Late-night talkers return with pickets

January 02, 2008 Worldwide Pants worked out a deal late last week with the WGA that would let CBS' "The Late Show With David Letterman" and "The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson" return to the air with their writing staffs. Leno, O'Brien and Kimmel all are guild members, and a WGA representative said last week that, under the strike rules, the trio are not allowed to perform any "writing services" for their shows, including writing their own monologues. Worldwide Pants CEO Rob Burnett acknowledged that the shows would have an advantage but told The Hollywood Reporter last week that it mattered more that the below-the-line employees who are affected by the strike get back to work.

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