All Late Night Shows Shut Down As Hollywood Writers Strike
A Hollywood writers' strike has shut down all late show programs, and Saturday Night Live also might not air this weekend.
The entertainment world has been bracing itself for the Hollywood strike, and we officially have our first wave of shutdowns. According to Deadline, the lights of talk shows including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! have gone out. The news comes following the recent announcement that the writers are going on strike with added titles including The Daily Show, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Real Time with Bill Maher, and even Saturday Night Live expected to also feel the pushback.
While the plan for most of the shows impacted by the Hollywood strike is to turn to reruns, Lorne Michaels has revealed that SNL plans to make a decision closer to this week’s episode. The news comes as a gut punch for SNL alum Pete Davidson who was given the honor of hosting the weekly comedy sketch series during the upcoming episode. However, with things still up in the air, it’s entirely possible that the Bupkis star will still take center stage this weekend.
Fair wages and treatment are the names of the game when it comes to the current Hollywood writers’ strike. The Writers Guild of America has been outspoken when it comes to the shift from the popularity of linear television to streaming with those who work for variety comedy programs not cutting MBA minimums.
While Seth Meyers’ Late Night with Seth Meyers is among the titles facing a shutdown from the Hollywood strike, the host spoke out in support of the guild’s decision. In his statement, the comedian shared his love for the world of writing and the work that all writers put into making sure every episode is a successful one. While he admits that it’s a tough journey to break into Hollywood, he acknowledges that after the hard work, those who do make it “are entitled to make a living,” adding that he “supports” the demands made by the guild.
While support for the Hollywood writers’ strike is pouring out from many, others are concerned about what this could mean not only for their jobs but for the rest of the crew behind the scenes holding things together. A member of Saturday Night Live commented that while they wanted to be sure that the writers come out of this feeling heard and having their demands met, they were worried about what this could mean for the show’s crew. “We can’t make this art without each other,” the cast member said, adding that others need to be kept in mind during this difficult time for the industry.
As for who audiences will be missing on the upcoming schedule for the late-night shows, stars like Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Michael J. Fox, Ken Jeong, Jennifer Lopez, Elle Fanning, Bowen Yang, Gina Rodriguez, The Pixies, Melissa McCarthy, Smashing Pumpkins, Will Poulter, and more will be missing their slots on a mix of the programs. Of course, there’s no telling how long the Hollywood strike will last with the hope that a solution will soon be made to get everyone back to work on positive terms with fair pay and treatment.
