Late Night Returns From Writers’ Strike With These 4 Monologues

After the [inlink id="wga-reaches-tentative-deal-with-studios-and-streamers" text="WGA (Writers Guild of America) came to an agreement"] recently with new contracts, late-night television programs made their debut back on the air last night (October 2). Writers have been given cost of living increases, will be protected from Artificial Intelligence, and will receive better pay for streaming royalties. Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Fallon have all been off the air for five months. Each host made it clear that they were glad to be back. [inlink id="jimmy-kimmel-wanted-to-retire" text="RELATED: Jimmy Kimmel Wanted To Retire Before the Writer’s Strike"] Kimmel thanked his team of writers for returning in his 17-minute-long monologue. He then expressed that he wishes that striking actors, auto workers, and healthcare workers get the contracts they deserve, too. Meanwhile, Colbert had a two-part opening monologue upon his return to recap "a crazy summer," totaling around 17 minutes long as well. Meyers kept things short and sweet, primarily focusing on thanking his writers, staff, and audience members. Speaking about their joint podcast while their late-night shows were off the air, Fallon said Strike Force Five donated their earnings to their crew and staff who were striking. His monologue was the shortest, under four minutes long. The WGA strike began on May 2. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) [inlink id="actors-strike-shuts-down-hollywood" text="began its strike on July 14"]. (SAG-AFTRA is the union representing striking actors.) Both unions have shared reasons for striking. As reported by Deadline at the time, an anonymous studio executive was quoted about the WGA strike that the "endgame" is to allow things to "drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses." This statement rejuvenated the WGA’s energy around the strike. The Hollywood Reporter has been running “Anonymous Strike Diary,” and wrote, in part, "Thank you, whoever you are. Because those quotes turbocharged us. They reminded every writer why we’re doing this." Take a look below at late-night hosts' first monologues after the writer's strike.