Union writers are refusing to return to work on “The Drew Barrymore Show.”
Despite the recent conclusion of the Writers Guild of America strike, three head writers have declined offers to return to their writing positions on the talk show, as reported by the Hollywood Reporter.
Weeks before the official close of the writers strike, Barrymore announced her talk show would resume filming on Monday, Sept. 18. The decision landed the actor and talk show host in hot water. After several attempts to defend her controversial decision to bring the series back without union writers, Barrymore apologized and put the show’s return on hold.
“I have listened to everyone, and I am making the decision to pause the show’s premiere until the strike is over,” Barrymore wrote in an Instagram statement.
With writers strikes officially over, Barrymore is prepared to return to the series — but without support from three of her head writers.
From the controversial announcement, picket lines, defensive statements to tearful apologies and now the series’ upcoming return, here’s everything that has recently gone down with Barrymore and “The Drew Barrymore Show.”
Controversy surrounding ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’
While the writers strike raged on, Barrymore revealed her popular talk show, “The Drew Barrymore Show,” would return to air. The controversial decision garnered loads of backlash from union writers and even lost Barrymore a hosting gig.
Barrymore repeatedly defended her decision. Less than a week later, she backed down and revealed the show would be put on hold until the conclusion of the WGA strike.
Amid WGA strike, Barrymore says talk show will return
Weeks before the WGA strike came to an official close, Barrymore announced “The Drew Barrymore Show” would soon return to television without its unionized writers.
The show was originally scheduled to resume filming on Monday, Sept. 18. She announced the show’s return during the second week of September.
CBS Media Ventures claimed staff and crew were considered while making the controversial choice to bring the show back before the close of the writers strike, per The New York Times. The plan was to keep the show unscripted until the writers strike concluded.
“Drew Barrymore should not be on the air while her writers are on strike fighting for a fair deal,” a guild spokesperson told Deadline. “In reality, shows like this cannot operate without writing, and that is struck work.”
Barrymore technically would not have violated strike
Barrymore, a member of SAG-AFTRA, technically would not violate the strike making a return as a host, reports NBC News. Hosts are represented by a separate agreement, which makes it possible for Barrymore and others to host a show during the strike.
A SAG-AFTRA rep stated at the time, “‘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,” per The Hollywood Reporter.
According to the WGA, any writing done for the talk show would have violated the WGA strike rules. The show planned to be unscripted.
“The @DrewBarrymoreTV Show is a WGA covered, struck show that is planning to return without its writers. The Guild has, and will continue to, picket struck shows that are in production during the strike. Any writing on ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ is in violation of WGA strike rules,” the Writers Guild of America, East shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.
WGA pickets outside ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’
In the wake of Barrymore’s decision to return to her talk show amid an ongoing strike, dozens of picketers from the WGA and SAG-AFTRA marched outside CBS Broadcast Center, where the talk show is taped, per The New York Times. One picketer held a sign which read, “Drew the right thing.”
Cristina Kinon, a co-head writer of Barrymore’s talk show, participated in the picket and carried a sign saying, “Drew’s WGA crew.” She was accompanied by two other union workers at the show.
“I’m disappointed,” Kinon told The New York Times, on Sept. 11. “I wish that everyone in the industry could stand in solidarity with the unions. But everyone has to make their own personal decision.”
Chelsea White, another union writer on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” also expressed disappointment in Barrymore during the picket strikes.
“It is a bummer to hear that the show is going back because it sends a message that union writers are not valuable,” White told The Hollywood Reporter while picketing. “We deserve a fair contract, so we are here today outside.”
National Book Foundation drops Barrymore as host
The National Book Foundation rescinded Barrymore’s invitation to host the 2023 National Book Awards ceremony over her decision to return to her talk show amid the writers strike.
“The National Book Awards is an evening dedicated to celebrating the power of literature, and the incomparable contributions of writers to our culture. In light of the announcement that ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ will resume production, the National Book Foundation has rescinded Ms. Barrymore’s invitation to host the 74th annual National Book Awards ceremony,” read a statement from the National Book Foundation, given on Sept. 12.
“Our commitment is to ensure that the focus of the awards remains on celebrating writers and books, and we are grateful to Ms. Barrymore and her team for their understanding in this situation.”
Barrymore claims she ‘owns’ the choice to bring talk show back
Days after releasing her previous decision to resume production on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” the actor confronted critics by defending her choice.
“I own this choice,” Barrymore wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post, per The New York Times, adding, “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. I hope for a resolve for everyone as soon as possible.”
During another social media appearance, Barrymore continued to defend her controversial decision. In a since-deleted emotional video, Barrymore explained that bringing the show back is “bigger than me,” per The New York Times.
“My decision to go back to the show — I didn’t want to hide behind people, so I won’t,” Barrymore explained in the video posted Sept. 14, per The New York Times. “And I won’t polish this with bells and whistles and publicists and corporate rhetoric. I’ll just stand out there and accept and be responsible.”
“I wanted to do this because, as I said, this is bigger than me,” Barrymore continued in the video, “and there are other people’s jobs on the line. And since launching live in a pandemic, I just wanted to make a show that was there for people in sensitive times.”
“I weighed the scales and I thought, if we could go on during a global pandemic, and everything that the world has experienced through 2020, why would this sideline us?”
‘I have listened to everyone’: Barrymore apologizes
A day before the show was scheduled to resume filming — Sept. 17 — Barrymore released an apology through Instagram revealing that after much thought, she would put “The Drew Barrymore Show” on hold.
“I have listened to everyone, and I am making the decision to pause the show’s premiere until the strike is over,” Barrymore’s Instagram statement read.
“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.”
CBS Media Ventures shows support for Barrymore
CBS Media Ventures, the network which produces “The Drew Barrymore Show,” voiced support for Barrymore’s decision to pause the show’s premiere.
“We support Drew’s decision to pause the show’s return and understand how complex and difficult this process has been for her,” a spokesperson for CBS Media Ventures told Variety in a statement.
Head writers refuse to return to work on ‘Drew Barrymore Show’
Three head writers of “The Drew Barrymore Show” decided not to return to work on the talk show, reports The Hollywood Reporter.
The talk show is scheduled to return to television on Oct. 16, but union writers Chelsea White, Cristina Kinon and Liz Koe declined offers to come back to work on the series. The production team is currently searching for writers to replace their positions, in compliance with the WGA, sources told The Hollywood Reporter.
White, Kinon and Koe all participated in picketing outside CBS Broadcast Center, when Barrymore planned to bring the show back prematurely. The writers held signs which read: “Honk if you (love) union labor” and “Drew’s News: Strikes,” per the Hollywood Reporter.
During the strikes, The Hollywood Reporter asked White if she planned to return to the series at the conclusion of the strikes, and she responded, “Maybe no comment.”
Is ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ getting canceled?
No. “The Drew Barrymore Show” will return to television without its three head writers, reports USA Today.
“This just in: We’re kicking off our brand new season on Monday, October 16th!” the series’ Instagram page announced on Wednesday.