Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert will return to the air with new shows on January 7, sans writing staffs. What are they going to do? Probably a lot more interviews, some rerun segments and a seriously reduced capacity to do new material. There's kind of a gray, arguable distinction over when a writer-performer's words are the work of his writer side, and there will be pressure on Stewart and Colbert (as there will be on Leno, O'Brien and the others) to expand the definition in favor of their performer functions. They'll also all probably spend a little time on each broadcast trashing Management for not making a deal. That maybe in apology to their guild for going back but it will also apparently also reflect these folks' true feelings.
By the way: A number of articles about this have made the assertion that Johnny Carson was able to return to work, when he did in '88, because he was not a member of the Writers Guild. I don't think that's true. I don't know it for a fact but I believe Johnny was a member.
The question I'd like to see someone put to Jon Stewart would have to do with his intentions regarding the Academy Awards, which he's supposed to host on 2/24/08. I would guess that if the strike isn't over by then — or isn't over in time for him to adequately prep for that date — he won't wanna. I would further guess that if the strike is not over, the Powers That Are might be afraid of giving him that bully pulpit. It all adds up to just another reason the AMPTP would be wise to get this thing settled well before then.