In the first competitive move in what may become a booking blitz, David Letterman has booked Robin Williams as the first guest on his late-night show when he returns to the air Wednesday night.
Mr. Williams, who has always been a popular guest for all the late-night shows, will replace Donald Trump, who had been scheduled as Mr. Letterman’s first guest when it was expected that the show would have to return while still being picketed by the striking Writers Guild of America.
But Mr. Letterman’s company, Worldwide Pants, reached a separate agreement with the guild last week that will allow his show, as well as the one that follows on CBS, “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” to employ regular staff writers. With that agreement came support from the Screen Actors Guild for its members to appear as guests on the CBS show, while they are still being encouraged to boycott the late-night shows on other networks.
It is expected Mr. Letterman’s shows will take advantage of that opportunity by booking top-name show business guests that may remain unavailable to their competitors.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/arts/television/31cnd-letterman.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin