Drew Barrymore’s Talk Show Returns Amid Ongoing Hollywood Strike

Actress, producer, and talk show host Drew Barrymore is accustomed to being scrutinized by the public. The Daytime Emmy nominee is receiving criticism for returning to The Drew Barrymore Show amid the WGA and SAG strikes.

Barrymore has hosted the talk show since September 2020, and it’ll be in Season 4 when the show resumes taping. The actress’s decision to resume her talk show duties isn’t going over well with WGA and SAG members. Some picketers plan to protest outside the show’s New York studios.

Drew Barrymore defends her decision

Season 3 of The Drew Barrymore Show wrapped on April 20, 2023; two weeks before the WGA strike. When the WGA announced their strike on May 2, Barrymore showed her solidarity by backing out of hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards.

In a recent Instagram post, the actress explained her reason for backing out of the award show.

"“I made a choice to walk away from the MTV, film and television awards because I was the host and it had a direct conflict with what the strike was dealing with, which was studios, streamers, film, and television. It was also in the first week of the strike and so I did what I thought was the appropriate thing at the time to stand in solidarity with the writers.”"

The talk show host went on to defend her reason for resuming the filming of her show.

"“I own this choice. We are in compliance with not discussing or promoting film or television that is struck of any kind. We launched live in a global pandemic. Our show was built for sensitive times and has only functioned through what the real world is going through in real time.”"

She ended her statement by hoping for a resolution to the strike soon and said the show will carry on through difficult times like it has in the past.