After announcing last week that HBO's Real Time would cross the picket line and return to TV without its writers amid the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, host Bill Maher has walked back his decision.
The change of course comes only after picketers planned to protest outside of the production — as they did with Drew Barrymore's The Talk, which is also now on pause — though Maher cites strike negotiations as the reason for his decision.
"My decision to return to work was made when it seemed nothing was happening and there was no end in sight to this strike," Maher explained in a tweet. "Now that both sides have agreed to go back to the negotiating table I'm going to delay the return of Real Time, for now, and hope they can finally get this done."
The host previously stated that, while he sympathizes with the writers, "they are not the only people with issues, problems and concerns," after claiming that he is "not prepared to lose an entire year" after five months of striking.
These comments came after Maher criticized the "kooky" strike, saying that no one is "owed a living as a writer."
The change of course comes only after picketers planned to protest outside of the production — as they did with Drew Barrymore's The Talk, which is also now on pause — though Maher cites strike negotiations as the reason for his decision.
"My decision to return to work was made when it seemed nothing was happening and there was no end in sight to this strike," Maher explained in a tweet. "Now that both sides have agreed to go back to the negotiating table I'm going to delay the return of Real Time, for now, and hope they can finally get this done."
The host previously stated that, while he sympathizes with the writers, "they are not the only people with issues, problems and concerns," after claiming that he is "not prepared to lose an entire year" after five months of striking.
These comments came after Maher criticized the "kooky" strike, saying that no one is "owed a living as a writer."
My decision to return to work was made when it seemed nothing was happening and there was no end in sight to this strike. Now that both sides have agreed to go back to the negotiating table I'm going to delay the return of Real Time, for now, and hope they can finally get this…
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) September 18, 2023