Protestors picket outside CBS Studios over production of ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’

Protestors picketed outside CBS studios to protest Drew Barrymore’s decision to work on the fourth season of her daytime talk show amid the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

At least 15 people protested outside Barrymore’s studios in New York City on Monday (11 September) after the actor invited backlash for confirming that The Drew Barrymore Show will begin work on a new season in accordance with the rules of the Hollywood strikes.

While Barrymore and her production team aren’t breaking any strike rules, some people think the production of the daytime talk show is “still in dispute” and could be at least considered a “moral violation”.

A writer for Jimmy Kimmel Live! who is picketing in front of Barrymore’s studios told Variety that it would be hard to imagine a new iteration of the show that “doesn’t employ the task of writing or the ideas of prior WGA writers”.

“I know that writing takes place in the sense that ideas are tossed around, stuff that the producers tell the host that they might do with this or that host, which is adjacent to the work that writers do, so it’s a gray area for sure,” he said.

“It feels as if that would qualify as a writing task that constitutes struck work. I’m not saying it is struck work, but it’s something they would have to decide.”

According to a statement by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA committees, “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.”

In her own statement, Barrymore said her show’s production is “in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and television that is struck of any kind” and that “we have navigated difficult times since we came on air”, referring to The Drew Barrymore Show being released amid the Covid pandemic.

On Monday, two people were also reportedly “kicked out” of CBS Studios.

“Went to @DrewBarrymoreTV after winning tickets, unaware of the #WGA strike. We took pins and went in, got kicked out, and verbally assaulted by @DrewBarrymore’s crew. It’s clear they don’t support #WGAStrong, writers or fans! #DrewTheRightThing So we took shirts and joined. F*** that,” Dominic Turiczek, a fan, wrote on X.

“We knew about the #WGA strike, just not that they were picketing at Drew’s show. We were unaware until inside, that her show had WGA writers, thus crossing picket lines by starting again. We won the tickets last minute and didn’t do enough research, clearly,” Turiczek said.

“It is our policy to welcome everyone to our show tapings,” said a representative from The Drew Barrymore Show, addressing the incident.

“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.”