• The Hollywood Reporter, Friday, January 4, 2008 11:03 AM

Late-night TV giants Jay Leno and David Letterman returned to the air this week to a jump in ratings for both show -- but Leno generated a new controversy with the striking Writers Guild of America.

The dispute centers on whether Leno, who came back without a writing staff (unlike Letterman, whose production company Worldwide Pants forged a separate agreement with the WGA) should write and deliver his own monologue. Leno says he had a verbal agreement with the WGA to be allowed to write "The Tonight Show" monologue.

However, WGA reps said that such action violates the guild's strike rules. They met with the late-night host Thursday to clarify their position.

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