Bill Maher Reverses Decision to Host Show During Writers Strike
Screenshot via HBO
Bill Maher has done a 180 — announcing Monday that he will not, in fact, return to work on his HBO show Real Time With Bill Maher while the writers strike is ongoing.
Maher originally said the show would go on without writers because he was “not prepared to lose an entire year and see so many below-the-line people suffer so much.”
But the Writers Guild of America called his decision “disappointing” and vowed to picket the show.
On Monday, Maher explained why he reversed course.
“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 tweeted. “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 WGA has been on strike since May, demanding increased pay, better residual deals, and assurances about artificial intelligence. SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents actors, also declared a strike in July with similar demands.
Another star who came under fire for proceeding with the fourth season of her talk show was Drew Barrymore. She claimed her show “complied with strike rules,” but eventually reversed course, posting a four minute-long tearful apology video to social media.
Barrymore also released a statement on the situation:
“I have no words to express my deepest apologies to anyone I have hurt and, of course, to our incredible team who works on the show and has made it what it is today. We really tried to find our way forward. And I truly hope for a resolution for the entire industry very soon.”
Variety reported that Jennifer Hudson’s talk show has also pushed back its production schedule. One show that has plowed forward without writers is ABC’s The View. The WGA posted to X that it planned to picket The View on Monday.
