Real Time With Bill Maher to resume without writers amid dual Hollywood strikes

It’s the season of talk shows resuming work amid dual Hollywood strikes. After Drew Barrymore announced that she will return with her talk show even though the strikes are still on, Real Time With Bill Maher, made a similar announcement last night. But they will resume production without its writers.

Real Time With Bill Maher to return on air

Bill Maher posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), “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.”

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In his post, Bill added that “much of the staff is struggling mightily” and that even though he appreciates his writers, he is "not prepared to lose an entire year and see so many below-the-line people suffer so much.”

Real Time With Bill Maher runs on HBO and will return on September 22. The show will return without a pre-written monologue, desk piece, ‘New Rules”’ segment or editorial segments.

The host further added, “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.”

WGA slams decision

The Writers Guild of America said in a statement, “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.'”

“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.”

Other talk shows resuming work amid strikes

Meanwhile, after The Drew Barrymore Show announced its return, others like The Talk, The Jennifer Hudson Show and Sherri have also joined. They will all return on air.

The Writers Guild of America members have been on strike for 135 days now. SAG-AFTRA has been withholding labour for 61 days.

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