The End of the Actors Strike: Hollywood Celebrates
The end of the actors strike is the talk of the town, and late night is no exception. Jimmy Kimmel kicked off his show by acknowledging the long-awaited return to work in Hollywood. He humorously referred to it as “take yourself back to work day,” highlighting the months of halted production in the movie and TV industry since May.
Relief and Excitement
Kimmel shared the relief and excitement felt by many in the industry, stating, “At long last, the actor’s strike is finally over.” He playfully mentioned that the Hallmark Channel wasted no time and immediately started shooting all 1,200 of its Christmas movies that morning. The negotiation committee even experienced “tears of exhilaration and joy” when the deal was approved, adding a touch of realism to the situation. Jokes aside, Kimmel concluded by acknowledging that actors can now return to their real jobs, which is playing people with real jobs.
Reinvigorating Hollywood: A Tentative Deal
SAG-AFTRA and the studios reached a tentative deal on Wednesday, bringing new life to Hollywood after a historically long work stoppage. Judd Apatow and Sarah Silverman discussed the 118-day effort during a recent episode of The Daily Show.
Keeping Busy During the Strike
Silverman was curious about how Apatow spent his time since the writers went on strike in May. Apatow humorously replied, “I was exercising and eating, and then I decided to eat without the exercise.” He even joked about wanting to take Ozempic, a weight loss medication, to prove that one can gain weight on it. Apatow also admitted to binge-watching shows he hadn’t had a chance to catch up on. However, he humorously remarked, “And then I thought to myself, ‘These are all terrible. We don’t deserve a raise.'”
A Friendly Banter
Silverman playfully took a dig at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) for quickly reaching a deal with the AMPTP, saying, “Listen, you directors took the first thing that was thrown at you. That’s not my problem.” Apatow jokingly responded, “That’s all we deserve.”
Jimmy Fallon’s Take on the Hollywood Strike
Jimmy Fallon also addressed the strike during his monologue on The Tonight Show. He humorously mentioned that his Friday guest list had changed to “everyone” due to the actors’ return. However, his monologue was interrupted by the stars of the film Please Don’t Destroy, Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy, who couldn’t discuss their new film during their previous appearance.
After hijacking the monologue to promote their film (which, by the way, is out on November 17 on Peacock!), Fallon continued with his usual quips. He joked, “When the actors heard a deal had been reached, they gasp screamed, laughed, cried and then were like, ‘I also do accents.’ Seriously, the actors are back just in time. I’m not sure the world could handle another reality dating show.”
Photo: Danielle Marie Carolan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
