What Whitney Wants to Say #8
This week is going to be all about labor, yay! Let’s go:
This week, Drew Barrymore has incurred the wrath of the internet and striking workers all over the country when she decided to cross the picket line and begin airing her show again. This is problematic because her show uses WGA writers and continuing the show without a deal for them to work and be paid fairly is scabbing. Her team has even went as far as to confiscate strike pins given to audience members and check bags to make sure audience members have no pro-strike material with them. This is happening as the literal writers of her show are outside picketing. In just the span of a few days, Drew Barrymore has destroyed all of her positive public favor, shattering the image she’d built up as a “compassionate, mother-figure” celebrity and honestly I find it completely ridiculous. It is so easy for celebrities to create a cult of personality and maintain it, but so many are so attention and praise starved as the strike lingers on that they will do anything to have eyes back on them again. Even if it’s at the expense of having eyes on them in the future.
If I was Drew Barrymore here’s what I would have done: I would’ve gone to the WGA and proposed an idea for a podcast instead. I am Drew Barrymore so I’m stupid rich and I would offer to fund it. The podcast would be called “Strike Diaries” or something and each week we’d read stories of people on strike, how they got there, what’s keeping them on the picket line, and interviews with strikers. All of the proceeds made would go to the strike fund so that there’s steady income coming into the fund. Boom, people think you’re great and you can actually help. Simple.
Work is a necessity in this country, something we all have to do and it’s sad that a lot of us can’t expect basic respect in our individual workplaces. So many issues could be avoided with just a bit more humanity added to our workplaces. Some more consideration for the lives of employees. It shouldn’t be hard to do.
I think it’s funny how the AMPTP planned to starve out the WGA and SAG-AFTRA instead of offering them a fair deal, meanwhile VFX studios around the country are joining IATSE left and right. Like the last people we ever thought would unionize in the entertainment industry just did and I know for a fact the continuing strike and the positive response from the general public played a role in it. It’s beautiful really and now I’m even more convinced that the AMPTP will lose this fight.
If you would like to learn about the writers strike you can find more information here