Writers Guild of America picketers exterior of CBS Studios on Sept. 11.

Caitlin Huston

Writers Guild of America members and scribes for the Drew Barrymore present picketed exterior CBS Studios Monday in New York because the discuss present resumed filming amid the writers and actors strikes. 

Two viewers members, who had signed up free of charge tickets to the taping, have been handed WGA pins by picketers as they walked within the door and say they have been requested to go away earlier than the present started as a result of they have been sporting the pins. 

Dominic Turiczek and Cassidy Carter, two New York City-based college students, deliberate to attend the present, after signing up free tickets a few week and a half in the past, not conscious that the strike was happening. As they walked into the constructing Monday, each have been handed buttons from picketers that learn “Writers Guild on Strike.” The two say they have been requested to take off the buttons at safety, to which Carter complied. Turiczek was nonetheless sporting his button as they entered the studio house. He stated a crewmember noticed the button and requested them each to go away. 

Spokespeople for The Drew Barrymore Show didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon that state of affairs. 

The two then joined the picket traces exterior, donning WGA shirts, as Turiczek stated, “If they think we’re part of the strike, we might as well be.” Carter added that she had signed up for tickets as a fan of Barrymore however now has been “disheartened” by the expertise. 

“It really has changed my perspective on her and the show in general,” Carter stated. “I’ve been completely alarmed and disheartened by this whole process.”

Barrymore introduced her determination Sunday to renew filming the present, saying that the discuss present wouldn’t use WGA writers and would in any other case be complying with WGA and SAG-AFTRA guidelines. “The Drew Barrymore Show is produced under the Network Television Code which is a separate contract and is not struck. It is permissible work and Drew’s role as host does not violate the current strike rules,” a SAG-AFTRA rep said.

The present has returned with out its writers and WGA stated will probably be picketing exterior the present this week, since it’s nonetheless a struck present. 

Monday’s scheduled present was a repeat taping, which included Brooke Shields talking a few documentary not coated below WGA and the documentary’s govt producer, Ali Wentworth. Jordan Fisher, who was within the forged of the Broadway musical Sweeney Todd on the time, spoke about his time on the musical.

The three WGA writers, who’re all co-head writers on the present, have been in attendance on the picket line and stated they came upon that the present, which has been on hiatus since April, would resume through viewers ticket giveaways that have been posted on social media. 

Chelsea White, one of many Drew Barrymore Show writers, was picketing exterior the studio on West 57th Street, and stated she was shocked and upset that the present had resumed.

“I think in general, this is obviously bigger than us three writers on The Drew Barrymore Show. It is a bummer to hear that the show is going back because it sends a message that union writers are not valuable. And it goes directly against what the WGA, SAG-AFTRA, all the unions are trying to band together to stand up against the greedy studios,” White stated. 

White stated after The Drew Barrymore Show posted about beginning to tape season 4, she started receiving texts from associates asking whether or not this was good or dangerous information. 

“We figured that we would’ve heard something if it was an interim agreement. I think a lot of people in the public figured that that’s probably what the case was,” White stated. “But since the three of us had not heard anything, we were pretty sure that something was up.”  

White stated she has not heard from anybody on the present for the reason that announcement that it might resume filming. Liz Koe, one other author on the present, stated she noticed co-workers go into the constructing Monday and that there’s mutual assist between the co-workers and the writers, including, “it’s not simply three folks’s jobs, it’s everyone’s jobs. 

“I think it’s such a complicated issue. I think that Drew cares about the show. She cares about the crew, she cares about us. She cares about everything and I think she made the best decision that she could, given all those things. And I feel like coming out here today is not a personal thing at all, it’s really the opposite, it’s a collective thing,” Koe stated, including that it’s the general struggle for a extra honest contract. 

“I’m disappointed, but I understand that everybody has to do what they feel is best for them,” stated author Cristina Kinon. “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.” 

The three Drew writers arrived early Monday and supplied espresso for the opposite WGA picketers who confirmed up in assist. 

As for whether or not the three writers will return to the present as soon as the strike is resolved, they are saying the difficulty is difficult, including that they have no idea whether or not there’ll nonetheless be WGA jobs.

“In April, when we went on hiatus, which was a couple weeks before the strike, at that time it was the idea to return to the show and that was the last conversation that we had with anyone at the show,” White stated. 

As for the way she feels about it now, she added: “Maybe no comment.”

Sept. 11, 10 a.m. PST This story initially included the names of visitors who have been listed on The Drew Barrymore Show’s web site as showing on Sept. 11. A CBS rep says these visitors are from a repeat present airing at present.