NEW YORK – “The Drew Barrymore Show” will return with new episodes on Monday, but its typically cheerful presenter will be embroiled in a slew of off-air drama.
Despite picketers outside her studio, Barrymore, the daughter of a great acting dynasty, is producing new episodes of her syndicated chat show as daytime TV becomes the next front in the continuing Hollywood labor war.
“We’re about four months into this strike, so it’s not surprising that there are defectors,” said Michael H. LeRoy, a labor and employment relations professor at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. “I couldn’t have predicted that this would happen on daytime TV, but everybody has a breaking point in a labour dispute.”
“The Drew Barrymore Show,” no longer produced by its three union writers, isn’t the only daytime show to return. “The View” has returned to ABC for its 27th season, while “Tamron Hall” and “Live With Kelly and Ryan” — neither of which is subject to writers guild restrictions — have also been airing new episodes. “The Jennifer Hudson Show” and “The Talk” will also return on Monday.
If the hosts and guests don’t discuss or advertise work that is subject to broadcast, theatrical, or streaming contracts, they are not formally breaking the strike. This is because a separate contract covers discussion shows — the so-called Network Code — from the one that performers and writers are striking. Reality TV, sports, morning news broadcasts, soap operas, and game shows are also covered by the Network Code.
“I realise there’s nothing I can do to make this acceptable to those who aren’t. “I fully accept that,” Barrymore stated in an Instagram video posted Friday that was subsequently removed. “I just want everyone to know that my intentions are no longer in a position to upset or hurt anyone.” It’s not my personality.”
“The Drew Barrymore Show” will return with new episodes on Monday, but its typically cheerful presenter will be embroiled in a slew of off-air drama.
The ongoing strike opposes the Writers Guild of America, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and others against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, representing Disney, Netflix, and Amazon.
The return of daytime hosts, producers, and studio crews will result in some awkward conversations, predicted Zayd Ayers Dohrn, a writer, professor, and director of Northwestern University’s MFA in Writing for Screen and Stage.
“It’s kind of amazing that they’re going back to work with their own writers picketing outside the doors of the studios,” said Dohrn, a member of the writers guild. “They’re literally walking right past the picket line of the workers they claim to support.”
Social media reacted negatively to Barrymore’s choice to return to the air. “You have the heart and mind to be more tuned into the needs of the community than this,” one Instagram user remarked. Another was blunter: “You don’t get to play a generous and relatable character when it’s financially advantageous for you and then scab when your wallet is threatened.”
Alyssa Milano, an actress and activist who has known Barrymore for years, also criticized her return, calling it “not a great move.”
“The Drew Barrymore Show” will return with new episodes on Monday, but its typically cheerful presenter will be embroiled in a slew of off-air drama.
“I adore her — I grew up with her — but I’m not sure this was the best move for the strike.” I’m sure in her views it’s the correct move for her and the program, but as far as the WGA, SAG, and union strength is concerned, it’s not a good move.”
Barrymore’s attitude has also raised eyebrows, as she backed away from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards in May, the first major awards show to air during the strike. She tweeted back then, “I have listened to the writers, and in order to truly respect them, I will pivot from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards live in solidarity with the strike.”
She later lost another hosting contract for the National Book Awards in November. The invitation was revoked “in light of the announcement that ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ will resume production.”
LeRoy, who has studied labor-employer conflicts for 30 years, said that while TV shows like Barrymore’s may believe they can avoid utilizing union writers, they may face long-term consequences.
“No members of the Writers Guild will ever work with that show again,” he declared. “It’s a short-term, feel-good or get-by moment for Drew Barrymore and possibly others, but in the long run, in my opinion, they’ve basically given themselves an early retirement.”
He cited previous strikes that left sour memories for decades, such as when Major League Baseball umpires went on strike in 1999. Although new umpires were hired and integrated with senior umpires, tensions remained.
“The Drew Barrymore Show” will return with new episodes on Monday, but its typically cheerful presenter will be embroiled in a slew of off-air drama.
“For the next 25 years, those umpires would not talk to each other if assigned to work games together,” LeRoy claimed. “Twenty-five years of evasion.” People will never forget it.”
Viewers tuning in to new daytime talk show episodes will notice a different landscape. Guests are only sometimes A-listers promoting big TV series or flicks. Since the strike began, authors, musicians, and comedians have filled the void.
Neil deGrasse Tyson came on “Live With Kelly and Ryan” this week, discussing the science behind the Hulk, while Cedric The Entertainer told Hall about his new novel. McConaughey appeared on “The View” to promote his book “Just Because.”
Hosts like Barrymore may find themselves in a catch-22 situation, contractually required to return to work yet certain to irritate colleagues if they do. She stated last week, “This is bigger than just me.”
Bill Maher, who recently announced the return of his late-night talk show, couched his explanation as wanting to help every one of his crew, claiming that writers “are not the only people with issues, problems, and concerns.”
“They talk about wanting to help people who are barely getting by,” Dohrn says. But Bill Maher, Drew Barrymore, and the ‘The View’ hosts aren’t just scraping by. “They could easily stand with their industry colleagues and say, ‘We’re not going to feed the studio pipeline until they make a fair offer,'” he explained.
“They’re deciding to go back to work for a variety of complicated reasons in order to break the strike.”
SOURCE – (AP)
