“I truly hope for a resolution for the entire industry very soon,” she said.
The WGA strike may be over, but there’s still drama brewing over at The Drew Barrymore Show. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the program’s three co-head writers have declined an offer to return to work on the upcoming fourth season. The popular daytime talk show is now reportedly scrambling to hire replacements ahead of its season premiere on Oct. 16.
The departures follow a series of high-profile missteps on Barrymore’s part, beginning with her decision to resume production last month during the writers’ strike. At the time, the actor and host insisted that the production wouldn’t break strike rules, since it wouldn’t use writers and because guests wouldn’t promote struck TV or film projects, in compliance with SAG-AFTRA’s rules. But the writers’ union disagreed, as did a number of Barrymore’s peers, and after a considerable amount of public pressure, Barrymore decided not to continue with the show while the strike continued.
Here’s a look back at the controversy.
The Drew Barrymore Show writers depart
Chelsea White, Cristina Kinon, and Liz Koe, the show’s three WGA writers, have chosen not to return to The Drew Barrymore Show. All three women were on the picket lines outside of the program’s Manhattan studio during the strike.
“It is a bummer to hear that the show is going back because it sends a message that union writers are no valuable,” White told the Hollywood Reporter back in September. Kinon added: “I understand that everybody has to do what they feel is best for them. For me and the WGA writers on the show, it’s important for us to stick with our union. We deserve a fair contract, so we are here today outside.”
Asked at that time whether they planned to return to the show once the strike was resolved, White said: “Maybe no comment.”
Drew Barrymore issues apology
Last month, Barrymore posted on Instagram that she “owned” the choice to bring back her show, writing in the caption of a since-deleted post that the show “may have my name on it but this is bigger than just me.” The WGA slammed her decision, writing in a post on X, “The [Drew Barrymore 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.” Later that week, the National Book Awards rescinded its invitation to have Barrymore host its upcoming ceremony.
Days later, Barrymore doubled down on her decision, posting a video to her Instagram — which she later deleted — where she said she was taking “full responsibility” for her actions. Speaking of the decision to bring back the show, she said, “There are so many reasons why this is so complex and I just want everyone to know my intentions have never been in a place to upset or hurt anyone.” She continued, “I deeply apologize to writers. I deeply apologize to unions.”
“Theres a huge question of the why,” she continued in the video. “I wanted to do this because, as I said, this is bigger than me and there are other people’s jobs on the line.” This video was not much better received than her initial announcement. Alyssa Milano told the AP it was “not a great move” for the strike.
Numb3rs actor David Krumholz commented on Barrymore’s now-deleted video, writing, “You could shut it down and you’d be considered brave. You’d be forgiven. What makes the strike more complex for thousands of people, is you making a decision that hurts their efforts in trying to achieve a fair deal amidst a cutthroat corporate environment that will use your show as an example of division and disunity.”
Debra Messing also commented on the video before it was deleted. “You can choose now to halt production,” she wrote. “You can choose to pay your employees like other talk show hosts who have stood in solidarity with the writers. There are thousands of union members jobs and livelihoods that are at stake (exponential more than those who work on your show) and the future of our beloved industry. I hope you will reconsider.”
The Drew Barrymore Show paused during writers’ strike
Barrymore seemed to have taken the criticism to heart, because she took to Instagram yet again to announce that her show won’t be back after all. “I have listened to everyone, and I am making the decision to pause the show’s premiere until the strike is over,” she wrote. “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.”
The post was flooded with supportive comments. “THIS is the Drew I love and love,” wrote Evan Ross Katz. “Thank you Drew,” wrote WGA East’s Instagram account.
