Jay Leno On Trial Over Strike Monologues

Los Angeles Times:

Reporting from Los Angeles and New York -- Comedian Jay Leno was hauled in front of his own union's trial committee Wednesday to address charges that he broke guild rules during last season's writers strike, a full year after the alleged violations.

The NBC late-night host was a prominent backer of the Writers Guild of America during the 100-day work stoppage, but he alarmed union officials when he announced on the air that he was penning his own monologues while the strike was still in full swing.

Leno contends that he did nothing wrong. He has the highest profile among a handful of writers whose cases are being reviewed by the committee, which will make a recommendation to the board on whether any action should be taken. Possible penalties include a reprimand, a fine and even expulsion from the union.

Read the whole story: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Topper24]

Leno shld fire all union writers from his show because they are nothing but FPOS.

[blooddoc]

Both Leno and Letterman did what they thought necessary to keep their shows viable during the writers' strike and continue support of those individuals dependent on them. Strikes are never pretty and often cause collateral damage, so unions (that's what the Writers' Guild is, in essence) should make them an absolute last resort and seek to minimize this collateral damage in pursuing their goals. Going after Leno just makes them look petty and trivializes their cause.

[SeaKitten]

LOL, unions have come such a long way. We needed them when workers were forced into indentured servitude. Holywood writers not having free cappuccino is not exactly about "breaking chains".

[PartyofLogic]

Actually the Writers Guild protects the interests of its members, the vast majority of whom earn well under $75k per year. The point of the strike was to protect their financial interests...their earned piece of the pie...with the emergence and ubiquity of new media. IF ABC shows its programming on line, for example, and is charging advertising dollars to do so, the profits are to be shared by the producers and writers as well as ABC executives. Seriously, if you want to make fun of anyone for being a self involved latte drinker, stick to the so called A list actors. What the hell do they do to deserve all the money they make??? Read the lines of the writers!

[jimmyjimmy07]

Yeah, you are right, if the eents of teh past 8 years have shown us anything, it is all of our problems are caused by working people, auto workers, teachers television writers, .....you know, the fat cats at the BOTTOM.

[truthyguy]

ooooow. I bet this is a potentially life altering event for Leno. That and where he is going to eat this evening.

[Zofomofo]

They should give him the boot! Leno has no respect for the union so why should they for him.

technically, Jay has never written anthing funny, so maybe he should be let off.

[Politiking]

Ungrateful Sons of Dogs. Leno paid his writers and supported the WGA during the strike and now they want him to pay fines with reprimand or possible expulsion from the Guild? What idiots?! They should shelf this stupid issue as they won't accomplish anything by penalizing Jay Leno. The WGA cost Hundreds of Millions, if not in Billions in lost revenue and money during their strike to the economy of LA, as well as other affected businesses and people. Idiots!

[AmbivalentGuy]

"Leno paid his writers and supported the WGA during the strike and now they want him to pay fines with reprimand or possible expulsion from the Guild?"

Have to agree with you, if he did keep paying his writers.

Fines? How about they pay him back the amount he supported
the guild and staff first then.

As for kicking him out, yeah, that sounds like a brilliant idea -
as if people weren't pissed off about the WGA enough already.

[hotwire]

Said like a true Capitalist Politiking.

[Zofomofo]

Why is it the strikers fault that they had to strike? You don't think they wanted to do you.

It is called leverage, without it we are nothing but slaves, wake up.

[CaptD]

Jay Leno should have the same freedom of speech as the rest of us do in America!

If he writes his own material then hat's off to him and shame on the Writer's Union for hassling him way after the fact! The show must go on, that's the bottom line and if the Writers choose to strike; then "well Done" to Jay for doing his own thing!

+ I wonder how his material was received vs. his normal writer's material!

p.s. Just because Jay likes automobiles has nothing to do with the article above and comments about that should not pollute this discussion; start your own or do something else online.

[localboy]

Agree 100%. Jay supported the strike as long as he could but then started writing his own stuff as it dragged on and threatened to put more of his show staff out of work.

To answer one of your points, I thought his material was just as good if not better than the writer's stuff especially later during the strike. Don't think that his ratings took much of a hit either.

[shirleyfeeney]

GOOD. Leno, you knew better. Shame on you.

Letterman settled with his writers and didn't make the gaff that you did. Of course, Letterman is WAY funnier than you are anyway.

[LetMeUnderstandThis]

Wasn't it Jay Leno that paid his writers regardless of the strike?

[LollieDotCom]

Dayymn, where's the love people? Jay Leno, cold? One of the things I love best about Jay Leno is his obvious love of his wife. Another thing I like about him is that when he believed it wasn't against union rules to do so, he came out on that stage and did brand new jokes he wrote, every day. Were they all perfect? No. But even Chris Rock only comes out with new material every few YEARS.

Let's remember this....

Not everyone can be funny.
Not everyone who can be funny, can be funny on command.
Not everyone who can be funny on command can do it up close in front of a live audience.
Not everyone who can be funny on command can do it up close in front of a live audience with every joke he's telling one he wrote himself.
Not everyone.... (you know it by now).... can do it telling new jokes he wrote himself EVERY NIGHT FOR 100 DAYS.

He's Jay Leno. He's the only funny, interested, interesting, good husband I've gone to bed with five nights a week for years. So ya'll step up or back off.

If he's got a wart on his butt it's funnier than his detractors at least five nights a week.

[aFlyoverPerson]

You're Mrs. Leno?

[LollieDotCom]

No I'm one of millions of women who go to bed watching late night talk show hosts. And millions of us, married and single like the fact that Jay Leno loves his wife. It's hope inspiring. :)

[dadw5boys]

I doubt Leno would pay the fine. He could bankrupt the union in legal fees !!!!!

[ccpostman]

This guy loves his cars more than his employees, friends, and wife.

Very, very strange and cold person.

Leno promoted the recall of Gray Davis on his show so he would not have to pay more on his many cars registrations. He also hoped Arnold would kill the California emission laws on cars.

If Gray Davis had restored the registration fees back to normal levels, California would be in less trouble now. The fee originally was 2% on the vehicle’s value. But in 1998, than Gov. Pete Wilson and the Legislature agreed to a series of reductions, with the provision that the fee would return to the original level if state revenues ever ran dry. Arnold has done no better and maybe worse not following the law.

And Leno should be sued for promoting the Gov. recall on his show!

[dadw5boys]

We pay 4 % and our state is still in trouble

[shirleyfeeney]

AMEN! I've been saying this all along!

When I'd ask people I knew who were voting for Arnold, they'd say "because he's lowering the VR fees." And I'd say, "Well, how do you think the CHP is going to be paid and the freeways and roads maintained?", and they'd say "I guess they'll have to find another way to pay for it."

I guess Arnold did just that, didn't he? Too bad we spent so much on the recall, because Arnold deserves it as well. Gray Davis could NOT have done any worse.

[legalclubs]

Wow. You really have allot of things wrong.

First, when Davis trippled the car tax in California he did it in a way which violated the California Constitution. You need a 2/3 majority to increase a tax in California and he didn't get his 2/3 and imposed the tax anyway. If you want a dictator (someone who feels free to violate the constitution as he sees fit) then I see why you liked Davis. By the way, the car tax was just nearly doubled and it was done so as Constitutionally required by a 2/3 vote. Arnold merely corrected Davis' illegal action.

Second, yes Leno collects cars, however, how do you go from there that he is a "very strange and cold person" who "loves his cars more than his employees, friends, and wife". This is the equivalent to saying that anybody who has a hobby (keeping in mind he makes allot of money and has to spend it on something) is a wierd person who likes the hobby more than people.

Third, Davis nearly bankrupted our state when times were good. It's very hard to be that incompetent. At least our current Governor -- and believe me I'm no fan of his politics -- is overseeing an economic disastor that is related to the overall nation wide and even wolrd wide downturn. Davis was a bum, that's why we the people of California disposed of him in the recall election.

[macbabe]

Leave Jay Alone, you obviously know NOTHING about him!!!

[YeahDonkey]

Thank God Leno is finally answering for his crimes, you can't expose the American public to horrible unfunny monologues like that and expect to get away with it.......

.......what about a writers strike?

[amadorjon]

yes I concur, writers strike or no, his stuff stinks worse than good cheese

[CaptD]

Then get a life and don't watch jay, spend your time elsewhere...