just fill the first 15 minutes with strike jokes and has to start talking about other things. Jokes about not knowing what you're going to say are going to get old pretty fast.

Also thought Stewart, when talking about the WGA making deals with some people but not with others, was a bit disingenuous in not mentioning that to give him and Colbert a deal would require the WGA letting one of the major producers (Viacom) begin a process of piecemeal bargaining. There is a big difference between making a deal with Worldwide Pants (total current productions: 2) and Viacom.