Ellen DeGeneres is facing the wrath of angry Hollywood protesters - after failing to act in support of the screenwriters' strikes. While fellow talkshow hosts David Letterman, Jay Leno, Jon Stewart and Conan O'Brien have all stood in support of the striking members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), DeGeneres crossed picket lines to tape her show The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Tuesday - the day after the union went on strike.

Defending her actions, she told the studio audience, "There's a writers' strike going on, and here in Los Angeles, it's a huge story.I want to say I love my writers. I love them. In honor of them today, I'm not going to do a monologue. I support them and hope that they get everything they're asking for. And I hope it works out soon. In the meantime, people have traveled across the country. They've made plans. They're here. I want to do everything I can to make your trip enjoyable and give you a show."

But it's a decision DeGeneres may come to regret, as screenwriters are already attacking her decision.

One writer for her former 2001-2002 sitcom, The Ellen Show, reports she treated her writers "like s**t". The unnamed writer adds on his internet blog, "I'm disappointed in Ellen (for crossing the picket line) but not surprised... given what I've seen from her with my own two eyes."

A TV insider tells the New York Post's PageSix, "DeGeneres is unwilling to honor the picket line because this is her last chance in show business. This show is the only thing keeping her from a lifetime of touring college campuses."

A representative for the star has refused to comment.

I'm on Ellens side! Go ELLEN! & I doubt tha she treats her writers like "sh**". Ellen is Great!

A TV insider tells the New York Post's PageSix, "DeGeneres is unwilling to honor the picket line because this is her last chance in show business. This show is the only thing keeping her from a lifetime of touring college campuses."
Where is this "tv insider" getting his info from?? Ellen seems hotter than ever right now. :confused:

I'm on Ellens side! Go ELLEN! & I doubt tha she treats her writers like "sh**". Ellen is Great!

I agree. Way to go, Ellen!

Where is this "tv insider" getting his info from?? Ellen seems hotter than ever right now. :confused:
I agree. It's one thing for people to be upset over this, but if you're gonna diss someone, be accurate.

For some reason, I have a hard time believing that bit about her treating her writers badly during The Ellen Show.

I'm on Ellen's side, unlike most of these writers and talk show hosts, Ellen would rather entertain the audience than deprive them of new shows because a lot of writers are whining about not getting enough money. Go Ellen, screw the writers who want to destroy the TV season out of greed.

I don't believe that Ellen treated her writers (or former writers) like crap. Although I believe the writers' strike is a cause that needed to happen since one of their grievances is the 4 cents they receive for every DVD sale. I seen one writer on the picket line who mentioned on the news how she received a check last week and it was .01 cent. Who the hell can live on one penny? Those people worked hard and educated themselves to get where they are at and no show on television that depends on writers can move forward without them, so maybe this will teach them how valuable their work is. You can have all the biggest celebs on sitcoms, the best actors, the best sets, the best crew, but without writers, where is the show? Nowhere.

November 12, 2007 -- WAR between two Hollywood unions has broken out over Ellen DeGeneres, who continues to host her popular daytime talk show in the face of a writers strike.

The striking Writers Guild has declared her a "scab" for going to work - but AFTRA, the actors union, has come to her defense.

As a member of the actors union, Ellen is "legally required by the no-strike clause of [the union] contract to report to work," Kim Roberts Hedgpeth, head of the actors union, wrote to the head of the writers union's East Coast unit.

Ellen is the biggest celebrity so far caught in the middle of the contentious strike because she belongs to both unions.

The writers union last week said she is "not welcome" in New York after she returned to work after only one day.


In a blunt, angry letter to the writers union, Hedgpeth said she was "stunned" at the attack on Ellen.

"We cannot fathom why we did not receive so much as a courtesy heads-up to discuss the situation," she wrote.

In an overly polite reply, the Writers Guild made it clear over the weekend that it was still going to make an example of the comedian.

"There is the obvious ethical issue, which is clearly present in Ms. DeGeneres' decision to write and produce a show . . . in the face of an industrywide walkout," the guild said. "Such a decision cannot be redeemed by your spirited and eloquent defense."

As the strike enters its second week today, the fight over DeGeneres promises more trouble when actors - many of whom stayed out of work to support the writers - are threatened with firing if they do not go back in the weeks ahead.



http://www.nypost.com/seven/11122007/tv/actors_union_defends_ellen_459741.htm

I'm still on Ellen's side. GO ELLEN! As far as I know she will still be going to Nw York for Thanksgiving.

I am, too. People need to be allowed to make their own decisions, and do what they think is right. The Writer's Guild has said it is unethical. I don't think it is unethical. That is the Writer's Guild has decided that it is. Personally, I think it is unethical to make an example out of people. I'm glad the head of the Actor's Union stood up for her. I'd be a lot more sympathetic to the writers and their cause if they would stop doing things like using people as an example and insulting them.

I don't believe that for a minute.

And if the show is the only thing keeping her from college campuses, it's because of HER!!!!! She's the one everyone likes to tune in and watch - not some nerd at a desktop! Like she can't write some of her own material? Hellllo - didn't she have to write her own stuff when starting out as a comedian in the first place? She wrote her own stuff when she appeared on Carson - several times.

Not that I don't sympathize with the writers, but don't start picking on stars just because they don't get into YOUR fight. If it wasn't for that star, they might just not have a job in the first place. Boneheads.

She already said she wasn't doing monologues with their help or other writer-invloved things until the strike is over. What the hell more do they want?! For God's sake, Ellen's show is a TALK SHOW. She can handle the show her damn self. In the mean time, I'm sure she's got a warm comfy spot for her writers when the strike is over.

these writers are getting a little bit out of hand. i'm on their side, but seriously. does it effect the strike THAT MUCH because Ellen is still taping? if she can still tape, then fine - the more shows not effected by this, the better. there's no reason to whine about it.

Why is Ellen being singled out? Has Oprah stopped or other daytime talk shows?

Why is Ellen being singled out? Has Oprah stopped or other daytime talk shows?

I heard on the news that Oprah's show doesn't employ union writers so her show will not be effected by the strike and can continue. Same for "The View".

I guess Ellen is being singled out because her show does employ union writers and she is the only one, so far, who crossed the picket line.

I think they should leave her alone.

I heard on the news that Oprah's show doesn't employ union writers so her show will not be effected by the strike and can continue. Same for "The View".

I guess Ellen is being singled out because her show does employ union writers and she is the only one, so far, who crossed the picket line.

I think they should leave her alone.
It appears that the other talk shows had the right idea, and it wouldn't surprise me if other new talk shows followed suit in the future. I think they should get off Ellen's back myself. It's a talk show.

I don't understand the difference between what Ellen did and what Jay did. :confused:

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/wga-not-interested-in-war-with-leno/

NBC: Leno Can Write His Monologue; WGA: He Can't But We Don't Want War
3RD UPDATE: LENO/WGA: WHAT'S THE REAL STORY? NBC Claims Jay Asked For & Received WGA Permission To Write Monologue At Secret Monday Meeting With Verrone

2ND UPDATE: NBC has just issued the following statement. "The WGA agreement permits Jay Leno to write his own monologue for The Tonight Show. The WGA is not permitted to implement rules that conflict with the terms of the collective bargaining agreement between the studios and the WGA." I can tell you definitively that this is NOT what the WGA claims its Minimum Basic Agreement provisions say. It sounds like the network WANTS a war with the WGA over Leno. I'm making calls to try to sort this out further.

EXCLUSIVE: It sure seems like Jay Leno will now be free to perform his nightly Tonight Show monologue. That's because I've learned that the Writers Guild Of America has decided quietly not to go to war with its prominent member. "We are not interested in a battle here between Jay and the Guild," a WGA insider just told me. Earlier today, the WGA made a public statement that "a discussion took place today between Jay Leno and the Writers Guild to clarify to him that writing for The Tonight Show constitutes a violation of the Guilds’ strike rules." I'm told that Leno explained to the WGA he thought he was following the WGA rules because of a provision in the Guild's so-called "Minimum Basic Agreement" that allows for a performer to write for himself. But then the union made clear that the pact also clearly states that this provision does not apply to a Guild member who also happens to employed on the show as a writer. (Leno is both a writer and producer of The Tonight Show which is owned by NBC.) Leno admitted last night on the air during his first show back from strike hiatus that he wrote his own monologue. But Leno's "explanation" for breaking strike rules sounds conveniently disingenuous to me considering that Jay has an army of lawyers to ensure no such confusion. Now get this: I'm told Leno can "ad-lib" his monologue. He just can't "write" his monologue. Huh?

Meanwhile, early ratings for late night TV's return show that Jay scored a 5.3 rating and 12 audience share in the nation’s 55 largest markets for his best ratings in two years, according to Nielsen Media Research. Leno’s ratings were up 47% over what he achieved before the strike. David Letterman's Late Show had a 4.3 rating and 10 share, or 39% better than his pre-strike average. I don't find this surprising, since Leno had been consistently beatting Letterman for years and TV viewing habits don't change overnight. Plus, there was the "car wreck" phenomenon at work and audiences may have wanted to watch how The Tonight Show would fare without writers.

But Leno knows full well he could lose viewers if he stops his topical monologue (which is what Conan O'Brien appeared to do last night). But if Jay keeps doing his signature stand-up opening, that immediately levels the playing field with Letterman whose production company Worldwide Pants, which owns The Late Show and the Late Late Show took great pains to obtain a WGA interim agreement in order to come back on the air with an intact writing team. It sure looks like Jay will have the last laugh at the union's expense.