Despite the WGA writer’s strike and the SAG-AFTRA actor’s strike still pushing onward as the AMPTP has yet to come back to the negotiation table with a fair deal for each union, the Sherri show kicked off it’s second season on Monday.
In the last week, many daytime and late-night hosts have come under fire for their decision to still produce and air new episodes during the strike. This is problematic largely because some of those shows regularly employ WGA covered writers to pen material for them and are therefore “struck shows.” So to move forward with new episodes would be crossing a picket line as it would mean using non-WGA membered writers to do the work for a struck show.
However, during her address to the audience, host Sherri Shepherd made it abundantly clear that her show falls under a different contract and that it’s never employed WGA writers.
“Here’s the thing, talk shows in general fall under a different union contract code, so we’re allowed to come back unless you’re a WGA show. The Sherri show is not a WGA show, we have never employed WGA writers, so us coming back to work isn’t crossing the picket line,” the eponymous host explained. “And as a comic, my comedic take on the headline is my voice. I write my jokes. I’m the writer and I’m not in the WGA. I have producers, who help shape my words which why we don’t have WGA writers over here at Sherri.”
“My heart is breaking for all of the people that cannot work right now and I hope our industry can get this strike resolved soon” she added.
She went on to say that she stands in solidarity with her union and stressed the importance of folks getting better residuals and the harped on the fight against A.I. in Hollywood.
“A.I. you cannot replace this humor, you cannot replace my sass, and A.I. you cannot replace these boobs,” she joked.
This comes as the WGA enters day 140 of its strike and day 67 of the SAG-AFTRA strike. However, the WGA and the AMPTP are scheduled to resume talks on Wednesday, per Deadline.