Bill Maher’s HBO show will continue without writers as the Hollywood strike continues. Despite the current Hollywood strikes, comedian and political commentator Bill Maher has confirmed that his HBO show, ‘Real Time with Bill Maher,’ will continue. In a statement on X, the social media network that replaced Twitter, Maher stated that he would restart his show without his writers or writing. “It’s been five months, & it’s time to get everyone back to work.” “The writers have significant concerns that I sympathise with and hope are addressed to their satisfaction,” he stated. The comic expressed hope that the strikes would end by Labour Day, but remarked that “nothing seems to be happening.”
HBO’s ‘Real Time With Bill Maher’ will return to air without writers, Maher confirms:
“Real Time is coming back, unfortunately, sans writers or writing. It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work. The writers have important issues that I sympathize… pic.twitter.com/YQ75bbhHvL
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) September 14, 2023
The 11,000-member Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike in May when contract discussions with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers collapsed. The strike has been the longest in WGA history, halting TV and film production in Hollywood for more than 100 days. After failing to reach a deal with film studios, SAG-AFTRA, the main union for Hollywood actors, joined the strike two months later in July. The first simultaneous strike since 1960. Both unions are asking for higher residual rates for streaming as well as better wages and working conditions.
‘It’s Time To Get People Back To Work,’ Comedian Bill Maher’s HBO Show Is Going To Keep Running Amid Hollywood Strikes
Bill Maher, the comedian, confirmed Wednesday that his HBO political talk show titled “Real Time” is coming back to the air but without writers due to the prolonged strike, which is now in its fifth month. “The writers have important concerns that I sympathise with and believe will be handled to their contentment, however, they are not the only people with difficulties, obstacles, and concerns,” Maher stated on social media, indicating that the financial well-being of his staff played a role in his decision. Despite my assistance, the majority of the crew has been struggling greatly,” Maher stated. The 67-year-old also stated that, while the show would return, it would be missing numerous writer-driven elements, such as his monologue and end-of-show editorial piece, and that the new episodes would “not be as good as our normal show, full stop.” “I adore my writers, and I am one of them, but I am not prepared to miss an entire year” & see numerous below-the-line individuals endure so much,” Maher said of his programme, which is shot at the Television City studio lot in Los Angeles. In a statement released on social media Wednesday night, the WGA termed Bill Maher’s decision “disappointing.”
“If he goes ahead with his plan, he must also honour more than ‘the essence of the strike,’” the union stated, adding that its members will be “picketing the show.” “As a WGA member,” the organisation noted, Maher “is obligated to follow strike rules and not execute any writing services.” Bill Maher”s news comes only two days after Drew Barrymore announced that her daytime chat show, The Drew Barrymore Show, would return with new episodes on September 18. “I own this decision,” she stated in a statement released on Monday. “We have agreed not to discuss or promote any struck film or television.” Her decision, however, sparked outrage in the entertainment industry, causing the WGA to say that it will protest her show, which is taped at the CBS Broadcast Centre in Manhattan. “‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ will not be undertaking any writing work covered by the WGA strike,” a CBS Media Ventures representative said in a statement. In early May, mere days after the WGA strike began, Barrymore declined to host the MTV Movie & TV Awards in solidarity with the union.