We take no pleasure in reporting that Drew Barrymore is a scab. The actor is being slammed by WGA strikers after announcing her eponymous talk show is coming back — and said strikers will picket its production.
UPDATE (9/15, 3:34 p.m. ET): Barrymore has doubled down on her decision to bring the show back without its unionized writers following widespread backlash to the announcement. "I know there's nothing I can do that will make this okay for those it is not okay with," she said in a video posted to Instagram. "I fully accept that. I fully understand that."
The actor added that, while she "deeply apologizes" for her decision, she remains steadfast: "We aren't gonna break rules, and we will be in compliance," Barrymore said. "I wanted to do this because, as I said, this is bigger than me, and there are other people's jobs on the line."
As Barrymore herself is under the guild contract for talk shows, game shows, variety shows and soap operas, she is not in violation. However, her show employs WGA writers — meaning new episodes would either have to employ non-union, picket-crossing writers or WGA members violating the terms of the strike.
A CBS Media Ventures spokesperson claims that the show will "not be performing any writing work covered by the WGA strike," as per Variety.
Barrymore announced the move yesterday (September 10), first noting that she backed out of hosting the MTV Film and TV Awards in May in solidarity with the strike. She then went back on her decision to run new episodes of The Drew Barrymore Show, claiming it would not break any strike rules.
"I own this choice," she wrote. "We are in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and television that is struck of any kind. We launched live in a global pandemic. Our show was built for sensitive times and has only functioned through what the real world is going through in real time."
Because of this decision, Barrymore and her team will be crossing a physical picket line every time they enter the studio for production. As such, many writers and actors feel she is making the wrong move.
"Drew Barrymore has always been someone who recognized her privilege and aimed to evolve, so I hope she will reconsider this hasty decision intended to pay her crew because it weakens both unions to openly endorse scabbing," TV writer Gennifer Gross tweeted.
As of time of print, The Drew Barrymore Show is set to return on September 18.
UPDATE (9/15, 3:34 p.m. ET): Barrymore has doubled down on her decision to bring the show back without its unionized writers following widespread backlash to the announcement. "I know there's nothing I can do that will make this okay for those it is not okay with," she said in a video posted to Instagram. "I fully accept that. I fully understand that."
The actor added that, while she "deeply apologizes" for her decision, she remains steadfast: "We aren't gonna break rules, and we will be in compliance," Barrymore said. "I wanted to do this because, as I said, this is bigger than me, and there are other people's jobs on the line."
As Barrymore herself is under the guild contract for talk shows, game shows, variety shows and soap operas, she is not in violation. However, her show employs WGA writers — meaning new episodes would either have to employ non-union, picket-crossing writers or WGA members violating the terms of the strike.
A CBS Media Ventures spokesperson claims that the show will "not be performing any writing work covered by the WGA strike," as per Variety.
Barrymore announced the move yesterday (September 10), first noting that she backed out of hosting the MTV Film and TV Awards in May in solidarity with the strike. She then went back on her decision to run new episodes of The Drew Barrymore Show, claiming it would not break any strike rules.
"I own this choice," she wrote. "We are in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and television that is struck of any kind. We launched live in a global pandemic. Our show was built for sensitive times and has only functioned through what the real world is going through in real time."
Because of this decision, Barrymore and her team will be crossing a physical picket line every time they enter the studio for production. As such, many writers and actors feel she is making the wrong move.
"Drew Barrymore has always been someone who recognized her privilege and aimed to evolve, so I hope she will reconsider this hasty decision intended to pay her crew because it weakens both unions to openly endorse scabbing," TV writer Gennifer Gross tweeted.
As of time of print, The Drew Barrymore Show is set to return on September 18.