No need to worry about Oscars ... unless you're Jon Stewart

What about the Oscars?

With the Writers Guild of America poised to strike, Hollywood was bracing itself today for the myriad ways in which the labor stoppage would be felt. Viewers too were left wondering: No Leno, Letterman or Jon Stewart? What about "Grey's Anatomy," "Lost" and "Heroes"?

But Gilbert Cates, for one, says he isn't worried. Cates, who is producing the 80th Academy Awards show on Feb. 24 and must rely on a fleet of writers to get it done, says it's too earlier to start fretting.

"I'm going to wait until the new year to start getting nervous. It's just like [presidential] politics. Four months is a very long time." Cates said it ususally isn't until late January or early February that the writers of the show begin putting together material for the presenters. "It can't be done until we really have presenters."

He said he has not yet hired writing team for the show. "Obviously, the host in this case, Jon Stewart, I'm sure is preparing right now. Any hosts, whether it's Billy Crystal or David Letterman, as soon as they get the gig, they start filing away jokes for the opening monologue.

"It'll be what it'll be."

-- Robert W. Welkos

Comments

[Susan Heaps]

Just thought it might interest you all to know...I am just a lowly consumer that watch your shows. I am just angry that I get to look forward to reruns for the winter. Thank heavens for DVD's (the Classics). You are only hurting yourselves. Most of us will move on to a different type of entertainment. Most of the people I know do not even know you are on strike, they just think the reruns have started earlier than normal. I agree that you are getting the short end of the deal, but, in the long run, striking is not the answer. Most of us poor suckers would love to earn what you do for our long days of work.
Thanks for the work you do-when you do it....

[me]

I don't think the writers actually make much money. I think the ones who make big money are the people we see out in front of the camera, but blaming the writers... they're just trying to make a decent living, not buy mansions.