WGA to picket The Drew Barrymore Show
Drew Barrymore breaks ranks and announces a restart her show in the middle of the WGA strike.
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The Writers Guild of America is set to picket US talk show The Drew Barrymore Show which means Barrymore, audience members, crew and guests will be required to cross a picket line to attend.
In a lengthy Instagram post, Barrymore announced that her daytime show will begin its fourth season soon, in accordance with the rules of the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Talk shows do not fall under the SAG-AFTRA strike, save for talent promoting their work, however The Drew Barrymore Show is a signatory to WGA.
According to Barrymore, the show will not be performing any writing work covered by the WGA strike.
But WGA spokesperson Jason Gordon said, “The Drew Barrymore Show is a WGA-covered struck television show. It has stayed off the air since the strike began on May 2nd, but has now (unfortunately) decided to return without its writers.
“The Guild has, and will continue to, picket any struck show that continues production during the duration of the strike.”
Writers will descend on the CBS Broadcast Center at 530 West 57th Street starting at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 11, which happens to be the first day audience members will be welcomed into Barrymore’s studio for tapings. A second day of picketing is planned for Sept. 12,
Most daytime talk shows are allowed to continue because most do not employ writers who are a part of the union. Tamron Hall, Live with Kelly and Mark, and The View have all resumed production.
But The Drew Barrymore Show and The Talk, which continues to play in rerun, do use WGA writers.
The Drew Barrymore Show screens in Australia on FOX Arena.
Source: Hollywood Reporter, Vanity Fair.
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5 Responses
I say good on her. And I hope this writers’ strike gets sorted out soon.
Leave Drew alone!
I don’t think it has an Australian broadcaster anymore, unfortunately. Foxtel (Fox Arena) dropped it after season 2.
Its on 7bravo, and 10play under the pluto tv
What do you do if there’s no resolution? Union staff including spokespersons or representatives will usually be paid, regardless of whether the writers do or not. Does the make-up artist or the lighting operator have to go on leave without pay, just so the strikes can go on?