Writer's Strike Comes to an End

Pending a vote by the Writer's Guild of America's 12,000 members next week, the 3 1/2 month strike is over. The New York Times, like many others out there, have weighed in on who has actually come out on the winning side of this now-over stalemate. But there's one point that's been routinely been made in the last week or so that we'd like to highlight: Jay Leno's Tonight Show, without his writing staff and lacking access to A-list talent in the form of guests--the Screen Actors Guild was honoring the writer's picket lines--still managed to put on a comparable version of his pre-strike show and beat David Letterman's The Late Show to the tune of 1 million viewers per night. This might be factual but truth be told, Leno's show is a gaudy, Hollywood schlockfest that on its best days could never approximate the irreverence and wit that Dave brings to his nightly telecast. Letterman may not be as biting and incisive as he once was, but his show is a classic and he is undoubtedly a late night icon. Leno's the guy who took over for Johnny.