The TV Addict 

Hey all, Amrie here. Do me a favor today in your web travels today, gang. I know we’re all wondering what we can do to show our support for the fabulous writers we all love so much. Please take some time to read through the truly inspiring essays by some of our favorites in the WHY WE WRITE series. Filled with fabulous essays from SCRUBS’ creator Bill Lawrence, 24 genius Howard Gordon, LOSTerminds Damon Lindelof, and a wide variety of other funny, inspiring, passionate people, this will help tide you over until the horrible S-word wraps up.

The idea was put into motion by executive producers of SCI FI’s fabulous series EUREKA, Thania St. John and Charlie Craig. When they finally had some time to sit and ask each other why they write, after all these years in the business, it inspired them to ask others, and thus a great website was created.

The site is whywewriteseries.wordpress.com. I promise you’ll enjoy what you read. And maybe you’ll even be inspired to submit your own essay about why you write, why you watch, or why you were inspired.

Make sure to leave us comments, let us know what you think. And spread the word – pass on the link to friends. Show these writers that we’re still paying attention and our support is not going away.

As he often does, Jon Stewart ended off THE DAILY SHOW by checking in with his Comedy Central co-hort Stephen Colbert. Sporting a lengthy strike beard that would put Letterman’s to shame, Colbert remarked, “I’m very alarmed by how prepared you seemed.”

Needless to say, Colbert isn’t the only one.

As much as I was thrilled for the return of my traditional nightcap of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, this TV Addict couldn’t help but notice how ‘normal’ both shows seemed. Sure tweaks to both shows were evident, with Colbert interviewing 2 guests rather than his usual 1 and Stewart taking some not-so-subtle shots at the WGA leadership team for their side deal with LETTERMAN. The worrisome factor kicks in when one realizes that both THE DAILY SHOW and THE COLBERT REPORT still managed, emphasis on without writers, to combine for television’s funniest hour of political commentary.

Whether Stewart and Colbert can keep this up night after night is another issue entirely. Yet one can’t help but ponder the question that should be on everyone’s mind. Is their successful return not another nail in the WGA’s coffin?

TV Addicts Anonymous is a fellowship of men and woman who come together to support each-other during this incredibly difficult WGA strike. TVAA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to help each-other find alternative forms of entertainment until the WGA and AMPTP get their collective heads out of the sand and realize that a prolonged strike is killing the industry.

My name is Daniel and I’m a TV Addict.

Last night, rather than watch reruns of my favorite shows or endure another unwatchable installment of THE APPRENTICE, I chose to watch THE BEST OF LARRY SANDERS on DVD.

What did you do?

In a continued effort to remind the powers that be [yes, we're talking to you Les Moonves] that intelligent TV fans will not sit idly by and mindlessly watch the endless hours of reality TV and reruns that are quickly replacing quality scripted dramas and comedies. This TV Addict will be posting our STRIKE PROOF TV GUIDE on a daily basis: Our guide to what we won’t be watching come 8PM tonight.

But first, what we will be watching.

SMALLVILLE and SUPERNATURAL have been classified as ‘must watch’ because tonight’s installments are new to us!

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for shows on ABC and CBS. As much as we love BETTY, GREY’S and HOUSEWIVES, we’ve already seen them — and Teri Hatcher was barely tolerable the first time.

Moving onto NBC, no DEAL on earth could get us to tune into the one-two-combo of Howie Mandell and Donald Trump. And while we don’t have anything against ER per-say, the return of Gloria Reuben might have been exciting, if this were 1999.

Finally a question for FOX. Exactly how many Tostitos Super Sugar Fiesta Bowl games are there? Bring on the HOUSE and BONES repeats!

Agree/Disagree? Post away with what you’ll be tuning into tonight. Have you caved already and decided to pick up — dare we say it — a book?

After two months off the air in support of the WGA strike, LENO, CONAN, LETTERMAN, FERGUSON and KIMMEL all returned to the airwaves with brand new episodes.

Which begs the obvious questions: Am I the only TV Addict who thought LENO was the most entertaining host of the night? Was anyone else incredibly disappointed my Letterman’s low-key return and thinks its time for Conan and Kimmel to shave their beards? Post away with your thoughts.

Lately, you may have noticed a new promo running on NBC touting the peacock network’s ‘exciting’ slate of January programming. Courtesy of the fantastic site LostRemote, here’s a transcription:

“January First, NBC gives you exactly what you want – NEW TV. NBC will have more new stuff than anybody else – with seven new premieres in the first ten days. Celebrity Apprentice, Biggest Loser Couples, American Gladiators and One vs. 100. Plus: New episodes of Law & Order, Law & Order: CI and Medium. So whenever you hear those Peacock chimes – you’ll know there’s (bing bong bong) something new happening… on NBC.”

Now, not to rain on the NBC Marketing Department’s parade (or any of the networks for that matter), but CELEBRITY APPRENTICE, AMERICA GLADIATORS, ONE vs 100 and BIGGEST LOSTER COUPLES are not exactly what we want.

And in an effort to remind the powers that be of this, theTVaddict.com will proudly be posting our STRIKE PROOF TV GUIDE on a daily basis: Our guide to what we won’t be watching come 8PM tonight.

Because let’s face it, what we really want is an end to the WGA strike and a return to the regular programming we love. Oh, and while we’ve got your attention, would it kill you to bring back VERONICA MARS?

For tonight’s inaugural STRIKE PROOF TV GUIDE, click the link below.

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BREAKING NEWS: TheTVaddict.com just received this secret video of the closed-door negotiations between the writers and the producers.

What’s worse. The video titled ‘Hollywood Rumble’ is well acted, excellently shot, and scariest of all — FUNNY!

In other-words: WGA, AMPTP, be afraid… be very afraid. Because this is just the beginning.

Watching television is habitual, an addiction if you will. Take THE DAILY SHOW and THE COLBERT REPORT. When they went off the air in November was I disappointed? Absolutely. But after seven weeks without my Comedy Central fix, I’ve found new ways to entertain myself [see: my Nintendo Wii that's recently found a permanent spot in my living room]

When are both the WGA and the AMPTP going to clue into the fact that they’re doing irreparable damage to the television industry we all love and get back to the negotiating table?

We interrupt your pleasant evening for a quick rant from theTVaddict.com.

NBC Nightly News is leading… I repeat LEADING with breaking news on the WGA Strike. At 6:30PM, Brian Williams gleefully announced that Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien will be returning to television on January 2, 2008. With Letterman working feverishly to negotiate a deal with his writers to do the same.

Now, the TV Addict is no Brian Stelter, but does NBC News leading with a story on the WGA Strike not reek of a massive conflict of interest? I mean seriously, is NBC Nightly News really going to report anything negative about the AMPTP considering they’re owned by NBC?

And don’t even get me started on the fact that with an upcoming US election, a massive snowstorm across the northeast and that little skirmish still going on in Iraq, NBC Nightly News is leading with Jay and Conan returning to TV.

Since Stephen Colbert can’t say it, this TV Addict will. Brian Williams — you’re on notice.

It was announced today that Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien will return to work on January 2, 2007.

In statements released this afternoon, Conan defended his decision by saying, “Unfortunately, now with the New Year upon us, I am left with a difficult decision. Either go back to work and keep my staff employed or stay dark and allow 80 people, many of whom have worked for me for fourteen years, to lose their jobs.”

In an eerily similar statement, Leno said, “Now that the talks have broken down and there are no further negotiations scheduled I feel it’s my responsibility to get my 100 non-writing staff, which were laid off, back to work. We fully support our writers and I think they understand my decision.”

The TV Addict’s take: While I appreciate the difficult situation both Leno and Conan find themselves in. I’m incredibly disappointed that they decided to go back to work.

Late Night is not only an enormous profit center for ABC, NBC and CBS, it’s an integral tool for the studios to use when marketing their major motion pictures. Leno, Letterman, Conan, Ferguson and Kimmel’s solidarity with the WGA was sending a very powerful and important message to the AMPTP.

Their return to work will be seen as nothing short of a serious blow to the striking writers. And while I respect that both Leno and Conan just gave around two hundred employees one helluva early holiday gift. Lest we forget the tens of thousands of workers still seriously affected by this strike.

Agree, Disagree, Post away.

Mark your calendars folks. The gloves are officially off.

Apparently, the AMPTP doesn’t find the recent parody website mocking the organization very funny and in response has decided to release a press release chastising the WGA for what they believe is a “personal attack.”

This TV Addict’s concern: That the ridiculous public posturing by both the AMPTP and the WGA are keeping both sides from real negotiations. More importantly, it’s looking less and less likely that we’ll find a signed agreement between the two sides under our Christmas Trees (or Chanukah bushes) come December 25.

Judge for yourself by reading this AMPTP press release that just found its way into this TV Addict’s mailbox.

By now you know that those in charge at the WGA have injected substantial new doses of vitriol into the important and continuing debate on our industry’s future. On Monday, in a letter to members of the WGA East, the president of that organization wrote: “They lie. And then they lie again. And then they lie some more.”

Then, someone from the WGA offices happily distributed the link to a hijacked parody website that even many rank-and-file WGA members felt was over-the-top. All of this is happening right along with the WGA’s continuing series of concerts, rallies, mock exorcisms, pencil-drops and Star Trek-themed gatherings.

Amidst this alternating mix of personal attacks and picket line frivolity, we must not forget that this WGA strike is beginning to cause serious economic damage to many people in the entertainment business. While the WGA’s world-class health care benefits remain secure, tens of thousands of below-the-line workers are seeing their health insurance jeopardized by the continuing strike. In addition, our entire Southern California community is beginning to feel the effects of the grinding shutdown of an industry that is the lifeblood of the region’s economy.

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