Summary
- WGA union members are picketing Dancing with the Stars, asking the show to respect the ongoing strike and halt production.
- The show is in compliance with SAG-AFTRA strike rules, but WGA members argue that it still encourages the studio to prolong the strike.
- Former DWTS pro Cheryl Burke agrees with WGA members and emphasizes the importance of solidarity to bring about significant change.
ABC’s Dancing with the Stars is the latest series to face the WGA’s wrath. The 32nd season of the dance competition is set to premiere next week, but Writers Guild of America union members are asking that the show respect the ongoing strike and abandon production. Through signs, picketers are calling out some of this season’s celebrity cast, including How I Met Your Mother’s Alyson Hannigan, Sound of Freedom’s Mira Sorvino, and Veep’s Matt Walsh (also a WGA member), encouraging them to back out of the dancing competition. These actors are in compliance with SAG-AFTRA strike rules, as appearing on “variety” shows like Dancing with the Stars is allowed under their National Code of Fair Practice for Network Television Broadcasting.
According to Deadline, 25 picketers assembled early this morning outside DWTS’ West Hollywood rehearsal space – with more expected to join as the day progresses. In the past, the show has counted one WGA writer as part of its 500 employees. A writer on the picket line told the publication:
“The WGA respects all writing whether it’s a single writer on a feature film with 500 people or it’s a single writer on a TV show with 500 people; it’s all the same to us and we’re going to protect writing across the board.” They continued: “Dancing with the Stars is a WGA signatory show. It shouldn’t be shooting right now. ABC has no fall programming, narratively speaking, because they chose to impose this strike upon us so we want to disrupt all of their programming as much as we can so they’ll come back to the table with a reasonable offer.”
While some may argue that DWTS’ employment of one WGA writer should give the series leeway to move forward, MacGyver exec producer David Slack says that their return is detrimental to many more jobs:
“The reason that it’s so important that Dancing with the Stars not move forward with scab writing is that it encourages the studio to make the strike last longer and to hold out to see if other shows will be able to move forward with scab writing. While it may put the crew for Dancing with the Stars back to work, that’s keeping every other crew in Hollywood out of work.”
Related: Jennifer Hudson Show & The Talk Postpone Production Amid Ongoing Writers’ Strike
Former DWTS Pro Cheryl Burke: “We Have to Stick Together”
ABC
Professional dancer Cheryl Burke, who appeared on the show since its second season and officially exited the series last season, agrees with WGA members that Dancing with the Stars should stand in solidarity with the WGA. In an interview with Variety, Burke shared:
“In order for things to change, we have to stick together, point blank, because if one show just decides to think about the show on its own, this is not going to make big changes. It is not going to change the way these other people — the opposing team — are thinking. At the end of the day, we have to stick together because that’s the only way to ever make any significant change. Even the cast of ‘Friends,’ when they asked for more money, they all stuck together. The problem is that if we don’t, then we’re setting a precedent and I don’t think it’s gonna be good for the show, to be quite honest, in the long run. I understand what they’re thinking and I get it. It’s a business, but there is no business without the rest of the business.:
DWTS aired during the 2007–2008 writers’ strike but was never picketed. If the show halts production, it will join several series, including The Drew Barrymore Show, Jennifer Hudson Show, and The Talk, who have opted to stay in the good graces of the WGA by postponing production. If DWTS moves forward as scheduled (and no one exits) competitors Sorvino, Hannigan, Walsh, Jamie Lynn Spears, Barry Williams, Tyson Beckford, Ariana Madix, Xochitl Gomez, and others, will battle it out for the Mirror Ball Trophy beginning September 26 on ABC.
You can view the original article HERE.
