They're Back! Part Deux

Several late-night hosts will celebrate the New Year tonight with new episodes, their first since the writers' strike began nearly two months ago. NBC's JAY LENO and CONAN O'BRIEN, CBS' DAVID LETTERMAN and CRAIG FERGUSON, and ABC's JIMMY KIMMEL will all make their return tonight.

Letterman and Ferguson will hold a competitive advantage over the other hosts. Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants, which owns both Late Show and Ferguson's Late Late Show, reached a deal with the Writers Guild of America last week, clearing the way for their writing staffs to return to the job. Leno, O'Brien and Kimmel will have to make do without their writers until the strike is resolved, or NBC elects to secure its own deal.

One early sign that the pact will benefit Letterman and Ferguson: the Screen Actors Guild said its members are now open to appearing on the CBS late-night programs. The WGA has announced that they'll be picketing Leno's L.A. studios and Conan's New York studios, meaning any guests booked on those shows would have to cross a picket line to do so.

Many stars have shown their solidarity with the writers since the strike began on November 5th. Letterman has already lined up one actor for tonight's show: ROBIN WILLIAMS, who will appear along with country musician SHOOTER JENNINGS. Leno's The Tonight Show will welcome Republican presidential candidate MIKE HUCKABEE tonight, while the other late-night shows had yet to announce their guests as of yesterday.

The major late-night shows have aired reruns in the last two months, with NBC's CARSON DALY having resumed production on Last Call about a month ago. Comedy Central's The Daily Show and The Colbert Report will go back on the air without their writers this Monday, and Fox's Saturday-night chatfest, Talkshow With Spike Feresten, reportedly will return on January 12th.

"Now here's Dave"

JAY LENO may renew his nightly competition with DAVID LETTERMAN when he returns on January 2nd. According to the New York Post, Letterman is "poised" to announce tomorrow that he will also come back to television on that date. Letterman's production company has met with the striking Writers Guild of America to bring back The Late Show and its writers, but no agreement has been reached yet and no new negotiations are scheduled. Letterman could still follow the lead of Jay Leno, CONAN O'BRIEN, and JIMMY KIMMEL and go back to work on January 2nd without his writers. An insider told the Post, quote, "As that date gets closer, [Letterman] is going to be forced to make a decision."

Playoff, errr Strike Beards...

Here's Dave and Conan with their Strike Beards...interesting...

I'd Give the nod to Dave...he does have a few years on Conan...altough I did see a better pic of Conan's beard...but what can you do?

They're Back!

JAY LENO and CONAN O'BRIEN are coming back to late-night television on January 2nd, ending a two-month hiatus in support of the writers' strike. The hosts of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O'Brien are members of the Writers Guild of America, but they expressed concern yesterday for the welfare of their non-writing employees. Leno said in a statement, quote, "We fully support our writers and I think they understand my decision."

Until the writers' strike is resolved, neither Leno nor O'Brien will have writers to rely on for jokes and other material, a reality that O'Brien acknowledged yesterday. He said, quote, "I will make clear, on the program, my support for the writers and I'll do the best version of Late Night I can under the circumstances. Of course, my show will not be as good. In fact, in moments it may very well be terrible." No celebrity guests for either show have been announced yet. Indeed, it will be interesting to see what stars will be willing to appear on the shows, under the circumstances.

Still, the Guild appears to be forgiving, for now. The WGA responded to the news yesterday by saying, quote, "Jay and Conan have been supportive of us from the beginning, and we understand the pressure they're under from NBC."

There is precedent for a late-night host returning to work during a writers' strike -- JOHNNY CARSON did it in 1988, after two months of repeats. CARSON DALY resumed production of his NBC late-night show earlier this month.

What impact Leno and O'Brien's decision will have on other late-night hosts remains to be seen. DAVID LETTERMAN's production company has expressed interest in reaching an individual agreement with the Writers Guild to bring back his CBS show and its writers, at least until an overall settlement with producers is reached.

The Tonight Show and Late Night have aired reruns since the writers' strike began on November 5th.

It's the Tonight Show, With...

Those of you tired of watching old reruns of late-night TV shows could soon have new episodes to look forward to. According to Variety, several late-night hosts could go back to work in the near future, following a hiatus that began when the writers went on strike last month. NBC's JAY LENO and CONAN O'BRIEN most likely would return early next month, regardless of whether the strike is still in effect by then. Other hosts could also return soon, although these plans are far from a certainty since all are cautious of becoming the first among their group to tape new episodes. CARSON DALY has already resumed production of his late-night show.

Such a warm and wonderful person....

JAY LENO has finally joined his late night brethren in lending a hand to his employees. According to the Hollywood Reporter, The Tonight Show host announced Saturday he will pay the salaries of about 80 non-striking staffers on the program for at least the next week. The Tonight Show, of course, has been in reruns for nearly a month due to the writers strike.

Leno is a little late in helping his employees compared to his counterparts. DAVID LETTERMAN, whose production company produces both his Late Show and The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, is paying the staffs of both series through the end of the year. And last week, CONAN O'BRIEN decided he would pay the non-striking employees of his Late Night show out of his own pocket on a week-to-week basis. Leno's decision comes after he rankled some feathers Friday when several staff members of The Tonight Show were laid off and told they may not be re-hired once production resumes. Several workers were furious, especially since Leno had told them shortly after the strike began they were not in danger of losing their jobs.

The Hollywood Reporter is also reporting comedian WANDA SYKES turned down the chance to guest host The Tonight Show during the strike and NBC mulled over the possibility of using a rotating stable of musicians as hosts. The network even considered having Leno continue to host the show without any monologue whatsoever.

Conan's Wacko Fan

The bizarre case surrounding the Roman Catholic priest accused of stalking late night talk show host CONAN O'BRIEN took a bizarre turn Saturday. REVEREND DAVID AJEMIAN was reported missing by his father in Boston after no one saw him for several hours. Then, around 7 p.m., Ajemian turned up and voluntarily went to a hospital.

On Friday, a judge found Ajemian fit to stand trial despite a psychological condition. He was charged with aggravated stalking and harassment after being arrested last week while trying to get into a taping of Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Ajemian, who has referred to himself as O'Brien's, quote, "most dangerous fan," has been accused of writing letters to the host and showing up in Tuscany while O'Brien was on vacation.

While talking to reporters at his parents' Boston home Saturday, the New York Daily News reports Ajemian revealed he would also love to meet PAUL SIMON and confessed he once wrote to FAYE DUNAWAY'S agent, but never got a response.

In lieu of his legal troubles, the Boston Archdiocese has placed Ajemian on leave. Incidentally, Ajemian attended Harvard at the same time O'Brien did, although it's not clear if they ever encountered one another there

Too Bad Conan isn't on the air...this would make a good bit!

A Boston priest was arrested last week in New York for stalking late-night talk show host CONAN O'BRIEN and writing him threatening notes on parish letterhead.

The Reverend DAVID AJEMIAN of the Archdiocese of Boston, who referred to himself in one note as Conan's quote, "priest stalker," and signed them quote, "Padre," was apprehended after he tried to enter a taping of Late Night at NBC's studios in Rockefeller Plaza.

Ajemian has been writing notes and e-mails to Conan since September of 2006, and he's even contacted the TV host's parents. If convicted, the priest could face up to a year in prison. In a statement, the Archdiocese of Boston said Ajemian can no longer minister publicly and has been placed on leave.

NBC still plans Leno Outser

If "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno is having second thoughts about surrendering his job as planned, NBC doesn't share them -- at least not publicly.
"Conan O'Brien will take over `The Tonight Show' in 2009," NBC Universal President and CEO Jeff Zucker said Monday in New York at an event arranged by Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Zucker said he'd like Leno to remain with the company and that "we are in those conversations now."
"I'm hopeful that Jay will be with us," the executive told the question-and-answer session.
A deal for Leno's exit was finalized three years ago as part of NBC Universal's effort to keep "Late Night" host O'Brien from bolting to a competing network. Leno marked his 15th year as host of "Tonight" last May.
Leno has said he's comfortable with his planned departure but, according to a report earlier this month in the Los Angeles Times, the comedian has grown reluctant to retire as host of the fabled, top-rated late-night program.
Leno declined comment on the Times report when it was published. He had no comment Monday on Zucker's remarks, an NBC spokeswoman said

*NBC just doesn't learn from it's past...Look for Leno to move to FOX if he leaves NBC..they have the money, and the spot (11:30 eastern) for him...