David Letterman Brings Back His Writers

Now is the time for me to drop my resentment against David Letterman. I stopped watching him a long time ago because . . . well . . . it doesn't matter why, really.

Today, David Letterman has moved onto my good list. His production company, Worldwide Pants, signed an agreement with the Writers Guild of America, meeting all the union's demands and returning to the airwaves with a vengeance.

The entire focus of the show was discussion of the strike, and Letterman's unwavering support of the writers shone through, sincerely, in every joke.

First highlight: the Top 10 list being read by striking writers from The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, The Conan O'Brien Show, and other local productions, including writer and director Nora Ephron.

Robin Williams was the first guest and he entertained as only he can. Letterman treats men of Williams' stature with a reverence that is palpable, and a liberal of Williams' stature deserves it. He talked about the strike, walking the picket line with the writers, travelling to Iraq and Afghanistan with the USO. He was, of course, hysterical.

Musical act Lupe Fiasco was wonderful and I plan to get their CD. They support the striking writers and we should support Lupe Fiasco.

Craig Ferguson, who is a very funny man, also returned right after Letterman. His show included an appearance by Tim Meadows.

What is most important here is not that the Letterman and Ferguson shows are back, but that the writers union has gotten a production company to agree to their terms, which says to me that the writers' demands must be reasonable.

I do not pretend to understand the arithmetic at the center of the dispute, but if David Letterman can make a deal happen, then others should be able to do the same thing; and those production companies refusing to make the deal are run by the type of people who are destroying America.

I know it is popular in these post-Reagan times to hate unions, but unions are a vital part of the success of American capitalism. Without unions, workers (even non-union workers) are screwed. Everyone who works, should support unions: they brought us the weekend, the 40-hour work-week, holidays, vacation and sick time, health insurance, benefits, and safe working conditions. They have done nothing but good and they deserve our unwavering support.

I watched Letterman and Ferguson because they supported the writers, and I will not watch competitors on CBS or ABC because they are scabs. Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmell, Conan O'Brien: all scabs.

Even if (like me) you don't care for Letterman, tune in to support the writers.

Update at 1009:
Please note that Mike Huckabee, an alleged populist running in the Republican primary for President, crossed a picket line and appeared on The Tonight Show, showing his true colors as a scab. Shame on you, Governor!



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