‘Maher’ back on the air

Fri., Jan. 11, 2008

Zap2it.com The Spokesman-Review

The late-night talk-show universe will once again be complete when “Real Time with Bill Maher” resumes tonight on HBO.

Like most of his brethren, though, Maher will be going back to work without writers.

The lack of a writing staff will cause some changes to the show, which will air its first post-strike episode tonight at 11. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Maher will perform neither an opening monologue nor the show-closing “New Rules” segment.

Instead, he’s planning to draw on his stand-up comedy roots by playing off the studio audience at the top of each show. The round-table discussions and satellite interviews with guests will go on longer.

What Maher won’t be doing, those close to the show say, is any writing. The Writers Guild’s strike rules say that talk-show hosts who are members of the guild – like Maher – can’t script monologues or other bits if they go back to work while the strike continues.

The rule has caused some controversy as “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno admitted writing his own jokes when he returned to NBC last week.

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