The talk show resumed taping without its three WGA writers on Monday as picketers demonstrated outside of CBS Studios.
Writers Guild of America members and scribes for the Drew Barrymore show picketed outside CBS Studios Monday in New York as the talk show resumed filming amid the writers and actors strikes.
Two audience members, who had signed up for free tickets to the taping, were handed WGA pins as they walked in the door by picketers and say they were asked to leave before the show began because they were wearing the pins.
The two then joined the picket lines outside, donning WGA shirts, as Turiczek said, “If they think we’re part of the strike, we might as well be.” Carter added that she had signed up for tickets as a fan of Barrymore, but now has been “disheartened” by the experience.
Barrymore announced her decision Sunday to resume filming the show, saying that the talk show would not use WGA writers and would otherwise be complying with WGA and SAG-AFTRA rules. The show has returned without its writers and WGA said it will be picketing outside the show this week, since it is still a struck show.
The three WGA writers, who are all co-head writers on the show, were in attendance at the picket line and said they found out that the show, which has been on hiatus since April, would resume via audience ticket giveaways that were posted on social media.
As for whether the three writers will return to the show once the strike is resolved, they say the issue is complicated, adding that they do not know whether there will still be WGA jobs.
Is Barrymore not a SAG member? Does this not violate the strike guidelines?
Regardless, this is a terrifically shitty move.
The SAG-AFTRA strike doesn’t cover on-camera work for variety shows, game shows, or talk shows, which are governed by SAG-AFTRA’s Network Television Code, a separate contract that remains in effect between SAG-AFTRA and the studios/networks.
That’s very interesting, I did not realize that was the case.
It is worth noting SAG is not allowed to promote struck properties, so she has to be careful in selecting guests who are not promoting struck movies/ shows. So far she has selected guests who do not violate the SAG strike, but I’m a little surprised she’s toeing the line for the SAG strike, but not WGA.
What she’s doing doesn’t actually violate any of the contracts. Any covered work remains struck: no WGA writing for her show, no SAG-AFTRA members promoting struck work. So in a sense, she’s not violating any legally enforceable line on either contract.
Choosing to produce and air the show without WGA work is shitty. It’s crossing a picket line, and it’s breaking solidarity. But it isn’t a breach of contract, so she’s following the strict letter of the law.
That’s a good point. If she’s SAG and not WGA (which I’m assuming is the case), then her toeing this specific line could be enough to keep her out of trouble; even though what she is doing is morally dubious at best.
She is scabbing, but following contract guidelines, so it’s unlikely anything happens except public bitching. So feel free to embody a consequence if you want.
I’m going to laugh when it still doesn’t save her show and it gets canceled.
I hadn’t even heard of it until I read this post, so that seems possible!
Thank you for clarifying this.