The host had good intentions when it came to the revival of his daytime talk show, but the rich history of his beloved Hollywood family made it all quite peculiar and extraordinary.
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Drew Barrymore announced this week that she has resumed production of her CBS daytime talk show, “The Drew Barrymore Show.” It returns on Monday with an original episode amidst the writers’ strike of the Writers Guild of America, and it’s doubling down on the commitment to air without scripted content, so it’s hoped that it won’t cross any picket lines.
The talk show is one of a few daytime shows that employ writers from the Writers Guild of America, and it carries the WGA seal, so there’s hope that it will stand in solidarity with those staying off work. Although it doesn’t violate any strike rules as it will be produced without scripted material, the announcement has caused a small crack in the united front against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that the strike seeks to define. Its union members and supporters have criticized it sharply, who have been picketing for months.
Mainly driven by writers and actors – and rightly so – demanding that the AMPTP fairly treat high streaming residuals and guarantee that AI won’t steal their jobs and identities, the return of a daytime talk show isn’t likely to lessen the impact that Hollywood can have. Creative talents are irreplaceable.
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After five months of strikes, it’s become abundantly clear. For instance, the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) members have been fighting to ensure that when films come to theaters, they deliver good performances even without star power. They’ve boycotted marketing strategies by studios, and they are pushing forward, struggling without the star power to ensure good on-screen performances. They’ve also started suspending deals with A-list producers and writers, casting doubt on plans that are usually lucrative for studios.
However, while companies like Netflix, Walt Disney Co., Amazon.com Inc., and Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. have fundamentally different business models and goals, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), daytime talk show writers, scriptwriters, and TV series banners are in negotiations. Writers have different objectives, but they are working as one. Any chink in the armor on either side weakens the overall effort.
Most of the reaction to the show’s return is more about who the host is, rather than what’s happening. Syndicated “The Jennifer Hudson Show” and CBS’ “The Talk” are also expected to resume production in the coming weeks, but Barrymore is facing the most criticism.
She comes from one of Hollywood’s most prestigious and respected families. Steven Spielberg is her godfather, and all her grandparents and great-grandparents were actors. Spielberg has been her mentor from the start of her illustrious career, and with her captivating charm and appeal, she became our favorite 7-year-old breakout star in Spielberg’s E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. Throughout her long career, she’s benefited greatly from the creative output of notable writers and actors. Her decision to produce her show without the primary writers who are currently picketing seems like a peculiar and off-brand decision. Needless to say, she’s been quite vocal in her support of the strike. And it wasn’t just talk. In May, she stepped down as the host of the MTV Movie & TV Awards just days before the event.
However, understanding Drew Barrymore’s return to “The Drew Barrymore Show” as a straightforward decision would only be half the story. Since the strikes began, many workers have suffered sudden unemployment, including makeup artists, stylists, grips, gaffers, and administrative staff, as the industry ground to a halt.
Barrymore’s return can also be seen as a moral duty on her part, to fulfill her role as a responsible host. It appears that she may be weighing short-term struggles of some employees against the long-term demands of the unions. After receiving backlash, Barrymore posted an emotional video on Instagram, apologizing for her actions but standing firm on her initial decision. Her involvement with WGA writers has contributed very little to resolving issues. With no end in sight to the strikes, Barrymore’s reactions shed light on how things are slowly turning into a zero-sum game.
For her part, she has taken full responsibility for her choices. When the show’s return was announced, she said on Instagram that “this is her jam.” However, her claim is that the return is a way to “bring us together” when WGA and SAG-AFTRA are locked in a generational battle for the future of Hollywood’s creative ecosystem, it seems quite the opposite.
Another part of her statement reimagines the moment we’re witnessing in the TV and film business: “We launched in a global pandemic. Our show was made for sensitive times…” Alright, if the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that people’s entertainment habits can adapt quickly and shift into new formats.
Reaching a swift resolution on any fair agreement is in everyone’s best interest. The more time consumers spend without fresh movies or TV series episodes, the more likely it is that their viewing habits will adapt to other forms of content – whether it’s TikTok videos, sports, news, gaming platforms, or something else entirely.
In other words, the longer the entertainment industry strikes persist, the more likely it becomes that people will explore alternative sources of entertainment. This underscores the need for a quick and balanced resolution that benefits all parties involved.