Late-Night Shows Shut Down as Hollywood Writers Strike Begins After Failed Negotiations

Thousands of screenwriters went on strike overnight after six weeks of negotiations for a new film and scripted TV contract came to a stalemate.

The existing contract between the Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers — which includes Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBC Universal, Paramount and Sony — officially expired at 12 a.m. PT, kicking off the walkout.

Writers have been seeking a major overhaul in compensation for streaming residuals, as well as higher pay overall, greater protections and a solution to the increase of "mini-rooms" in which a small group of writers pen multiple scripts for a show's potential first season prior to production beginning.

As Deadline notes, both the WGA and the AMPTP agree that despite a content boom in recent years, writers are bringing in less money overall. Ideas on how to fix the problem, unfortunately, is where the conflict originates. "WGA proposals would gain writers approximately $429 million per year; AMPTP's offer is approximately $86 million per year, 48% of which is from the minimums increase," the guild said, according to the outlet.

The impact of the strike will be felt immediately. Aside from picketing — which will begin on Monday afternoon — production on daily late-night shows including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Daily Show will shut down immediately, with networks airing reruns.

Saturday Night Live confirmed hours after the wave of late-night announcements that it had canceled that upcoming weekend's episode hosted by Pete Davidson with musical guest Lil Uzi Vert.

"I support my writers," Fallon, who is also an SNL alum, told NBC News Monday on the 2023 Met Gala red carpet. "We have a lot of staff and crew that will be affected by this but, you know, they got to get a fair deal."

Meyers also stood by his scribes, speaking about it on Late Night Monday. "I love writing. I love writing for TV. I love writing this show. I love that we get to come in with an idea for what we want to do every day and we get to work on it all afternoon and then I have the pleasure of coming out here. No one is entitled to a job in show business," he said. "But for those people who have a job, they are entitled to fair compensation. They are entitled to make a living. I think it's a very reasonable demand that's being set out by the guild. And I support those demands."

Also in jeopardy to go dark are weekly shows like Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Real Time with Bill Maher and Saturday Night Live — though if the strike is settled this week, production could go on.

SNL alum Pete Davidson, who was set to host the long-running sketch comedy series alongside musical guest Lil Uzi Vert, discussed the possibility of a strike during an appearance on The Tonight Show last week while promoting his new Peacock series Bupkis.

"I've been working on this for two three months. ... It sucks because it just feeds my, like, weird story I have in my head," he said, joking that he was taking it personally. "Like, of course that would happen to me. They didn't want me to host it. It's all about me.

Guests for the weekly late-night shows had already been announced, too. The Tonight Show had Jennifer Lopez, Bowen Yang, Ken Jeong and Elle Fanning lined up (among others), while Jimmy Kimmel Live! was set to welcome a slew of stars including Melissa McCarthy, Gina Rodriguez, Ricky Gervais and Dr. Phil McGraw. The Late Show booked Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Chita Rivera, Michael J. Fox, Shonda Rhimes and more.

Daytime soap operas are also expected to be affected sooner rather than later, as scripts run out. Depending on how long the strike lasts, fall TV and even movies could feel the effects.

The last strike started in November 2007 and lasted 100 days, ending on Feb. 12, 2008. It led to devastating blows throughout the industry and the loss of billions of dollars. Ripple effects were felt in all areas, including departments like hair and makeup, costumes, sets, catering and other crafts.

Negotiations between the WGA and the AMPTP began on March 20. Hours after talks ended on Monday, the WGA shared a public statement announcing they would be using their previously approved strike authorization.

"The WGA Negotiating Committee began this process intent on making a fair deal, but the studios' responses have been wholly insufficient given the existential crisis writers are facing," they said. "The companies' behavior has created a gig economy inside a union workforce, and their immovable stance in this negotiation has betrayed a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing. From their refusal to guarantee any level of weekly employment in episodic television, to the creation of a "day rate" in comedy variety, to their stonewalling on free work for screenwriters and on AI for all writers, they have closed the door on their labor force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession. No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership."

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For their part, the AMPTP maintains a desire to come to a mutual agreement.

"The AMPTP member companies remain united in their desire to reach a deal that is mutually beneficial to writers and the health and longevity of the industry, and to avoid hardship to the thousands of employees who depend upon the industry for their livelihoods," the organization said in a statement Monday night. "The AMPTP is willing to engage in discussions with the WGA in an effort to break this logjam."