Late-night television shows—including these hosts’ shows, Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show—were among the first to shut down after the strike began in May. Shortly after, the Screen Actors Guild went on strike, as well, meaning even if late-night television wanted to come back without writers, the shows would likely struggle to book guests as actors are not allowed to promote work they’ve filmed during their strike. The strikes were the results of failed contract negotiations with Hollywood studios after members requested increased compensation, better residuals, staffing requirements and protections from AI job interference, among other demands. The failure to reach an agreement has cost California’s economy an estimated $3 billion as of early August, according to Todd Holmes, a professor at California State University, Northridge.
Forbes