Drew Barrymore has made the decision to postpone the premiere of her daytime talk show until the ongoing writers and actors strikes are resolved. This comes after receiving criticism for continuing to tape new episodes despite the labor issues.
In an Instagram post on Sunday, Barrymore expressed her deepest apologies to those she may have hurt and acknowledged the incredible team behind the show who have made it what it is today. She stated, “I have listened to everyone, and I am making the decision to pause the show’s premiere until the strike is over.”
Barrymore’s initial choice to return to the air on Monday without her three union writers and with picketers outside her studio received backlash on social media. The show had been resuming taping in New York last week but faced protests from striking writers.
While other daytime shows like “The View,” “Tamron Hall,” and “Live With Kelly and Ryan” have resumed production with fresh episodes, as they are not governed by writers guild rules, “The Jennifer Hudson Show” and “The Talk” are set to restart on Monday as well.
“The Drew Barrymore Show” Takes a Stand
While hosting and guest appearances on talk shows may not technically violate the ongoing strike if the discussions and promotions are unrelated to television, theater, or streaming contracts, the National Book Awards took a decisive step in response to Barrymore’s stance. The organization rescinded her invitation to host their event in November, citing the resumption of production for “The Drew Barrymore Show” as the reason.
It’s worth noting that talk shows fall under a different contract than actors and writers involved in television and film production. Known as the Network Code, this contract also encompasses reality TV, sports, morning news shows, soap operas, and game shows.
At the heart of this dispute is the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists clashing with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Representing major industry players such as Disney, Netflix, Amazon, and more, this alliance has become the target of the ongoing strike.
This bold move by “The Drew Barrymore Show” could have far-reaching implications for the industry as it challenges not only the status quo but also the solidarity among talk shows during this labor dispute.
