If the strike happens tonight at midnight, the fates of shows like Late Night with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Daily Show with John Stewart and The Colbert Report are up in the air. Since all of these shows tackle current happenings in news and pop culture, the host's monologues are often written the day of taping. The heavy lifting, of course, is not done by the hosts, but by a team of writers who craft not only opening monologues, but any sketches or video pieces that may air. Conan's masturbating bear didn't just show up at 30 Rock one day with a satchel full of diapers, but sprang forth from the fertile mind of a staff writer.