Welcome to Vulture’s “Strike Recap,” or “Strike-cap,” if you will, a regular rundown of all the biggest news from the WGA and SAG picket lines.
The Union Solidarity Coalition broke the internet last week by announcing the weirdest charity auction ever devised by man. Busy Philipps, Adam Scott, and David Krumholtz are auctioning off things like going with you to a pottery class, walking your dog, or serenading you on Zoom (respectively). None of the actors have offered to define “parasocial relationship” to a bidder, but Natasha Lyonne will do the crossword with you! The real items/activities being auctioned are wild enough, but people really let their freak flags fly with the memes.
Oh, my god!?!?!! pic.twitter.com/rH8L4K0NUF
— Mike (@michaelcollado) September 14, 2023Chase Bank: We have an unusual charge on your account
Me: Oh no, what is it?
Chase: It says here you spent $1,000 on a dog portrait painted by… John Lithgow???
*silence*
Me: Go ahead and approve that charge https://t.co/fgULGgF801
— Hope Sloop (@Hopesloop) September 13, 2023ok this is worth it pic.twitter.com/6Vbb29iVAP
— Zack Bornstein (@ZackBornstein) September 15, 2023— James Urbaniak (@JamesUrbaniak) September 15, 2023 View this post on InstagramIn other good news, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Writers Guild of America are set to meet again Wednesday. “Every member company of the AMPTP is committed and eager to reach a fair deal, and to working together with the WGA to end the strike,” the producers said in a statement. In the meantime, we saw themed pickets, a Harold & Kumar reunion, and more shows choosing to come back without writers.
The View Stands Alone
After losing her hosting gig at the National Book Awards, getting roasted online, and even having her great-aunt dragged for her scab activities, Drew Barrymore decided not to continue filming The Drew Barrymore Show. Barrymore vowed not to bring the show back until the strike is over. The Talk and The Jennifer Hudson Show also decided to postpone their new seasons, but didn’t go so far as to promise no new eps until the strike is resolved. That leaves The View as the main daytime show with WGA writers still on the air.
View this post on Instagram'The Talk' Postpones Return on CBS, Following Drew Barrymore https://t.co/GjNVLY7MaI
— Variety (@Variety) September 17, 2023'The Jennifer Hudson Show' Pushes Back Return Amid Writers Strike https://t.co/ADRfEBeJKb
— Variety (@Variety) September 17, 2023Scabbing With the Stars
On the prime-time and late-night front, Real Time With Bill Maher announced that it was coming back without writers, which was hardly surprising given what Maher has said about the WGA’s demands. Dude called demanding a living wage “kooky.” On Monday, Maher walked back his previous announcement in real time. “My decision to return to work was made when it seemed nothing was happening and there was no end in sight to this strike,” he tweeted. “Now that both sides have agreed to go back to the negotiating table I’m going to delay the return of Real Time, for now, and hope they can finally get this done.”
My decision to return to work was made when it seemed nothing was happening and there was no end in sight to this strike. Now that both sides have agreed to go back to the negotiating table I’m going to delay the return of Real Time, for now, and hope they can finally get this…
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) September 18, 2023The WGA-covered Dancing With the Stars is also coming back. Again, this show gave Sean Spicer a shot at redemption, so are we really surprised a progressive, pro-labor stance isn’t on its dancing card?
Dancing with the Stars is a WGA-covered show. Its writers are on strike, and they can’t make the show without scab writing.
Hope @alfonso_ribeiro @juliannehough @misterhough @MiraSorvino @alydenisof & @jason_mraz do the right thing and refuse to cross our picket line. #WGAStrong pic.twitter.com/F4NK2zYrQX
— David Slack (@slack2thefuture) September 17, 2023Themed Pickets, Celebs on the Line
The week of September 11, we saw hundreds of WGA showrunners come together as a show of solidarity. The picket was organized after news broke that an informational meeting with some high-level showrunners (including Kenya Barris and Noah Hawley) had been canceled. According to the WGA, the Showrunner Solidarity picket collected “625 gift cards to businesses like grocery stores, Target, and Amazon,” which will be given out Tuesday at the IATSE Appreciation Day picket at Fox. Later in the week at Fox, there will also be a Murder, She Wrote–themed picket.
Last week also saw stars like Oscar Isaac, Margot Robbie, John Cho, and Kal Penn on the picket line. “We have the munchies for a fair deal,” Penn captioned his post on the mini Harold & Kumar reunion.
This #Barbie is on strike.
Margot Robbie was spotted on the SAG-AFTRA picket line in West Hollywood. pic.twitter.com/AC9DiZliUy
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) September 14, 2023Oscar Isaac at the #SAGAFTRA picket line in New York City. pic.twitter.com/sK6jZ6dT1I
— OscarIHE (@OscarIsaacHEfan) September 14, 2023 View this post on InstagramWhen you invite everyone and then everyone shows up. My heart is full. I was expecting a big turnout but today was BEYOND.
Thank you to a few hundred of my friends. https://t.co/UP32lzheDD
— Amy Berg (@bergopolis) September 12, 2023The people have spoken - Murder, She Wrote picket at Fox this Thursday 9/21! https://t.co/P1hafQmgOi pic.twitter.com/lAlJD38ZUW
— Tyler Ruggeri (@t_ruggeri) September 17, 2023VFX and MTV Solidarity
Two exciting new unions have joined the scene. The writers of MTV’s Ridiculousness unanimously voted to unionize on September 11. The new Ridiculousness union is with the WGA. Considering that MTV runs that show nearly continuously, this is a big deal. Also voting to unionize with IATSE were the VFX workers of Marvel. They really were tired of getting “pixel fucked.” Walt Disney Pictures VFX workers are expected to unionize under IATSE soon as well.
@thatclarafied#tv #film #losangeles #newyork
♬ original sound - ClaraBREAKING: Marvel Studios’ Visual Effects (VFX) Workers UNANIMOUSLY voted in favor of unionizing with IATSE in a labor board election.
This marks the first time a unit of solely VFX Workers has unionized with IATSE since VFX was pioneered nearly a half-century ago. pic.twitter.com/gqMx2dIQj3
— IATSE // #IASolidarity (@IATSE) September 13, 2023Somebody Feed Phil the Rich
Not hugely newsworthy, but it’s wild seeing the normally mild-mannered Phil Rosenthal absolutely pop off about today’s media execs. Like United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain has been saying during their strike, Rosenthal doesn’t cotton to the way the heads of these multibillion-dollar companies plead poverty. Speaking of UAW president Shawn Fain, the fan cams have been coming thick and fast on TikTok.
@hectorluisalamoArt vs. the profit motive 🎥💰 #hollywood #hollywoodlife #strike #sagaftra #sagaftrastrike #sagaftrastrong #wga #wgastrike #wgastrong #entertainment #entertainmentnews #showbiz #showbusiness #losangeles #california #la #cali #realtalk #truth #money #business #corporate #corporatetiktok #corporateamerica #corporatetok #foryou #foryoupage #fyp
♬ original sound - Hector Luis Alamo @thecambridgeteaThis is now a UAW President Shawn Fain fan account. 🔥 #uaw #solidarity #uawstrike #prounion #unionstrong #strike #shawnfain #unionstrongandproud #unions #inequality #fairwages UAW Strike UAW President Shawn Fain Shawn Fain UAW Strike 2023
♬ original sound - Raegan PayneDo you have a story tip or interesting writers strike update to share? Drop us a line at tips@vulture.com.
More From the picket line
- The Last WGA Strike Recap
- AMPTP Denies Rumors of Dissent in Its Ranks
- Poll Shows 72 Percent of Americans Side With Writers in Hollywood Strike
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