Viewers Prefers A Writerless Jay to Dave | Paul Shaffer Awarded Order of Canada

In the ongoing battle of the late night talk shows it appears as if more viewers still prefer Jay to Dave, with or without the beneift writers. In other news, Jay Leno has earned the ire of the WGA by telling scripted jokes in what some people believe to be in contravention of WGA rules.

Jay Leno made a triumphant return to late-night television Wednesday night, easily dominating the ratings competition over his chief rival, David Letterman, and delivering a traditional full-length monologue “” even though he was performing without his team of 19 writers.

But how Mr. Leno was able to accomplish that feat has become the subject of an increasingly fractious dispute between the NBC star and the Writers Guild of America, which has been on strike against the movie studios and television networks for the past two months. [NYTimes.com]

Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America West, also pledged Friday that the guild would respond to Mr. Leno’s decision to continue writing his monologues. [NYTimes.com]

Paul Shaffer with my sister
Paul Shaffer with my sister

In other non-strike related late night news Paul Shaffer was among 40 Canadians tapped by Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean to receive the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian honour.

Shaffer, born in Thunder Bay, Ont., was music director for the 1972 version of Godspell in Toronto, then became music director for Saturday Night Live from 1975-80.

He has appeared in movies such as This is Spinal Tap and Scrooged and been music director with Letterman since 1982. [CBC.ca]