Jimmy Fallon has will pay his writers for a week of pay, and insisted NBC pay a second week, following accusations that he had faied to attend a meeting in which the show's staff were told they would not get paid amid the writer's strike.
Jimmy has been vocal about his support, but Sarah Kobos, a senior picture research coordinator on the show, openly questioned it on Twitter on Thursday, posting a clip of Jimmy sharing his support for the strike on Twitter and adding: "He wasn’t even at the meeting this morning to tell us we won’t get paid after this week. @jimmyfallon please support your staff. Had fun bowling with ya last week, but a fun party won’t pay my rent."
She later updated her tweet to add: "I have a very good update! We ended up having our production meeting this morn too and @jimmyfallon was there. He got NBC to give us a second week of pay, and he will be paying us himself for a third week. We also are going to have healthcare extended through Sept. Solidarity!"
Speaking to Variety, Jimmy had previously said: "I wouldn't have a show if it wasn't for my writers, I support them all of the way. They gotta have a fair contract and they've got a lot of stuff to iron out and hopefully they get it done."
However, although many showed their support for Sarah and praised her for "calling it out," others shared their suport for Jimmy, with one writing: "I also support the writers strike, but I don’t really think you can reasonably expect to go on strike and have the star of your show pay you anyways. This looks like he’s supportive to me."
A third person added: "Didn't he just say he would support the strike? You do know when you strike you don't get paid? My dad was a Teamster and my family went through two strikes. That's the name of the game. To expect the company continue to pay your salary during the strike is ridiculous."
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Others Twitter users were quick to point out that Conen O'Brien paid his staff during a previous strike, with a former employee writing: "I was a costume assistant during this time.
"Before the strike, Conan and the writers came to all the interns and assistants and explained what scabbing was and how he wasn't going to ask anybody to do it."
The writers are going on strike in a dispute over fair pay. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) called on their members to head to the picket lines after failing to reach a new contract deal with the studios.
In a statement, they said: "The companies' behavior has created a gig economy inside a union workforce, and their immovable stance in this negotiation has betrayed a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing. No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership."
The late-night shows will feel the instant effects of the strike, with Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, among those expected to go dark.