I’m not sure what to say, so of course I had to write a diary. I love The Daily Show and Colbert. I feel for the pain of all those, inside the guild and outside, who were not earning an income because production was shut down. And I was worried, naturally, that the prolonged strike could reduce viewership and harm the shows in the long run. I still am.
However, I have a very hard time accepting these shows’ return sans their writers. It is, at the very least, a complete abandonment of solidarity with the writers. And, possibly, it is worse than that.
I am glad to see both shows snarkily supporting the strike by acknowledging the value of their writers (you can read a recap of last night's shows here), but making jokes is comparatively easy. Going without a paycheck and fighting pressure from your corporate bosses is a much clearer, and to me a much more meaningful, show of support.
In the end, I can only express my deepest hopes that both Stewart and Colbert bent to corporate pressure and decided to come back on the air only after conferring with their writers and receiving their tacit support. Does anybody know whether this is the case?
As for myself, I will not be watching these shows until the strike is over. How about you?