The Drew Barrymore Show Faces Backlash After Announcing Its Return
Recently, The Drew Barrymore Show has faced backlash after its announcement to return without unionized writers while the WGA strike continues. This move was directly opposed to the co-head writer, who believed they should stand with the writers
Drew Barrymore‘s decision to bring back her daytime talk show has been the cause of recent debate. Despite strike protocols being followed and received approval and a renewal from the union members in 2022, there was still backlash. Notably, the National Book Foundation recently withdrew its invitation for Barrymore to host the 74th National Book Awards Ceremony. National Book Award recipient Colson Whitehead sarcastically expressed his dissatisfaction with the choice of Barrymore as the host for the National Book Awards, a decision announced in July.
“Guys – I found the perfect person to host this year’s celebration of writers!” he wrote in a tweet.
"Guys – I found the perfect person to host this year's celebration of writers!" https://t.co/JJNqLkBN0E
— colson whitehead (@colsonwhitehead) September 11, 2023
However, the National Book Awards underscores the monumental cultural imprint of literary creators, emphasizing their indispensable role. They stood by Barrymore’s side, expressing their gratitude to her and her team for their comprehension and cooperation amidst the situation.
An update on the host of the 2023 National Book Awards. pic.twitter.com/aa5aLh0FIU
— National Book Foundation (@nationalbook) September 12, 2023
In addition, Barrymore’s co-writer, Cristina Kinon, expressed shock at Barrymore’s decision to launch a new season of the talk show. This was especially surprising, considering Barrymore’s previous stance in May when she stepped down as the host for the MTV VMA in solidarity with the writer’s strike. Kinon had once felt pride for Barrymore’s choice to withdraw from the VMA. Kinon highlighted her reasons for striking against AMPTP, expressing dissatisfaction with attempts to undermine writers’ professional rights. For her, writing for movies or shows holds no distinction; the crux remains that writers are at the heart of all creations.
Kinon voiced her hopes, saying “it’s not too late” for Barrymore to stand in solidarity with writers and hoped for swift corrective action on Barrymore’s part.
