David Letterman to Pay Staff Himself During WGA Strike

Authored by Scott Goldberg on November 15, 2007 - 10:19am.

A source has told Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood Daily that David Letterman, whose Late Show is currently shut down for the Writers Guild of America strike, will pay his staff through the rest of the year out of his own pocket. "Dave's not doing this to get good press, which is why it hasn't been reported for almost two days,” the source said. "This is really significant because, as opposed to all of the other shows, this money comes out of Dave's own pocket."

Finke says that when Late Show stopped taping last week, CBS also stopped paying Letterman’s production company on November 5th.

The court of public opinion is always crucial in a strike, as it tends to put pressure on one side and adds a bargaining chip at the table. In our own poll, the writers have about 70% of the support, and Variety reported similar results in two other polls today.

Clearly the WGA has succeeded in garnering support for the cause, whereas the studios find themselves in a difficult position. On one hand they must cater to Wall Street, which demands positive financial results, and on the other hand they must say to the WGA that things are, for the foreseeable future, financially tight. As to the former - Wall Street - the picture for the studios looks dandy. It makes the case for a financial squeeze and the inability to meet the WGA’s demands much more difficult, and is at least one reason the union is currently winning the public battle.

Take our Poll: Which side of the strike do you support?

Other strike news from DMW:
Researcher says WGA Strike Won't Change TV Viewing Habits
Soap Writers Cross WGA Line; CBS News Writers Weigh Options
WGA Criticizes Ellen DeGeneres for Continuing her Show
NBC's 'The Office' Shut Down for Strike

Photo from ShowBizSpy.com