UPDATE: Jay's rep tells us that he wishes he could do more, but it's not his show -- he's just the host. Having said that, he gave out his standard Christmas bonuses early to mitigate the effects of the strike -- nearly half a million bucks. The rep would not say, however, how the cash was distributed. As for not saying goodbye to the staff, Jay can't cross the picket line.
Staffers at the "Tonight Show" were just told they've been laid off because of the WGA strike. Happy F-ing Holidays.
And that's not the only thing adding insult to penury around NBC. As TMZ reported earlier, we were told that Jay Leno was in a giving mood, offering the staff a "big" Christmas bonus to get them through the strike. This, instead of offering to pay their salaries like his counterparts Conan O'Brien and David Letterman. Well, someone just sent us a copy of their bonus check. $100. Wow.
Staffers were supposed to receive $100 for each year they've been on the show, but we're told some didn't even get that. We hear many staffers are more hurt than pissed, as there's been little communication from the top. One source says that they weren't too pleased about how Jay's handled the layoffs. He didn't even say goodbye, much less Merry Christmas. Grinch!
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Do people not read the article and just randomly post their comments? Jay Leno is not laying off his staffs, NBC is! The Christmas bonus from Jay is just that, a Christmas bonus. It's not a severance package! Also, it's not just $100 dollars. It's $100 dollars times the years of service. Whoever got the $100 dollar must have only worked on the show for a year.
This story is wrong. I work for the show. Pull the story, TMZ.
The staff of The Tonight Show is the best in the business. For 13 years they've kept The Tonight Show the number one show in late night. They've made hundreds of millions of dollars for the network and how does NBC repay them? By firing them four weeks before Christmas. Shameful.
He is not the cause of this strike...so tell me why is he being made to look like a jerk.
This story is a ridiculous fraud. I've worked at the show since 1999 and Jay has always been generous with bonuses as well as on the 10th anniversary of the show. Do some better research and in the meantime lose this fake story.
-John Kennedy
I don't believe this story. If the guy paid the damn bonuses out of his own pocket, shouldn't we be congratulating him for his generosity?? Not hating on him?! Dayum, people!!
Jay is not just a very funny man, he is a kind and generous man
if he handed out half a million like you say-then how many people work there if he only gave a hundred to each-
bad reporting
your figures just don't add up!
I think it's more like tens of thousands to some of his writers and the other folk.
Jay never toots his own horn about what he gives to charities etc.
he just gives...
so I believe the half a million-
the copy of the cheque for $100-if it is legitimate has to be for something entirely different with a logical explanation
I'll be sitting by my computer all night, hitting "refresh", waiting for the TMZ retraction on this one.
Good-bye Peabody Award!
Tell these talk show giants to bring Elijah Wood back on for another interview. He always tells the same stories so they won't need to write anything new. Plus, aren't has-beens in style? It's the era of the Trainwreck and the Has-been. I don't know about trainwreck, but Elijah certainly is a has-been. (He played Frodo, just in case people forgot, lmao.)
Maybe he spent the staff's earnings on one of his numerous cars/motorcycles.
Jay has done the right thing. Honored the line, and paid his staffers 500k out of his own pocket. And he's the bad guy?????
TMZ pull this story. What a load of crap!
Jimmy sez- We don't know the WHOLE truth. The first story was saing the thing about the $100. Then you read down, and it says that Letterman,O'Brien were still paying their staffs.Then Jay's rep did'nt want to say anything about the situation. Maybe's that's their bonus, then they should be thanking the good Lord above. Many millions of American workers don't even get a damn turkey anymore. I mean they get paid big bucks for what they do and are in a rare business. Big bucks!So they might have to bite the bullet and reconsider that this might be as good as it gets..There familes are going to Wall-Mart this Christmas. Welcome to the real world.
T
This must be a mistake, he's a generous guy and can easily support the staff for weeks. I mean if Megan Mullally can give her staff of over 100 people at the now defunked "Megan Mullally Show" $500 each out of her own pocket, for a 2 week christmas break that NBC refused to pay us, i'm sure he can do more....these people make this guy look good every night, it's the least he could do. The strike has got to end!!! the little people are hurting and it's not worth it!!!
"78. I'll be sitting by my computer all night, hitting "refresh", waiting for the TMZ retraction on this one.
Good-bye Peabody Award!
Posted at 8:51PM on Nov 30th 2007 by Jeffrey Spear"
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*hits refresh repeatedly* =] What's the update, J.S.? You still w/ us on this?????
