Leno, O’Brien to Cross Picket Line

Staff / Truthdig Dec 18, 2007 Late night hosts Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien are set to resume their talk shows without writers. An NBC executive says "there are hundreds of people who will be able to return to work as a result of Jay's and Conan's decision," but one imagines dwindling ratings have something to do with their plans. David Letterman, meanwhile, may work out a deal with the Writers Guild that would allow his show to come back with writers. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

WGA Strikers to Return to the Table Nov. 26

Staff / Truthdig Nov 18, 2007 An end may be in sight for striking television and film writers and their studio bosses if negotiations, now set to resume Nov 26, are effective However, WGA West President Patric Verrone cautioned union members to stand their ground in an e-mail titled "Don't Break Out the Champagne Just Yet". Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘Colbert’ Writers Score Big With Strike Parody

Staff / Truthdig Nov 17, 2007 There's one big built-in advantage that many striking WGA members have over the studio honchos they're feuding with: real creative talent. This clip, made by "Colbert Report" writers, showcases their flair for parody, reminding producers why they're indispensable while mercilessly lampooning the executives. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Winter of Writers’ Dissed Content

Staff / Truthdig Nov 15, 2007 It can be confusing to follow the ongoing WGA strike, what with all the picketing, accusations from both sides, and rampant speculation about whether Ellen DeGeneres is a traitor or just trapped in a rock-versus-hard-place career conundrum. Here, striking staffers from "The Daily Show" helpfully explain their side of the issue. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Hollywood Copes Without Writers

Staff / Truthdig Nov 14, 2007 Though Ellen DeGeneres has taken her show across the picket line and some reality TV has improvised along, Hollywood is increasingly worried about its wordless future. Late night talk shows went to reruns immediately and the scripted shows are nearly tapped out of fresh episodes. The writers, meanwhile, show no sign of ending their strike any time soon. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bill Clinton to Help Mediate WGA Strike?

Staff / Truthdig Nov 9, 2007 While Hillary's out on the campaign trail, Bill Clinton may be offering his diplomatic expertise to help bring a resolution to the Writers Guild of America strike, which has halted several productions in Hollywood and New York. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Fallout From the Strike

Mike Luckovich / Truthdig Nov 8, 2007 Dig deeper

Writers Picket With Star Power

Staff / Truthdig Nov 6, 2007 Writers began picketing network and studio headquarters on Monday, with the support of several celebrities and, courtesy of Jay Leno, a couple of boxes of doughnuts. There's no telling how long the strike will last, but parallels to the 1988 walkout that cost Hollywood an estimated half a billion dollars have already been drawn. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

End of the Line for Colbert’s Campaign

Staff / Truthdig Nov 6, 2007 Those Stephen Colbert fans who had hoped that, for once, there would be a political figure on the national stage who would be refreshingly upfront about the parodic and performative nature of his role will be no doubt be disappointed that Colbert has ended his quest for the presidency -- at least this time around. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

WGA the Dog

Mr. Fish / Truthdig Nov 3, 2007 Dig deeper

Israelis Call Off General Strike

Staff / Truthdig Mar 21, 2007 Some 400,000 Israeli workers launched a general strike over unpaid wages that threatened to shut down the nation's economy. Needless to say, this isn't good news for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, whose popularity is down to 3 percent. Update: The eight-hour strike, which brought much of the country to a standstill, was called off after the labor union and the Finance Ministry came to a compromise. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Sy Hersh: Military Reeling Over Bush’s Iran Plans

Staff / Truthdig Jul 3, 2006 The inestimable Seymour Hersh delivers another can't-miss update on Bush & Co.'s plans to strike Iran. Hersh points out that even more so than about Iraq, we are clueless about Iran's capabilities, and many military planners are seething that the White House is taking Iran's nuclear capabilites for granted. Summarized version of article Full-text version Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )