They were not on the same page.
Drew Barrymore was officially relieved Tuesday from her hosting duties for the 2023 National Book Awards after revealing that she planned to resume filming “The Drew Barrymore Show” amid the Writer’s Guild of America strike.
In an official statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the National Book Foundation condemned Barrymore, 48, and said that they had “rescinded” her hosting invitation for the November ceremony.
“The National Book Award is an evening dedicated to celebrating the power of literature, and the incomparable contributions of writers to our culture,” read the statement. “In light of the announcement that ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ will resume production, the National Book Foundation has rescinded Ms. Barrymore’s invitation to host the 74th National Book Awards Ceremony.”
“Our commitment is to ensure that the focus of the awards remains on celebrating writers and books, and we are grateful to Ms. Barrymore and her team for their understanding in this situation,” continued the statement.
The Post reached out to Barrymore for comment.
It was announced in July that the “Charlie’s Angel” actress would host the event while philanthropist and ex-talk show host Oprah Winfrey would be speaking at the event. The foundation has yet to announce a new emcee.
Barrymore’s return to television has not been an easy one. On Tuesday, two audience members claimed they were removed from a taping of her morning talk show for sporting WGA pins.
Taking to X, Dominic Turiczek claimed that he and his friend were “verbally assaulted” by members of the show’s crew before being asked to leave.
“Went to @DrewBarrymoreTV after winning tickets, unaware of the #WGA strike,” Turiczek wrote on Monday. “We took pins & went in, got kicked out, & verbally assaulted by @DrewBarrymore’s crew. It’s clear they don’t support #WGAStrong, writers or fans!”
Turiczek and his friend went on to join the pickets outside the building after the incident.
The enraged fan added in a second tweet that while they were aware that the strike was going on, they did not realize that “they were picketing at Drew’s show.”
A rep for the show later told Entertainment Weekly that Barrymore was “completely unaware of the incident” and that they were “in the process of reaching out to the affected audience members to offer them new tickets.”
Since coming back on air, the “50 First Dates” star has had to defend her actions.
The “Blended” actress issued a statement Sunday on Instagram saying that even though she walked away from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards in May as it was in “direct conflict with what the strike was dealing with which was studios, streamers, film, and television,” she was set on bringing back her show.
“I am also making the choice to come back for the first time in this strike for our show, that may have my name on it but this is bigger than just me,” she wrote. “I own this choice.”
“We are in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and television that is struck of any kind. We launched live in a global pandemic,” she continued. “Our show was built for sensitive times and has only functioned through what the real world is going through in real time.”
Additionally, Barrymore noted that her show had wrapped for the summer on April 20, before the strikes began.
“The Drew Barrymore Show will not be performing any writing work covered by the WGA strike,” a CBS Media Ventures spokesperson told The Post.
The Writers Guild of America has pushed back about the show returning to air.
“The @DrewBarrymoreTV Show is a WGA covered, struck show that is planning to return without its writers,” the Writers Guild of America, East tweeted Sunday. “The Guild has, and will continue to, picket struck shows that are in production during the strike. Any writing on ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ is in violation of WGA strike rules.”
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