[Taliesan]

The "writers" are dictating to her? How can they be called "writers" when they are not actually writing anything?

It actually sounds like an efficient process, if you'll think for a minute about what they are trying to do. They probably put 2 or 3 writers together (remember, they are composing verbal repartee, not sonnets) and the typist records their free-form brainstorming so they and others (producers, etc) can review it later. It's much quicker to scan such a session in print than to have to listen to it on a recording.

[7thson]

Good point from both of you. I stand corrected.

[T'wit]

Agree. The great comedians (Bob Hope for one) usually used joke writers, plural, and they'd brainstorm to do jokes.