In a previous blog I reported that David Letterman plans to return to the airwaves with new shows beginning Wednesday night. However, when the announcement was made that Letterman’s production company had reached an agreement with striking writers no one knew for sure if celebrities who supported the work stoppage would appear as guests on the late-night talk show.
Well, it appears Dave won’t have to chat with himself come Wednesday. According to show producers, Robin Williams has agreed to be Letterman’s first guest when the show returns in two days.
Some TV critics are speculating that the appearance of a Hollywood A-lister who doesn’t need anyone to carry on a conversation may be Letterman’s way of drawing a distinction between his show and his late-night rivals (such as Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel and Conan O’Brien) who will also be returning with new shows, but are doing so without writers, and as such may have trouble booking big name celebs as guests.
In the meantime the show will go on in Hollywood for the Golden Globe Awards.
NBC just announced that the January 13th ceremony will proceed as scheduled, despite the threat of picketing from disgruntled Writers Guild of America members and statements by some of Tinseltown’s biggest names promising to boycott the red carpet event.
A few days ago The New York Times ran a story that featured quotes from some Hollywood insiders saying that several nominees would be no-shows and show producers considered canceling the broadcast.
But today the president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group behind the Globes, reportedly vowed that the 65th annual ceremony would go on as planned.
Representatives from the Writers Guild of American West and the Writers Guild of America East didn’t take long to respond following the group’s announcement. They told reporters they will position protestors around the Beverly Hilton Hotel where the ceremony will take place.
“If the Globes is telecast and it is produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is a struck company, we will picket the show,” WGA reps said.
With all the animosity surrounding the event will you even be watching the awards show next month?
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