"Daily Show" and "Colbert Report" To Return In January — Without Writers

First reported by NoFactZone: "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and "The Colbert Report" will return to air on January 7, 2008, after being on indefinite hiatus since the WGA strike officially started on November 5, 2008. The news leaked late this afternoon, and was officially confirmed by Comedy Central at around 6:15 pm. Here's the official statement:

"'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart' and 'The Colbert Report' will resume production on January 7 with both shows returning to air that night without their respective writing staffs. The January 7 return follows a scheduled two-week, end-of-year hiatus that was previously built into the shows' production calendars. We continue to hold out hope for a swift resolution to the current stalemate that will enable the shows to be complete again."
— Comedy Central

"We would like to return to work with our writers. If we cannot, we would like to express our ambivalence, but without our writers we are unable to express something as nuanced as ambivalence."
— Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert

"The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" are the last two late-night shows to announce a return to air; the rest of them — NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" and "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" will all be returning to air on January 2nd — also without their writers (though CBS' late shows may have worked something out with the writers by then).

Related:
Hard News On 'The Colbert Report' and 'The Daily Show' - Return Date Now Set [NoFactZone]
'Daily Show,' 'Colbert' set for return [Hollywood Reporter]

Comments

[naturallight]

04:46 PM on 12/24/2007

Enjoy weekends? Thank a Union Member.
Like the 40 hour work week? Thanks a Union Member.
Oh what's that? You say you don't have a 40 hour work week? Well.....are u in a Union?

FU&K those SCABS: Colbert Stewart, SCABS.
Boycott.

[Pygar60]

09:31 AM on 12/24/2007

*** BOYCOTT THE DAILY SHOW AND COLBERT REPORT ***

While I deeply enjoy the satire and wit of The Daily Show and Colbert Report, I am saddened and disappointed that Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are crossing the picket lines. They are, first and foremost, excellent writers. They have multiple Emmy awards for their comedy writing skills. Instead of returning to the set, they should be returning to the negotiating table and the picket lines.

We, the viewers and consumers, have power to force Sumner Redstone and the rest of the AMPTP back into good faith negotiations. If we withhold our viewership from the commercials that fund the AMPTP, then the advertisers will pressure Viacom to resolve the strike. This strike is about money, and we should use our economic clout to press for the outcome we want.

** BOYCOTT **

[LanceJGosnell]

09:28 AM on 12/24/2007

For many the Writer's Strike has taught us the viewers just how much time we waste watching endless hours of entertainment instead of focusing on family, friends, and for more important issues. Although, curiosity is making me wonder just how exactly Colbert, Stewart, and the rest are going to perform without writers, I feel that we the viewers must support the writers by hitting the entertainment industry where hurts the most.

Boycott the writer less shows and by all means refuse to watch online content until the strike is resolved unless of course it is content provided by the writers or their supporters.

[willo]

11:30 PM on 12/23/2007

What in the hell are they thinking? It's a slap in the face to their base.

[Beamreach]

10:50 PM on 12/23/2007

Satire from scabs? Just how does that work - who's holding the high ground here. Certainly not Stewart and Colbert and certainly not the excited viewers. And we keep complaining that Reid and Pelosi have no spine. Pathetic.

[Demoid]

09:25 PM on 12/23/2007

One might have hoped that Colbert and Stewart had more integrity than, say, Jay Leno, but it's obvious that these two "progressives" care more about their bank accounts than the writers who made them what they are today. There's a word for guys like Colbert and Stewart. Fakes? I guess. Hypocrites? Certainly. But there's another word...what is it? ...oh, I remember! SCABS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[flamingolady]

08:49 PM on 12/23/2007

Boycott the show. As talented as Colbert and Stewart are, they also should remember that they would not enjoy the success they have without their writers ... and they should support them accordingly ... not cross the picket line like the turncoats they are about to become.

[Purple Girl]

08:58 AM on 12/23/2007

I'm happy to hear they will be back
But not thrilled they are willing to do so without their writers.
Frankly the only reason the middle guy and the corps have all the profits (and their cushy jobs) is from the minds of it's writers. Otherwise they're just Fox News.
I'm going to have to think about this. May have to continue watching History or Discovery, or go to bed.
Writers have done more for mankind throughout history than any 'overhead' they support.
If all went to hell in a handbag- I could always read a book by a great writer.
Writers have eternal value, the Murdoch's of the world have no such talent or genuine worth. A writer can read /perform his talent in public, what can Murdoch do? He lives off both of us the writer and the public- perhaps some salt will dislodge his parasitic existence. the word is mightier and more valuable than the pen or the paper it is written on.

[tchristin]

09:03 PM on 12/22/2007

This news really made my day. YAY

[OckhamsElectricRazor]

08:28 PM on 12/22/2007

The strike is revealing what a sham these talk show hosts have become. Their talent and motivation drained years before, now they are just spoiled and fluffy with nothing to say. Poor babies!!

[MadMoll]

05:36 PM on 12/22/2007

boycott the return. As much as I love the show, I will not watch it until the strike is settled. The Stephen Colbert we see on the show is the creation of Stephen Colbert and his writers.

I will not be watching The Colbert Report nor The Daily Show.

[SouthernYankeeBelle]

04:50 PM on 12/22/2007

I will be watching. I love the show and it is better than alot of these dumb reality shows that are on now. I love Stewart's humor. Colbert is OK to. I can't wait when they start in on this administration and the elections.

[rwe]

10:44 AM on 12/22/2007

they are funny,biting , cutting edge . They also are entertainment thus need writers. When they have guests who the huffpos hate (basically anyone right or conservative ) they still show some consideration or decorum else they would not get any but libtards. You rail against Fox News yet they would treat their guests well else they would not come on... Also notice that the real shows such as those on Fox , have intelligent hosts who don't need to have every one of their syllables and gesteures scripted?

[godlessclif]

01:06 AM on 12/22/2007

Everyone knows Jon Stewart is a pussy.

Look at who he gets tough with!
Begala. Tucker Carlson. Smoochy the Dinosaur.

Of course he did not screw with Lynne Cheney.
If he insulted Lynne Cheney she would ask Dick
to shoot him in the face.

[justsaynotofascism]

11:49 PM on 12/21/2007

I won't be watching either show until the writer's strike is resolved.