Writers Speak! at The Newseum in Washington, D.C.

It was anything but a “regrettable evening” in Washington, D.C. when WGAE late night comedy writers presented stand-up and participated in a panel discussion at the Newseum before a jam-packed audience of more than 300 political leaders and opinion makers. Watch excerpts from the stand-up routines and panel discussion, as well as see the online photo album here.

WATCH EXCERPTS of the stand-up comedy routines performed by WGAE late night comedy writers

WATCH EXCERPTS of the panel discussion on the impact comedy/variety shows have on the news and politics

LATE NIGHT COMEDY WRITERS TACKLE THE NEWS-COMEDY CONNECTION IN A ‘POTENTIALLY REGRETTABLE EVENING’ ORGANIZED BY THE WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA , EAST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight was anything but a “regrettable evening” in Washington , D.C. for an audience of more than 300 political leaders and opinion makers. They were entertained and enlightened at the Newseum by writers from some of the top late night shows.

“Writers Speak! A Potentially Regrettable Evening with Comedy Writers” was organized by the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE). Writers Guild members presented stand-up comedy routines and participated in a panel discussion about the growing phenomenon of audiences turning to comedy/variety programs for news and the increasing synergy among Washington, Wall Street, journalism and late night comedy/variety programs. The panel discussion was moderated by WGAE President Michael Winship.

“Confirming just how hard it is to tell the difference between the news coming out of Washington and comedy, polls indicate that nearly a third of Americans thirty and under say that comedy programs such as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, Late Show with David Letterman and Saturday Night Live, among others, are replacing traditional journalism as the place they get their news. So what does comedy tell us about the truth that the news can't? That's the question we're taking a stab at answering," said WGAE President Michael Winship, who is also senior writer for Bill Moyers Journal.

WGAE members performing stand-up were writers: J.R. Havlan (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart); Bill Scheft (Late Show with David Letterman); Anthony Jeselnik (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon); Matt Goldich (Best Week Ever), and Opus Moreschi (The Colbert Report). On the panel were: Moreschi; Tim Carvell (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart); Tom Ruprecht (Late Show with David Letterman), and Allison Abner (The West Wing).

The last time the WGAE brought members’ humor to Congress was in January 2008 when writers from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report staged a mock debate between the then-striking Writers Guilds and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Moderated by Dee Dee Myers and hosted by members of Congress, the mock debate drew widespread Congressional, public, and media attention to the issues involved in the 100-day strike. Tonight’s event at the Newseum again demonstrated that Guild members care about the news, about politics, and about being funny.

Prior to the evening’s event, WGAE members met with members of Congress and the Obama Administration to discuss issues of importance to writers, including increased public broadcasting appropriations, media consolidation, and an open Internet accessible to all. The meetings were part of the WGAE’s public affairs and outreach program.

Writers Speak! was streamed live on The Huffington Post. An edited version of the event will soon be available on the WGAE’s website, www.wgaeast.org.

The Writers Guild of America, East, AFL-CIO,  is a labor union representing writers in motion pictures, television, cable, new media, and broadcast news. The WGAE conducts programs, seminars, and events on issues of interest to, and on behalf of, writers. In addition, it represents writers’ interests on the legislative level.  For more information on the Writers Guild of America, East, visit www.wgaeast.org.  





Networking on the Terrace of the Newseum (far right:
WGAE President Michael Winship)






WGAE’s Executive Director Lowell Peterson, President
Michael Winship, Assistant Executive Director Marsha Seeman







Anthony Jeselnik (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon),  Matt
Goldich (Best Week Ever), WGAE Business Agent Geoff Betts






WGAE Executive Director Lowell Peterson starts the show







Matt Goldich (Best Week Ever ) performs for a standing-room only crowd






Bill Scheft (The Late Show with David Letterman) during his stand-up






JR Havlan (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) during his stand-up






Anthony Jeselnik (Late Night With Jimmy Fallon) during his stand-up






Panel discussion (from left to right): WGAE President
Michael Winship; Opus Moreschi (The Colbert Report);
Tim Carvell (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart), J.R. Havlan
(The Daily Show with Jon Stewart)





Panel Discussion (from left to right):  Tom Ruprecht
(Late Show with David Letterman), and Allison Abner (The West Wing)