As the controversy surrounding Drew Barrymore’s daytime talk show continues to escalate, it’s important to consider the unique nature of syndicated TV. Last week, Barrymore sparked outrage when she announced that her show would be returning amidst the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. In the following days, tensions intensified as Barrymore released a second, now-deleted video message, exacerbating the criticisms against her. Ironically, her attempt to address the criticism only made things worse. While Barrymore finds herself at the center of the storm, she is not the only daytime host making a comeback this week. “The Jennifer Hudson Show” and CBS’ “The Talk,” which is not a syndicated show, will also be launching new seasons on September 18th. Additionally, Sherri Shepherd’s “Sherri” and Karamo Brown’s “Karamo” will be returning, although their shows are not affected by the strikes that are impacting “Tamron Hall” and “Live with Kelly & Mark,” both of which have already resumed production despite the strikes. ABC’s “The View,” which employs WGA writers, never halted production during the strike, unlike shows such as “The Talk” and “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” which immediately ceased production last spring. Some of these shows have faced backlash for their decision to return, including picketers outside a taping of “The Talk” and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre pulling out of an appearance on “The View” in support of the striking writers. However, Barrymore was the only host to address her return beforehand on social media, declaring her intention to work during the strikes, which subsequently made her a target for criticism. Interestingly, Barrymore’s explanation for her return did not include an important detail: syndicated TV shows have contractual obligations to deliver new episodes to local stations. Unlike network shows such as “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” or “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” which have permanent time slots on the network schedule, nationally syndicated daytime talk shows like “The Drew Barrymore Show” are required to produce a certain number of episodes for over 200 local stations each television season. In other words, this decision was not solely made by Barrymore, but rather a business decision influenced by contractual obligations. Hosts like Barrymore are under contract with major media production companies, and like any regular job, they must eventually return to work. Syndicated talk shows typically have to deliver 35 to 40 weeks of new episodes to their local station partners, or risk losing their show. According to a daytime talk show employee, “We have 200 clients that we have to deliver original episodes to. It’s not a network show like late night, which has only one client: the network.” Shows such as “Drew” and “Jennifer Hudson” could have postponed their premieres and adjusted their production schedules in the hopes of the strikes ending soon. However, with no resolution in sight for the ongoing WGA and AMPTP impasse, local stations and advertisers expect original content from the shows they are paying a significant license fee to carry this fall. Frank Cicha, executive vice president of programming for Fox Television Stations, which carries numerous national syndicated talk shows including “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” explains the dilemma: “In theory, you could delay your debut if you’re concerned about the strike, but there are already more repeats than necessary, so the idea of your main talk shows not returning is worrisome.” The talk show industry is currently fractured, as more viewers are turning to streaming in the US instead of traditional linear programming. Daytime lineups consist primarily of repeat episodes from popular shows like “The Dr. Phil Show,” “Judge Judy,” “Jerry Springer,” and “Maury,” which may seem stale but continue to attract viewers and generate revenue for distributors. On the other hand, original talk shows like “Drew,” “Jennifer Hudson,” “Kelly Clarkson,” “Tamron Hall,” “Sherri,” and “Live With Kelly and Mark” are costly productions in an era where fewer people are watching television during the daytime. More repeats would only accelerate the decline of syndication, with Frank Cicha stating, “It’s a critical time, and if there’s no way to produce original programming, we could witness the end of national syndication.” However, the writers who are striking argue that they are also on a precarious path and are fighting for better wages and working conditions. Barrymore’s own writers have expressed their objections to production resuming, amidst comments flooding her social media demanding her to go home. Comedian Andy Richter points out, “A talk show is not a charitable cause or a humanitarian campaign; it is a money-making machine that can be a fun way to spend an hour. The primary purpose of every talk show is to promote products; they are essentially attractive commercials between actual commercials. To act differently, especially during a strike, is to serve the bosses’ interests in a misguided and self-important manner.” However, the livelihoods of those working in daytime television depend on these talk shows, which employ between 150 to 200 staff members, including two to four writers. CBS Media Ventures, the distributor of “The Drew Barrymore Show,” released a statement in support of their host, emphasizing that the show is moving forward while considering its staff, crew, and loyal viewers, totaling over 150 people. Employees from other talk shows echo this sentiment, emphasizing the consequences of not returning to work. One anonymous employee states, “We have to come back, or else hundreds of people will lose their jobs. Stations will take us off the air and relegate us to unfavorable time slots. That’s just how it works.” Another anonymous employee adds, “If even one major station group decides not to air our show, even with repeats, it would impact ratings and advertising. It affects everything. Why would we risk letting a show die and permanently displacing people from their jobs if we can continue the show without violating any rules?” All syndicated and non-syndicated talk shows covered by the WGA, such as “Drew,” “Jennifer Hudson,” “The View,” and “The Talk,” have stated that they are operating in accordance with the unions and are returning without writers until a new WGA contract is established. The SAG-AFTRA Network Television Code permits the hosts to perform their duties. However, the WGA disputes this claim. A spokesperson for the union asserts that “Drew Barrymore should not be on the air while her writers are on strike fighting for a fair deal. In reality, shows like this cannot operate without writing, and that is struck work.” Employees from talk shows who spoke with Variety anonymously express confusion over the WGA’s stance, stating that the messaging has been inconsistent. They argue that while certain daytime shows, such as “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” require more comedy writing, many talk shows, like “The View,” rely heavily on unscripted and spontaneous conversations. These employees explain that it is typical for producers to prepare bullet points and questions for guest interviews, tasks that have never been assigned to WGA writers on talk shows. These writers traditionally focus on crafting jokes, monologues, sketches, and extended intros, which are not currently included in the shows’ format until the writers return. Nevertheless, the WGA…
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