Drew Barrymore deletes tearful video on decision to bring back her talk show amid writers strike

Drew Barrymore deleted an emotional video from her Instagram page on Sept. 15 that she originally uploaded earlier in the day. In the original video, she addressed the backlash caused by her decision to resume production of her talk show amid the Hollywood writers strike that has been going on since May.

“I believe there’s nothing I can do or say in this moment to make it OK,” she began.

“I wanted to own a decision so that it wasn’t a PR-protected situation. And I would just take full responsibility for my actions. I know there’s nothing I can do that will make this OK for those who (it) is not OK with. I fully accept that. I fully understand that.”

Barrymore, who has lost a gig hosting the National Books Awards in the wake of her decision and has had writers picketing her show, acknowledged the gravity of the situation.

“There are so many reasons why this is so complex and I just want everyone to know my intentions have never been in a place to upset or hurt anyone,” she said. “It’s not who I am. I’ve been through so many ups and downs in my life. And this is one of them. I deeply apologize to writers. I deeply apologize to unions.”

Contract talks are expected to resume between the Writers Guild of America and major studios. In the meantime, “Real Time with Bill Maher” has also announced its decision to return to the airwaves without writers, while “The View” has never stopped production, electing not to use WGA members, like “The Drew Barrymore Show.”

Barrymore also emphasized she was not being spurred on by a PR team.

“I won’t polish this with bells and whistles and publicists and corporate rhetoric,” she said. “I’ll just stand out there and accept and be responsible.”

Barrymore also shed some light on why she made the decision to bring back her program, which premiered in 2020, a few months after the pandemic began.

“I wanted to do this because as I said, this is bigger than me. And there are other people’s jobs on the line,” she said.

“And since launching live in a pandemic, I just wanted to make a show that was there for people in sensitive times. And I weighed the scales and I thought, 'If we could go on during a global pandemics and everything that the world is experienced or 2020, why would this sideline us?'

"So I want to just put one foot in front of the other and make a show that’s there for people, regardless of anything else that’s happening in the world because that’s when I think we all need something that wants to be there, being very realistic in very realistic times.”

In announcing her decision to resume production of her show earlier this week on Instagram, Barrymore embraced the fact that this was her call.

"I own this choice," she wrote. "We are in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and television that is struck of any kind."

Barrymore was trending on Twitter for the day on Friday after sharing the video with many criticizing her apology.

"Writers don’t need an apology, @DrewBarrymore. We need you to stop doing a show that cannot be made without scab writing," tweeted writer David Slack. (A scab writer is one who works during a strike.) "When you cause harm, apologies are meaningless until you stop causing harm."

"If you want to be there for people in sensitive times, be there for the people making your show," tweeted writer Jon Enge. "Walk off set, grab a sign and march the picket line."

This article was originally published on TODAY.com