Bill Maher’s decision to resume filming for his talk show has been dubbed as “disappointing” by the WGA. In Maher’s defense, “Real Time With Bill Maher” is returning because writers aren’t the only one with problems. Wanna play lawyer? Here’s their arguments.
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New Episodes of “Real Time With Bill Maher” To Return Soon
It’s the season of talk shows returning, and without their writers. What started as a Drew Barrymore thing has spread like wildfire through other talk shows, and most of them are returning amid the dual strikes.
There’s just one catch, they won’t be returning with their writers. Like “The View,” they will be running completely unscripted.
Announcing the decision to return on X, Maher said, “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 sympathise with, and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only people with issues, problems, and concerns.”
Continuing on, Maher noted that “much of the staff is struggling mightily” and even though he appreciates his writers and stands by their strike, he is “not prepared to lose an entire year and see so many below-the-line people suffer so much.”
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The HBO show will return on September 22, but it won’t be the same as there won’t be a pre-written monologue, desk piece, ‘New Rules”’ segment or editorial segments.
Maher himself admits this, saying, “And I’ll say it upfront to the audience: the show I will be doing without my writers will not be as good as our normal show, full stop. But the heart of the show is an off-the-cuff panel discussion that aims to cut through the bullshit and predictable partisanship, and that will continue. The show will not disappoint.”
The Writers Guild Of America Reacts To Bill Maher’s Decision To Resume Talk Show Without Writers
Reacting to the news, WGA shared a statement that read, “The Guild has, and will continue to, picket struck shows that are in production during the strike. Bill Maher’s decision to go back on the air while his Guild is on strike is disappointing. If he goes forward with his plan, he needs to honour more than ‘the spirit of the strike”.
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“As a WGA member, Bill Maher is obligated to follow the strike rules and not perform any writing services,” the statement continued. “It is difficult to imagine how Real Time can go forward without a violation of WGA strike rules taking place. WGA will be picketing this show.”
Both sides present a valid argument, but who do you support in this case? Do let us know.
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