Drew Barrymore called a ‘scab’ for relaunching talk show amid WGA strike – National
As The Drew Barrymore Show resumed filming in New York on Monday, striking members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) demonstrated outside the studio and chanted “Stop it!” »
Although the actors’ and writers’ strikes have yet to show signs of resolution, Barrymore announced Sunday that she has made the choice to resume production on her daytime talk show.
As a result, episodes of The Drew Barrymore Show filmed during the strike will not employ any WGA writers.
“This choice is mine,” Barrymore, 48, wrote on Instagram. “We promise not to discuss or promote films and television shows of any kind.”
Barrymore said filming on his talk show wrapped on April 20, so production never had to stop as a result of the writers’ strike, which began on May 2. The Drew Barrymore Showwhile using her name, is “bigger than me”.
THE Charlie’s Angels The actress said her talk show, launched during the pandemic, “was designed for sensitive times.”
“I hope for a solution for everyone as soon as possible,” Barrymore concluded. “We’ve been through some tough times since our first broadcast. And so I take a step forward to start Season 4 again with astute humility.
Despite its self-proclaimed humility, striking WGA members condemned The Drew Barrymore Show for its revival.
“The @DrewBarrymoreTV Show is a hit show covered by the WGA that plans to return without its writers,” the Writers Guild of America, East posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, in response to Barrymore’s announcement Sunday. “The Guild has and will continue to organize pickets for shows that are in production during the strike. Anything written on “The Drew Barrymore Show” is a violation of the WGA’s strike rules.
What is a “scab”?
Since Barrymore released his statement, many WGA members have questioned whether or not Barrymore is a “scabs” or if he would employ “scabs”, i.e. someone who crosses the lines picket to work in place of a striking employee.
“So who writes his opening monologue and literally everything else on this show when it resumes next week? Scab writers?!’” questioned actor Felicia Day. “Ughhhh disgusting Drew Barrymore. Gross.”
Actor Josh Malina from The west wing posted several messages calling Barrymore a crust. In a video shared with
Before production resumed, Barrymore showed her support for the WGA strike when she withdrew from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards. In May, Barrymore said she made the choice “in solidarity” with striking writers.
On the picket line
A group of about 15 writers gathered in New York to protest The Drew Barrymore Show Monday. Screenwriter Avishai Weinberger shared footage from the protest showing several WGA members marching in front of the CBS Broadcast Center loading dock.
The demonstrators chanted: “We don’t understand. Shut it up!” Some carried signs reading “My speech is not cheap!” and “You could make money from us!”
Other protesters took aim at Barrymore more directly. Cristina Kinon, who is credited as co-author of The Drew Barrymore Showshared a photo with Chelsea White, also a co-writer of the show, as they picketed on Sunday.
Kinon carried a sign reading “Drew’s WGA Crew”, while White carried a Shout-inspired sign that asked, “Do you like to break strikes?”
During their protest, a member of the public attending Monday’s recording of The Drew Barrymore Show said he and a friend accepted pins from WGA picket members before entering the building.
Dominic Turiczek told The Hollywood Reporter that he and his friend Cassidy Carter won free tickets to the shoot almost two weeks ago and were unaware of the strike. Turiczek said that when he and Carter entered the studio with their WGA buttons on their shirts, they were “verbally abused” by members of the show’s crew and forced to leave the premises.
Instead, Turiczek and Carter accepted T-shirts and joined the picket line.
“If they think we’re part of the strike, we might as well do it,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
A spokesperson for The Drew Barrymore Show said the team regretted excluding Turiczek and Carter from the studio audience.
“Our policy is to welcome everyone to our show tapings. Due to increased security concerns today, we regret that two members of the public were not permitted to attend or were not granted access. “Drew was completely unaware of the incident and we are in the process of contacting affected audience members to offer them new tickets,” a spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.
Season 4 of “The Drew Barrymore Show”
Global News has contacted CBS for comment on the decision to resume The Drew Barrymore Show but did not receive a response before publication time.
Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures, said in a statement: The Drew Barrymore Show “will not perform any writing work covered by the WGA strike.”
“I’m so excited to see what Drew has in store for us in season four,” McMahon said. “From its launch at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic to its successful move to a groundbreaking half-hour format, this show has demonstrated spectacular resilience and creative agility throughout of its journey to becoming the fastest growing daytime show. We couldn’t have a better partner in Drew Barrymore and we look forward to bringing new episodes to our fans and station customers this fall.
The Drew Barrymore Show is not the only production to choose to return despite the current strikes. Warner Bros. Television The Jennifer Hudson Show and CBS The speech are also expected to resume production in the coming weeks. These productions will also continue without employing WGA writers.
The WGA strike outside The Drew Barrymore Show in New York continued on Tuesday.
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