Nikki Finke may best be known for chronicling the writers strike minutiae, but she’s also earned a reputation as the litigious type, filing lawsuits against her condo company (2001; settled for $36,267), News Corp. and Disney (2002; settled), and now E-Trade, which she’s accusing, in a class action lawsuit filed in 2006, where she is the only defendant, of illegally taping a conversation where she disclosed personal and financial information. Sound familiar?

It should. Last year, Finke (though she’s “Nikki Greenberg” when filing lawsuits) rammed Women’s Wear Daily after reporter Jacob Bernstein supposedly taped a conversation between them without telling her. Her complaints got the interview spiked from the paper’s website. Uninformed telephone recordings are illegal under California law.

Not illegal: Forgetting to tell readers that the law firm you’ve hired to take on E-Trade is also one whose clients you’ve vociferously defended on your website.

Now that the writers strike is coming to a close – though it’s not a done deal yet – and you know what to set your TiVo for and when, and what the industry will look like for the next few weeks, it’s time to answer the question on everybody’s mind: WHO WON THIS MOTHER F-ER?

Lots of people have lots of different answers.

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When news of the Writers Guild of America’s strike was coming, one woman was able to turn what was to become, at its core, the most boring standoff since Heidi vs. LC. Then Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily blog made things interesting, trafficking in facts, gossip, and plucky web video better than industry rags like THR, Variety, or even the Los Angeles Times could attempt.

And if there are three things Nikki has done well – besides keeping the story fresh for weeks – it’s storytelling, increasing pageviews, and caring.

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NOTES FROM NIKKI After a crappy shopping experience with SonyStyle.com, we’re guessing Nikki Finke’s Christmas has been mostly ruined. [DHD]

ANNA WINTOUR SYNDROME A correction in this month’s Vanity Fair: “In Bryan Burrough’s ’showdown at Fort Sumner’ (December), Nikki Finke’s column should have been called a ‘Hollywood business column and Web site’ and not a ‘gossip blog.” Just because she posts items in reverse chronological format, allows comments, and writes in a conversational tone does not make her website a blog. Oh, to have been able to sit in on the phone call exchange that prompted that wrangling. [LAO]

Even though Broadway got it together last night, the TV writers strike shows no signs of ending. They’ve been picketing for so long that we’ve resorted to reporting on the New York Times coverage of the Nikki Finke’s blog.

And as the TV writers continue to not write for TV, CBS’s news writers could strike any day. As a precaution, CBS News has canceled the Democratic presidential debates it planned on hosting for December 10.

Here’s an idea, TV writers, news writers and stagehands: When we renegotiating your contract, how about picking different expiration dates? This perfect storm of entertainment strikes has left us with no evening plans.

Haven’t you heard? The Deadline Hollywood Daily blogger is all the rage with this WGA strike. Studio chiefs, show runners, and every assistant in Tinseltown is reading her. “I don’t think I’m a better journalist than anybody else,” she says. “I don’t think I’m a harder-working journalist than anybody else. I do think I have a forum where I have more freedom than anybody else.” [NYT]

For a writers strike, there’s certainly a lot to read. While people caught in the middle of this might be busying themselves with Guitar Hero, most people just want to know when The Office will come back on. And updates on the donut status on the picket line is a poor excuse for actual entertainment. Our breakdown on the strike must-reads after the jump.

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If CBS were as proud of Kid Nation as the network would have us believe, then why were such pains taken to shoot in secrecy, and do it in a state that did not protect children on show-biz sets, and in such a way that guild rules didn’t apply?

Moonves should lift the gag orders on the 40 children and their parents who signed a 22-page agreement in which a strict confidentiality clause prohibits disclosure of information about the show and contact with the media over the next three years. If violated, a $5 million penalty is levied. I say, if CBS has nothing to hide, then let everyone involved talk freely.

–Nikki Finke, commending the New York Times for going after CBS and calling for Les Moonves to pull the plug on Kid Nation

If Nikki Finke doesn’t rub it all over their face, how else are they gonna learn? [DHD]

An otherwise flattering WWD piece from Jacob Bernstein about Nikki Finke had to go down the crapper simply because “a legal question about whether one blanket ‘yes you can tape [the conversation]’ covered all subsequent follow-up interviews.” The since-removed column (reprinted elsewhere) credited Finke with breaking all sorts of industry news – garnering the sort of attention and influence most bylines crave – and painted her as a strong and principled lass who doesn’t have time for corporate bullshit. (Should we all be so lucky!)

It was Bernstein’s alluding to Universal Studios prez Ron Meyer and former HBO chief Michael Fuchs being two of her most worthwhile sources (she’s friends with both) that got him in the most trouble … but, um, who doesn’t rely on knowledgeable insiders time and again?

After the piece ran, a slew of Finke-fueled WWD corrections followed “WWD made several corrections” before the story was ultimately removed from WWD.com. Tomorrow, says Keith Kelly, the industry trade will announce it stands by its story, but will keep it offline because of the whole “off the record” issue. (An issue that has more to do with not wanting to deal with this debacle any longer than it does with certain conversations being labeled OTR.)

Quite often, we’re in agreement with Nikki Finke, such as when she’s poking fun at the Los Angeles Times or wondering what Jeff Zucker is doing with a job, still, at NBC. And then there was the LA Weekly columnist’s Friday piece on ABC’s supposed hypocrisy about the gays.

On the one hand, ABC has fired Isaiah Washington for calling T.R. Knight a faggot. On the other hand, ABC’s programming, such as its daytime soaps, often carry anti-gay storylines. Is ABC having its sugar-free cake and eating it too?

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Though you probably heard about NBC entertainment chief Kevin Reilly getting the ax in yesterday’s Bill Carter column or the Meg James’ Los Angeles Times piece, the news first broke that Jeff Zucker was sticking a shiv in the only guy who’s managed to attach the word “success” to the peacock network with Nikki Finke (who posted rumors on Friday).

So, um, what the hell?

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• Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams are reportedly over! Which increases your odds of actually dating him by approximately 0.0001%!

• At Saturday night’s GLAAD awards, Grey’s Anatomy’s T.R. Knight was once more applauded for the courage and bravery he demonstrated by accidentally coming out.

• Nikki Finke was right about Portfolio being CEO porn, wrong about how much we’d eat it up.

• Pamela Anderson scars her children for life by reminding everyone what washed-up porn stars look like without any makeup on.

• Katie Couric has Don Imus’ racism to thank.

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Gearing up for Sunday’s Oscar’s telecast, Nikki Finke – the LA Weekly columnist who’s been trading barbs with Los Angeles magazine – lives up to her reputation we’ve given her around Jossip World Headquarters: the only person writing anything interesting about the Academy Awards.

Today she’s debuted “My 7 Spoilers For Sunday Oscar Telecast: Don’t Read If You Want To Stay Surprised,” a list of Oscar night insider info that likely both fell into her lap and required her to do some digging. You know, the type of digging the LAT might try.

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• WSJ staffers outraged the paper is willing to do anything to make a buck.

• Editors of magazines filled with cliches have New Year’s resolutions filled with cliches.

• Prince set to launch 3121 Magazine, which will be like Alternative Press, except with fancier graphics and more fake smoke.

• Friday Night Lights is so much more awesome when you can watch it on NBC.com.

• It was a black Christmas for Black Christmas, and Nikki Finke won’t let you forget it.

• Reviewing a year in media with a “Mo’” and “No Mo’” rating system is, quite frankly, brilliant.

• James Brady sums up a year in media, sentence by sentence. It’s a great review guide. We’re printing it out.

• George Clooney is on a “secret mission” to help those suffering in Darfur. Gossip Roger Friedman supposedly knew about it days ago but agreed to keep it a secret. Anything for a pal.

• Britney Spears’ new man is music producer JR Rotem, who, it turns out, worked with soon-to-be ex-husb Kevin Federline.

• Liza’s ex-husband David Gest finds a woman willing to lock lips.

• Paris Hilton defends BFF Britney. On MySpace.

• The “G” in D&G says no to gay parenting.

• Courtney Love finishes rehab, gets clean slate.

• Tori Spelling will be bringing a boy into the world to torment you with.

• Nikki Finke tells you which critics’ picks you can ignore.

Yes, Mel Gibson got a DUI, and yes, he screamed anti-semitic remarks along the lines of “fucking Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world” to police officers who arrested him. Despite published reports that the LAPD are not trying to cover this up, cops tell Hollywood reporter Nikki Finke they made no attempts to hide the remarks.

TMZ asserted that police omitted the remarks from the original report, but Lt. Steve Smith of the Malibu Sherrif’s department says cops never tried to keep Gibson’s psychoticness out of the press.

“There’s no whitewash. I’ve seen the first report, and the supplemental report, and it looks to be the same thing as what’s on the Internet. The contents that are on the Internet are covered in both those reports.”

As for Mr. Congeniality, Gibson admits he’s struggled with alcohol “throughout his life” and apologizes for his behavior … though he doesn’t specifically say he’s sorry for the “fucking Jew” remarks. Well, he never apologized for making Passion of the Christ, so we didn’t really expect him to apologize this time. Gibson’s full statement, pulled from Deadline Hollywood, after the jump.

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Exclusive

Because when you begin chatting about the chattering classes, the flood gates of gossip open — which means we’ve already received our fair share of updates regarding Jesse Oxfeld’s ousting at Gawker and Nick Denton’s additional slashings. As you recall from our exclusive report earlier today, Gawker honcho Denton dismissed Oxfeld without warning on Friday. Denton, we’re told is also going to close two of his titles: Screenhead (made extinct by YouTube) and Sploid (while sporting some impressive CSS, was made extinct by news junkies’ continued preference for The Drudge Report and, well, YouTube).

So why is all this happening? Because Denton – who has long touted Gawker’s media insider vantage point – wants to take his flagship title more mainstream (read: mainstream = more pageviews = more ad dollars). And that means there’s no place for Oxfeld’s endless Radar magazine updates and masthead shake up chronicling. Instead, Gawker needs new blood: enter TMFTML/Alex Balk and Gridskipper’s Chris Mohney. But while Balk is taking over what’s technically Oxfeld’s empty Aeron, the real news is Mohney’s role: top dog.

After two-plus years helming Gawker, co-editor Jessica Coen is getting a new superior to answer to. In additon to managing editor Lockhart Steele breathing down her neck, newcomer Mohney will techically be Jessica’s overseer. And you can imagine how pleased she is with that back stab. (Surely Jessica squelches her tears with hosting duties for the Star channel’s Looking For Stars.)

As for readers, they can likely expect an Us Weekly-ization of Gawker, sans bright yellow serif fonts. (Whether Denton will remake Mark Lisanti’s Defamer as a bland Hollywood gossip sheet instead of insider studio rag is yet to be determined.)

Now, when it comes to closing Screenhead and Sploid, Denton is looking for a buyer before he’s ready to shut them down. But there’s a short timeline: one month. If a cheque isn’t endorsed by the end of the July, both sites will go under. And so, too, will their staff: “Dong Resin” at Screenhead and Sploid’s Ken Layne and Scott Ross will be out of work. And that’s not all of Denton’s pink slipping: Gizmodo’s John Biggs – who joined Denton’s stable in April 2005 after founding editor Peter Rojas defected for a future windfall at rival Engadget – is being shown the door as well. (Blogebrity says someone from Wired will be filling in.)

It’s also worth noting Oxfeld is the first of Gawker’s four editors to leave involuntarily. So what’d Jesse have to say about all the new revelations? “Your account is inaccurate, reckless, and defamatory. I was at most moderately hammered when I arrived at the Magician Friday night.” And he has been all weekend.

And remember, there’s something to look forward to tomorrow: the New York Times will have its own item about all this.

Update: Nikki Finke weighs in on her favorite email sparring partner. From her item we learn David Carr is penning the piece (where, oh where, is Kit Seelye’s byline where it should be?), though if that’s true, perhaps Carr should actually touch base with Oxfeld.

Earlier: Gawker Whacker: Nick Denton Fires Jesse Oxfeld, Shutters 2 Titles

Bonus: Now you can vote!

• The whole world (meaning all of New York media) is creaming themselves over the announcement of the new Radar staffers. Time to get those resumes in shape, folks. [FBNY]

• Charlize Theron wins yet another small time indy award. Shes’ got spirit, yes she do. [MSNBC]

• What the fuck happened while we were in the bathroom? How an entire media war broke out over the Nikki Finke vs. Jesse Oxfeld spat is beyond us. [LA Observed]

• Why does Maggie Gyllenhaal love Peter Sarsgaard? Some may say it’s his off beat humor … we prefer to think it’s hot ass. [OAN]

• Whoa, we barely recognized Sean Preston Spears with his clothes on. We were started to succumb to the notion that they lived in a naked house. [Mollygood]