By Lori Perkins
We watched her grow up, and marry and divorce and marry again and divorce again, and we even welcomed her into our living rooms.
But, I don’t know about the latest move to continue broadcasting Drew Barrymore’s talk show without writers during the writers’ strike, which is now in its fifth month.
She says she has an obligation to the non-writer employees on her staff who need to be paid as well. I get that, but airing a show that usually employs guild writers without guild writers is running a scab show. You would think that a multi-generational actor, whose forebears have been photographed picketing in previous actors’ strikes, would understand that there is no “two sides” to this story.
Barrymore was scheduled to be the presenter at this year’s National Book Awards ceremony in November, but the invitation was rightfully rescinded.
Though her status may rise amongst the corporate heads of entertainment and advertising as a result of this decision, I bet she’s going to find it really hard to get another role once the strike is settled. And I’m not sure she’s going to be able to fill her comfy chair with actors, writers and directors once the dust is cleared. And who is going to watch? I feel that even watching is scabbing, and, in case Drew hasn’t noticed, we are in a much more union-friendly moment in time now than in recent history.
So, it’s quite possible that this move might kill her show and everyone on it could lose their jobs permanently.
But time, and public perception, will tell.