Walrus's Gambling Anonymous

In a recent double-blind study conducted by the Harvard Institute of Media and Deities, studies showed that too much Reality TV can cause the viewer's brain to turn into mashed potatoes. Sadly, due to the Writer's Guild of America going on strike in November, and consequently no new shows with sustenance being created, many people's brains have been doing just that. Right now, I bet you are thinking "Mmm! Delicious! I love free 'taters". But, re-think that excitement; how do you know your brains aren't pounds and pounds of buttery, potato-y goodness right now? Exactly! You don't!
Okay, let's say your brains are fine. Is there an end in sight for this strike? Well, right now: no. Right now, very few talks are in the works. However, a few late-night shows, the genre of television that suffered most, have returned sans writers. These shows include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brian, and my two personal favourites, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report. All four shows support the WGA in their struggles with The Man, who in this case happen to be the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
Well, honestly, who wouldn't be on the WGA's side? Basically, they are asking for a share in the profits made by the production companies, when the writer's show, movie, or radio program is sold in an online format, i.e. itunes, emusic, internet, etc. To this, the AMPTP replied "Do you smell smoke?!" and ran out of the room.
Anyway, back to the mashed potatoes. Since there are no writers to write the shows, many networks have been depending on Reality TV to fill the void that is good broadcasting. Luckily, as I mentioned before, the only shows I watch came back! Jon Stewart of The Daily Show, and Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report, are huge supporters of the WGA. When both shows returned on January 9th, The Daily Show spent the entire half hour doing only WGA coverage, and rather than the silly satirical jokes Daily Show viewers so anxiously waited 8 weeks to see, there was a heavy, almost suffocating dreariness surrounding Jon, the desk, and I could have sworn I heard the camera man weeping. Jon Stewart, in a most admirable move, even temporarily changed the show title to "A Daily Show", stating that "The Daily Show" was a program put together by talented writers, producers, and crew, and without all parts present, it couldn't possibly be considered the same show. The title change has even been acknowledged in the opening credits, with "The" crossed out, and an "A" typed over it.
As Mike Huckabee said about the WGA, "They're dead right on this one... I don't think anybody supports the producers on this one. Maybe the producers support the producers, but I think everybody in the business and even the general public supports the writers". Of course, this might have to do with the fact it was Hollywood writers who implanted the phrase "I heart Huckabee" into the minds of millions, years before he even ran. But hey, if brains can turn into Thanksgiving side dishes, then I'm sure it's possible for a republican to be behind a union wholeheartedly.