Kimmel and Leno talk strike

Striking Writers Guild of America members picket in front of NBC studios in Burbank, California January 2, 2008. Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel, hosts of two of the struck late-night talk shows that resumed production last week, guested on each other's shows Thursday.

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel, hosts of two of the struck late-night talk shows that resumed production last week, guested on each other's shows Thursday.

In Kimmel's appearance on NBC's "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," he and Leno lamented about the Hollywood writers strike and the difficulties they face doing a daily show without scribes. (Leno had a run-in with the Writers Guild of America because of accusations he writes his monologues.)

Here is one exchange:

Jimmy Kimmel: Will you write some jokes for me? Because it seems like you've got plenty.

Jay Leno: I can't. That's illegal.

Kimmel: Oh, that's illegal. Yeah, it's very confusing how it works. But it's lousy, and it makes booking guests difficult because people don't want to cross a picket line.

Leno: Sure, sure.

Kimmel: So now we're -- instead of movie stars, you get, you know, the cast of "Celebrity Fat Club 5" on the show. You know, it's --

Leno: But there is an advantage.

Kimmel: What's that?

Leno: You don't have to see a lot of stupid movies and pretend they're good.

Kimmel: But -- yes, that is true. But you have to see stupid reality shows and pretend they're good.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter