CBS, NBC have stopped paying Letterman and Leno

[Brian Damage]

November 14, 2007 -- The TV writers' strike is costing David Letterman and Jay Leno more than $100,000 a night each.

Because the late-night stars have stayed off the job since the walkout began last week, CBS and NBC have stopped paying them, according to TV-industry sources who asked not to be identified and are close to both hosts.

Since Dave and Jay are among the highest-paid TV stars, their decision to honor the picket lines has cost them each a total of more than $700,000 in the first nine days of the strike. They aren't paid for Saturday and Sunday, when they don't air.

Letterman's annual salary is a reported $31.5 million, while Leno's is around $27 million.

Letterman owns his "Late Show," so when he stopped making new episodes last week, CBS ceased paying his production company. The payments include Dave's estimated $600,000 weekly salary, a knowledgeable source said.

Letterman has continued to pay his production staff, but it's not known how long that will continue.

NBC officials said they might lay off nonwriting "Tonight Show" staffers at the end of this week if the strike is still on.

Leno, an NBC employee, last week stopped receiving his $520,000 weekly salary, according to production sources.

Because NBC owns "The Tonight Show," the network is said to be exploring the idea of using guest hosts to replace Leno until he returns. But it's not known who would write those shows.

Letterman and Leno chose to stay off the job because of their close relationships with the writers who create their nightly monologues and segments.

Crossing the picket lines of the people who write most of their jokes would be a foolish career move. And besides, both late-night veterans are wealthy.

The walkout has done nothing to improve NBC's already strained relationship with Leno, who the network says will be replaced as "Tonight" show host in 2009 by Conan O'Brien.

Leno is reportedly unhappy over NBC's plans and has been making noises about jumping to a rival network - perhaps Fox or ABC.

Spokesmen for Leno and Letterman declined comment yesterday, as did NBC and CBS officials.

During the last writers' strike, in 1988, Johnny Carson - who famously used to joke about how much vacation time his NBC contract allowed - took nearly nine weeks off before returning to work to write his own monologues.

It's not known whether NBC stopped paying him during that time, but that strike dragged on for five months.


http://www.nypost.com/seven/11142007..._out_54981.htm

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

November 14, 2007 -- The TV writers' strike is costing David Letterman and Jay Leno more than $100,000 a night each.

Because the late-night stars have stayed off the job since the walkout began last week, CBS and NBC have stopped paying them, according to TV-industry sources who asked not to be identified and are close to both hosts.

Since Dave and Jay are among the highest-paid TV stars, their decision to honor the picket lines has cost them each a total of more than $700,000 in the first nine days of the strike. They aren't paid for Saturday and Sunday, when they don't air.

Letterman's annual salary is a reported $31.5 million, while Leno's is around $27 million.

Letterman owns his "Late Show," so when he stopped making new episodes last week, CBS ceased paying his production company. The payments include Dave's estimated $600,000 weekly salary, a knowledgeable source said.

Letterman has continued to pay his production staff, but it's not known how long that will continue.

NBC officials said they might lay off nonwriting "Tonight Show" staffers at the end of this week if the strike is still on.

Leno, an NBC employee, last week stopped receiving his $520,000 weekly salary, according to production sources.

Because NBC owns "The Tonight Show," the network is said to be exploring the idea of using guest hosts to replace Leno until he returns. But it's not known who would write those shows.

Letterman and Leno chose to stay off the job because of their close relationships with the writers who create their nightly monologues and segments.

Crossing the picket lines of the people who write most of their jokes would be a foolish career move. And besides, both late-night veterans are wealthy.

The walkout has done nothing to improve NBC's already strained relationship with Leno, who the network says will be replaced as "Tonight" show host in 2009 by Conan O'Brien.

Leno is reportedly unhappy over NBC's plans and has been making noises about jumping to a rival network - perhaps Fox or ABC.

Spokesmen for Leno and Letterman declined comment yesterday, as did NBC and CBS officials.

During the last writers' strike, in 1988, Johnny Carson - who famously used to joke about how much vacation time his NBC contract allowed - took nearly nine weeks off before returning to work to write his own monologues.

It's not known whether NBC stopped paying him during that time, but that strike dragged on for five months.


http://www.nypost.com/seven/11142007..._out_54981.htm

They better get out there and start winging it if they want that cash-lol Creativity on stage when telling jokes is the only option right now.


Also it's NEWS to me that someone was writing their jokes for them. I assumed they had input on the monlouges jokes