Late-Night Television Shut Down Due to WGA Strike: ‘Tonight Show,’ ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ and ‘The Late Show’ Affected

Writers are the backbone of the entertainment industry, including late-night television, where teams work to produce new content on a daily basis, making sure to tap into the latest viral trends and conversations. And because of that, the genre will be severely impacted during the current Writers Guild of America strike, with several programs going dark.

According to Deadline, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Daily Show will shut down immediately.

Other programs, such as Saturday Night Live, Real Time with Bill Maher and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver are in jeopardy, but have not yet laid out their future plans.

 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Daily Show will air reruns starting next Tuesday (May 2).

Seth Meyers addressed the strike on his talk show on Monday (May 1), saying, “I just want to take a quick moment to say that there’s currently a negotiation going on with the Writers Guild of America and the studios.”

Meyers continued, “A strike might happen as of late tonight, which means this show will be interrupted and we won’t be here to spend time with you. I want to say how grateful I am that both sides are sitting down at the table right now and that they’re negotiating. And I’m hopeful that they will be able to come to an agreement.”

He added, “This is a show that is built on strong writing. Strong writing is essential to this show. It’s essential to any show where the host, myself, is at best a C-plus performer. Really got to have the jokes.”

The comedian went on to say that “no one is entitled to a job in show business,” but those who are employed deserve access to “fair compensation” and a livable wage. 

“It’s a very reasonable demand that is being set out by the guild and I support those demands. But I also believe that everybody at the table right now, be it from the writers’ side or the studio side, knows that the future of this business is dependent on storytellers,” Meyers said. 

Fallon has also offered his support for the strike, telling Variety on the Met Gala red carpet, “I wouldn’t have a show if it wasn’t for my writers, and I support them all the way.”

WGA last went on strike in November 2007 due to unfair treatment and pay. The strike lasted 100 days and ended in February 2008. This time around, WGA West and East voted unanimously to issue a strike, which went into effect at on Tuesday (May 2) at midnight.