Thanks to Drew Barrymore, striking writers are in their most powerful position yet

“Far from languishing after four-plus months on strike as the AMPTP hoped, writers appear even more united, resolved and, with the aid of social media, ready to call out anyone they feel is trying to weaken their position. Immediately. And loudly.”

From L.A. Times Culture Columnist and Critic Mary McNamara:

Last week, the Writers Guild of America was threatening to pillory, and did in fact picket, Drew Barrymore.

This week, the guild should be sending her flowers and some very nice fruit baskets.

In just seven days, Barrymore highlighted the new rules and high stakes of this year’s 4½-months-long writers’ strike — and wound up handing the WGA a very powerful weapon just in time for what one hopes will be a near-final round of talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the studios, this week.

To recap: On Sept. 10, Barrymore announced that she would be bringing back her eponymous talk show without writers, something many talk shows did during the 2007–08 writers’ strike. After receiving an avalanche of criticism, she posted a tearful video explaining her decision and then, when the criticism only grew, reversed it.

The column notes how several other talk shows have pulled back from production including Bill Maher. The most salient point McNamara makes in her latest piece is this:

Even people inside the group have reportedly complained that AMPTP President Carol Lombardini appears too deeply committed to using a 30-year-old playbook, with its emphasis on incremental offers, followed by weeks- (or months-) long pauses in negotiations.

Barrymore and, by extension, Maher, got shut down in a matter of days.

This is not the strike of 1988.

This is not the strike of 2007–2008.

This is not the Guild the AMPTP has in the past forced to buckle using their conventional scare and tear down tactics.

Today, both sides return to the negotiating table.

Let’s hope the AMPTP reps have come to their senses: In 2023, the Guild is not going to fold. Our proposals are fair.

Make a deal … and let’s get back to making stories together.

To read the rest of McNamara’s column, go here.

#WGAStrong

For the latest updates on the strike and news resources, go here.

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