Late-night comedy has been on hiatus since the start of the Writers Guild’s strike, but don’t despair! A group of current and former writers have come together to create a hilarious weekly YouTube show called Contract TK. This satirical gem pokes fun at the news, takes jabs at company bosses, and supports the strike’s goals, which are now in their 38th day. Host Greg Iwinski, a former writer for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, kicked off tonight’s episode with a witty reference to the apocalyptic air quality conditions on the East Coast. “Hi! I’m Greg Iwinski, coming to you from New York City, sponsored by Bladerunner.”
When asked about the importance of the strike, Iwinski told FilmmakerFocus that the issues at stake are “existential” for late-night comedy writers. “As the studios continue to move into streaming, but especially as they move into the free ad-supported space where stuff looks more and more like old TV, you’re going to be seeing more late-night television, soap operas, and game shows in the digital space. And right now, we have no protections there. We don’t have a payment amount; we don’t have contract-linked minimums; we don’t have residuals, really. We’re in the Wild West.”
The best part? These shows are allowed under the guild’s strike rules because everyone involved is an unpaid volunteer and they’re not working for a struck company. So, what are you waiting for? Search YouTube for Contract TK (which is journalism lingo for Contract To Come) and enjoy the previous three episodes along with tonight’s hilarious installment!
