Close to 100 SAG (Screen Actors Guild) actors picketed outside Thursday during the taping of “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno. President Barack Obama was the marquee guest.

The protest was designed to get Obama’s attention in hopes he might be able wield some influence in the issue of SAG’s contract stalemate.

Scott Wilson, the event’s primary planner spoke regarding their efforts saying, “I told the president’s office that there would be demonstrators outside NBC to alert him to the fact that many of our members won’t be able to make any living if this deal’s shoved down our throats.”

Many prominent people attended including SAG national board members Frances Fisher and Nancy Sinatra, and former board members Michael Bell and Susan Savage.

Apparently a deal was nearly finalized an agreement last month, but fell apart over the issue of whether the new deal would expire in 2011 or 2012.