Los Angeles — Late-night talk shows are finally making a comeback after a lengthy five-month hiatus caused by the Hollywood writers strike. Additionally, actors are gearing up for negotiations that could potentially put an end to their own work stoppage.
The first shows to go off the air due to the writers strike were CBS’s “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” and NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Now, they will also be among the first to return on Monday night.
Comedian John Oliver, host of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight,” made a triumphant return on Sunday night, enthusiastically expressing his support for the strike. He provided a recap of the events from the past five months before addressing the seriousness of the situation. Oliver acknowledged the hardships faced by the industry and praised the writers for their sacrifices.
“It infuriates me that it took the studios 148 days to offer a deal that could have been presented on day one,” Oliver stated. He also expressed his hope that the writers’ contract would inspire other guilds in the entertainment industry, as well as workers in other sectors, to demand better deals. One of the studios involved in the strike is Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns HBO.
Later today, the network late-night hosts will make their return. Stephen Colbert will have astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson as his first guest. Jimmy Kimmel will be joined by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Matthew McConaughey will grace Jimmy Fallon’s couch.
All the hosts are expected to address the writers strike in their monologues. Colbert shared his excitement for the comeback in an Instagram video where he promised to be on air every day. During the strike, the hosts even collaborated on a podcast called “Strike Force Five.”
Last week, the writers were allowed to return to work after reaching a three-year contract agreement with major studios, streaming services, and production companies. Union leaders praised the deal for addressing pay, staff sizes, and the use of artificial intelligence. The writers will vote on the contract within the next week.
Now, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is set to begin negotiations with the same group, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The actors joined the writers in a dual strike on July 14, advocating for similar issues. SAG-AFTRA leaders will closely examine the gains and compromises made in the writers’ deal while maintaining their own demands.
The writers and studios managed to reach a deal just five days after resuming talks, bringing an end to the strike. However, an earlier attempt to restart negotiations failed. The late-night shows will have restrictions on their guest lists, with actors unable to promote projects for striking studios. Some exceptions exist, such as Matthew McConaughey appearing on Jimmy Fallon’s show to discuss his children’s book.
Paramount Pictures, one of the studios involved in the WGA negotiations and SAG-AFTRA talks, is connected to Paramount Global, which includes CBS News. While some CBS News staff are SAG-AFTRA members, their contracts are not impacted by the strike.
