Finally. I found the old article I'd read about the '88 strike.

Hopefully that works.

ETA:

I'm pretty sure Carson's deal was that material could be ad-libbed, not that the show's writers could come back to work.

He did ad-lib, at first. But he got his writers back at the end of May. The strike didn't end until August.

sent, Allyson - thanks so much for doing this.

Ah, I misunderstood -- never mind! They did talk about Late Night doing "Network Time-Killers" and stuff, but I assumed that part applied to the Tonight Show as well.

Long time no phone, Strega.

I know; I've been frazzled. And then I was sick last week, whine. So now I am taking a break before I get back to dealing with the truly incredible mess I've made of my place. Bleh.

I say this not because I doubt your trustworthiness, but because we never see enough of your pretty hair and we all like to live vicariously: take pictures when you drop things off!

This.

Insent, and I'm definitely good with you keeping extra for future need. After all, if you're going to go untrustworthy on us after all these years, you've spent all the time building a reputation, so you deserve it. (it's like my outlook on not locking my patio door: if someone's going to climb up to the third floor to break into my apartment, they can have it. erm.)

After all, if you're going to go untrustworthy on us after all these years, you've spent all the time building a reputation, so you deserve it.

This. That loooong of a con, deserves a payoff.

I also vote for the pics so we can see the happy faces with the goodie bags. :)

And then that made me think how we are totally using you, Allyson. So thank you so very much for doing all of the work!!

Use my money for whatever strike support you can think of, Allyson.

I'm not sure what we can do to help on this end of things, but I have two friends who are not writers, but are freelance grips/production folks who've already lost contracts due to the strike. I support the writers and know that the strike is really the only way for them to have any leverage with the producers. However, I don't want folks to forget that lots of other folks are going to be in very rough financial positions while this strike goes on. The folks who work as PA's and grips, and camera people all have bills to pay and mouths to feed and if their projects can canceled or delayed there isn't a lot they can do. I know that NBC is already talking about layoffs regarding the Tonight Show staff.

I'm at a loss for how to help the folks that are being hit in the crossfire on this one, but maybe others will have some ideas.

Allyson, donation sent your way. It's not much, but hopefully a few "not muches" add up to enough.

Drew, you've got a good point there, and it's the nature of strikes. Alas, the firings and layoffs are a scare tactic, to get the strikers to back down. Because ultimately, the studios are gambling that the writers care more about individual people's jobs than they do. And they're obviously right about that.

It's a despicable thing to use people's ideals and sense of empathy and morality against them. But if nothing else, for me at least, it crystallizes which is the right side to be on.

Frankly, the best way to safeguard people's jobs is to end the strike quickly. And if one's not prepared to cave in, as its obvious some are hoping, then the only option is to bring more pressure onto the AMPTP to come back to the table and settle.