WGA Petitions TV Academy To Reinstate Writing Categories In Emmys Telecast With Letter From John Oliver, Trevor Noah, Stephen Colbert & More

Katie Campione

19 December 2023 at 2:28 pm·2-min read

The Writers Guild of America continues to express its displeasure with the exclusion of some writing categories from the 75th Emmy Awards.

The guild sent out a petition on Tuesday signed by more than 1,400 members, urging the Television Academy to reinstate the “Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series/Special” categories in the primetime Emmy Awards telecast.

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Along with the petition was a letter signed by several comedians who are eligible for these categories, including Michael Che, Stephen Colbert, Adam Conover, Jimmy Fallon, Sam Jay, Bomani Jones, Colin Jost, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, Trevor Noah, John Oliver, Amber Ruffin, Jon Stewart, and Robin Thede.

In a collective statement, the group of comedians wrote: “As hosts of series eligible for the Emmy Awards’ ‘Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series/Special’ categories, we are profoundly disappointed by the Television Academy’s decision to not present this award during the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards’ televised ceremony on January 15, 2024. Our programs could not exist without the tremendous work of our writers — as proven by the writers’ strike that shut down late night television for 148 days.”

WGAE President Lisa Takeuchi Cullen and WGAW President Meredith Stiehm have also offered to meet with TV Academy chairman Cris Abrego to discuss the reinstatement of the category.

In November, the TV Academy announced that the primetime ceremony will only feature three writing categories on the main telecast as opposed to the customary four. The move means that Outstanding Variety Special (Live) will return to the live telecast as Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special and Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series — which have been alternating for a spot — both will be given out at the Creative Arts Emmys the weekend before the primetime show.

The WGA previously told Deadline that the decision to reduce the number of writing categories on the main telecast from four to three was “misguided given the essential role writers play in the creative process of variety series and generating value for this industry.”

The shows nominated in the Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series category are The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Last Week Tonight, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Saturday Night Live.

The shows competing for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special include Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter and Love, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, John Mulaney: Baby J, Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer and Would It Kill You to Laugh? Starring Kate Berlant & John Early.

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