The Drew Barrymore Show announced its return date on Wednesday, but it may still be short-staffed in the writing department. The series will be back on Monday, Oct. 16 with a new season after stirring controversy by trying to resume production during the Writers Guild of America strike. After the news broke, sources told The Hollywood Reporter that the show’s three WGA writers will not be returning for the new season.
Drew Barrymore opted to resume production on her daytime talk show last month while the writers’ strike was still going on, with no end in sight for the writers or actors. After days of social media debate, Barrymore announced that she would hold off until the strike was over and apologized to everyone hurt by her actions. With the strike over, Barrymore is not even the first talk show host returning to the airwaves. Still, the writers who worked on the show before will not be coming back.
Videos by PopCulture.com
While talk shows are largely unscripted, many keep writers on staff for organization, punching up jokes and preparing monologues, among other things. In this case, The Drew Barrymore Show had three writers – Chelsea White, Cristina Kinon and Liz Koe. Sources told THR that none of them are returning for the new season the week after next. They did not say that this was the reason for the writers’ resignation, but many certainly have that impression.
White, Kinon and Koe were active in the WGA picketing throughout the summer, and were not shy about protesting their celebrity boss along with everyone else. They were reportedly at the forefront of picket lines outside of the studio where Barrymore was filming in September, and they spoke to THR about how much the move hurt them at a vulnerable time. They said that none of their colleagues even reached out to explain the situation to them.
“It is a bummer to hear that the show is going back because it sends a message that union writers are not valuable,” White said at the time. Kinon said: “I understand that everybody has to do what they feel is best for them. For me and the WGA writers on the show, it’s important for us to stick with our union. We deserve a fair contract, so we are here today outside.”
On Wednesday, White, Kinon and Koe declined to comment on the THR report, as did reps for The Drew Barrymore Show. The series would not technically have broken union rules by resuming production during the writers’ and actors’ strikes, but many critics argued that it sent a negative message about solidarity – especially considering that Barrymore herself is best known as an actress.
It’s not clear who will take over for the writers, or if the show will return without writers altogether. Kinon and Koe both have other upcoming projects listed on their IMDb pages. The Drew Barrymore Show returns on Monday, Oct. 16. You can find your local listing for the show on its website here.
