Strike notes: Leno, Ellen, news writers, The Office, grid

Don Day November 11th, 2007

With the Writers Guild of America strike entering week two, here are a flurry of interesting notes:

- The non-writing staff at NBC’s Tonight Show with Jay Leno has been informed they could be laid off at the end of the week if the strike doesn’t end. But the AP says there’s another option being discussed: bringing the show back from hiatus November 19th… with guest hosts sitting in for Jay.

- Ellen DeGeneres returned to her show last week, albeit without writers. DeGeneres is a member of both the WGA, and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The WGA sent out a release blasting her — and AFTRA defended her for continuing to perform her non-WGA duties.

- If you were expecting a primetime lineup riddled with news programming if the strike drags on - ABC and CBS might not be the places to find it. CBS News writers are covered by the WGA, and are set to vote on a strike authorization. ABC News could be next - 200 WGA members there have been without a contract since 2005.

- The last new episode of The Office airs this Thursday.

- Wonder how your favorite show will be affected by the strike? The LA Times has a great network-by-network, show-by-show grid.