Drew Barrymore Announces Her Talk Show Will Return in Spite of WGA Strike: ‘Our Show Was Built For Sensitive Times’
Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Over 130 days into the WGA strike, Drew Barrymore has decided that now is the perfect time to relaunch her talk show without her writers.
Barrymore, who previously backed out of hosting an MTV award show in solidarity with the writer’s strike, made the announcement on Sunday via Instagram that The Drew Barrymore Show would return on September 18th.
“I made a choice to walk away from the MTV, film and television awards because I was the host and it had a direct conflict with what the strike was dealing with, which was studios, streamers, film, and television,” Barrymore wrote.
“It was also in the first week of the strike, and so I did what I thought was the appropriate thing at the time to stand in solidarity with the writers,” she added.
Barrymore clarified that her show wrapped its third season before the strike even began.
“I am also making the choice to come back for the first time in this strike for our show, that may have my name on it, but this is bigger than just me.
I own this choice. We are in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and television that is struck of any kind,” Barrymore assured.
“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. I want to be there to provide what writers do so well, which is a way to bring us together or help us make sense of the human experience,” she added, noting that she hopes for a speedy resolution to the strike.
Despite her plans, a spokesperson for the WGA has told The Hollywood Reporter that her show was categorized as “struck” and Union members will be picketing outside her studios in New York City on Monday and Tuesday.
“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 for the duration of the strike,” the spokesperson said.
Similar talk shows, like The View, have aired new episodes throughout the writer’s strike.
During the 2007 writers’ strike, numerous hosts decided to return to their shows just two months after the strike began, including Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, and Jimmy Kimmel.
