Folks online are calling out Drew Barrymore and slamming her over the decision to start production back up for her daytime talk show “The Drew Barrymore Show” despite the ongoing writers’ and actors’ strikes.
“Drew Barrymore’s writers are outside the studio picketing while she continues without them, she’s ‘writing’ the show (most likely with some help) so effectively scabbing, and anyone with a WGA pin or shirt is being removed from the audience? This is villain s–t,” journalist and TV writer Alex Zaragoza.
Their words came after Barrymore announced her show would start production back up.
“I made a choice to walk away from the MTV, film and television awards because I was the host and it had a direct conflict with what the strike was dealing with which was studios, streamers, film, and television,” Barrymore said in an Instagram post. “It was also in the first week of the strike and so I did what I thought was the appropriate thing at the time to stand in solidarity with the writers. And to be clear, our talk show actually wrapped on April 20th so we never had to shut down the show. However, I am also making the choice to come back for the first time in this strike for our show, that may have my name on it but this is bigger than just me.
“I own this choice,” she added. “We are in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and television that is struck of any kind. 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. We have navigated difficult times since we first came on air. And so I take a step forward to start season 4 once again with an astute humility.”
While that announcement was probably enough already to ruffle some feathers, the news that Barrymore fans wearing WGA buttons were being removed from the audience seemed to have only made it worse. However, Barrymore said she was totally “unaware” that fans were having that experience and expressed her regret.
“It is our policy to welcome everyone to our show tapings,” a spokesperson for “The Drew Barrymore Show” told TheWrap on Monday. “Due to heightened security concerns today, we regret that two audience members were not permitted to attend or were not allowed access. Drew was completely unaware of the incident and we are in the process of reaching out to the affected audience members to offer them new tickets.”
Nevertheless, fans online haven’t held back any of their thoughts — good, bad or ugly. Here’s what people have to say about Drew Barrymore and her show’s return amid the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
