‘Drew Barrymore Show’ Audience Members Sporting WGA Pins Amid Strike Asked to Leave Set
Photo by Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Sipa USA
Drew Barrymore’s talk show resumed taping on Monday despite pushback that she would be continuing without her writers, but now two audience members say they were kicked out of the show’s taping for sporting WGA pins.
On Sunday, Barrymore took to her Instagram account to announce that her show would be headed back to the studio to produce new episodes despite the writers’ strike spanning over 130 days. A spokesperson from the WGA, announced that there were plans to picket outside her studio on Monday and Tuesday, arguing that Barrymore’s show was technically “struck.”
SAG-AFTRA, the actors guild currently on strike, released a statement to Variety that clarified that Barrymore was not in any strike violation for continuing her show.
“The Drew Barrymore Show is produced under the Network Television Code which is a separate contract and is not struck. It is permissible work and Drew’s role as host does not violate the current strike rules,” the statement read.
Dominic Turiczek and Cassidy Carter, both students in New York, had won the free tickets to attend the show a week ago. Unaware of the strike, the pair headed down to the CBS studios on Monday for the taping and were greeted by the growing picket line.
Before entering the building, they were handed WGA support pins, both of which immediately pinned them to their shirts.
As they entered the building, Turiczek and Carter were asked to remove the pins from their shirt by security guards associated with Barrymore’s show.
Carter removed her pin but Turiczek kept his on. Later, after signing the waiver to attend the taping, a member of the show’s staff spotted the pin and asked them both to leave the studios.
Turiczek and Carter promptly left and joined the picket line outside, donning WGA Strike t-shirts and marching with the union members. Carter told The Hollywood Reporter that, as a fan of Barrymore’s, the whole experience was “disheartening.”
“It really has changed my perspective on her and the show in general,” Carter said.
Turiczek voiced his frustration on Twitter, calling on Barrymore to do the right thing.
https://twitter.com/dom_turiczek/status/1701246108779860307
“This is what got us kicked out of the Drew Barrymore show,” Turiczek said, proudly displaying the WGA pin in an interview with Deadline. “Verbally assaulted by her security officer. It’s really cute that Drew Barrymore claims that she cares about her fans and wants her fans to show up for the show. And then we get kicked out supporting what is right. Drew, you should do what is right. Support your writers and support your fans who are supporting your writers.”
A representative from The Drew Barrymore Show released a statement listing heightened security as the reason for the audience members’ removal.
“It is our policy to welcome everyone to our show tapings. Due to heightened security concerns today, we regret that two audience members were not permitted to attend or were not allowed access. Drew was completely unaware of the incident and we are in the process of reaching out to the affected audience members to offer them new tickets,” the statement to Variety read.
