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Drew Barrymore, The Talk, Even Bill Maher Reverse Scab Plans Amidst Strikes on September 18, 2023 at 9:02 pm The Hollywood Gossip

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This summer, we have witnessed entertainment industry event that the world has not seen in generations.

Both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are striking amidst unthinkable corporate cheating. Executives are paying themselves tens of millions, while using streaming loopholes to pay minuscule residuals to the people who actually make TV and film.

It’s unsustainable. And there are many other issues that desperately need addressing.

Amidst all of this, a few clowns decided to resume their shows — scabbing during the strike. Sadly, Drew Barrymore was among them. Now, at least, she has reversed course and offered a heartfelt apology.

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In September of 2023, Drew Barrymore posted an “apology” video to Instagram. She apologized to writers and actors for returning to her show during the historic WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes … but, at the time, still planned to scab. (Instagram)

Please, don’t scab

Last week, The Drew Barrymore Show resumed — an apparent violation of the work stoppage.

Years ago, talk shows could continue in some form during strikes, lining the pockets of networks without their usual content. Those rules have since changed.

Reports came out, describing Barrymore’s security expelling studio audience members who wore strike-related materials.

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Patricia Clarkson joins SAG-AFTRA members on the picket line outside of Warner Bros. Discovery on August 10, 2023 in New York. The Emmy Awards have been postponed by almost four months, organizers said Thursday, as crippling strikes by Hollywood’s actors and writers drag on with no resolution in sight. (Getty)

Simply put, the whole point of any sort of strike — such as the one that America’s courageous auto workers recently authorized — is for the people who actually create goods and services and art that generate profit to bargain collectively.

Only a small percentage of actors are millionaires or more. Even a smaller percentage of writers are. The vast majority of SAG-AFTRA actors don’t even make as much as your average first-year teacher.

People who create value should then receive financial compensation for their labor and ingenuity. But with massive companies obsessed with golden parachutes and stockholders, it has become a game of cheating them out of their due.

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Drew Barrymore speaks onstage during American Film Institute’s 44th Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute show to John Williams at Dolby Theatre on June 9, 2016 (Getty)

We were ALL rooting for you!

Crossing the picket line — literally or metaphorically — hurts strikers. It also, by extension, hurts most Americans.

So when Drew Barrymore, or The Talk, or whatever Bill Maher’s god-awful show is called … when they start filming despite a work stoppage, it helps these corporate behemoths to avoid paying people what they owe them.

In case anyone wondered how valuable actors and writers actually are, Warner Bros Discovery projected a loss of $500 million for 2023. That’s bad, even under Zaslav’s leadership. Agreeing to the guilds’ terms would have cost a fraction of that.

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Bill Maher attends the Los Angeles Premiere of LBJ at ArcLight Hollywood on October 24, 2017. (Getty)

No one was rooting for Maher

Long story short, it sucked to hear that Barrymore was filming with scabs instead of her own writers. People felt disappointed in her.

Everyone expected this from Maher. He is a notoriously awful person who will almost invariably take the wrong stance on most issues.

The backlash was intense. And while it was a great opportunity to dunk on Maher, it was a time to bite the bullet and call out Barrymore.

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Drew Barrymore attends the 2023 Time100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 26, 2023. (Getty)

Two apologies: a hit and a miss

Late last week, she put out an apology … but did not signal her intent to change course. That was, obviously, not enough.

Now, Barrymore is showing that she has listened to and understood people’s concerns.

“I have listened to everyone, and I am making the decision to pause the show’s premiere until the strike is over,” she wrote on Instagram. Absolutely, it is a good thing that she has listened. We’re sure that many friends reached out to her.

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“I have listened to everyone, and I am making the decision to pause the show’s premiere until the strike is over,” Drew Barrymore announced on Instagram, reversing her plans to scab during the historic 2023 WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes. (Instagram)

“I have no words to express my deepest apologies to anyone I have hurt,” Barrymore continued.

“And, of course,” Barrymore acknowledged, “to our incredible team who works on the show and has made it what it is today.”

Oddly, she wrote: “We really tried to find our way forward.”

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John Oliver, winner of the Outstanding Variety Talk Series award for ‘Last Week Tonight with John Oliver’, poses in the press room during the 74th Primetime Emmys. (Getty)

Barrymore affirmed: “And I truly hope for a resolution for the entire industry very soon.”

Previously, she had explained that she was trying to resume work to save the jobs of other people.

For the record, other talk show hosts have formed a podcast, Strike Force Five, to earn money to pay their writers and crews.

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Bill Maher often says what’s on his mind. But this has gotten the comedian in trouble a lot over the years. (Getty)

Like we said, a lot of people felt disappointed in Drew Barrymore. Reversing course was the right thing to do, and it’s a relief.

What’s really a sign of the incredible upswell in public opinion is that The Talk and Bill Maher are also reacting to the backlash. Both halted plans to resume business as usual.

As many on social media observed, if Maher is caving, public pressure is an effective tool.

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David Zaslav, President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, attends a premiere in May 2023. Many have dubbed him “the most hated man” in the entertainment industry, and with good reason. (Getty)

There’s only one group of people who can end these strikes, and they’re executives in charge of some of the biggest entertainment industry corporations on the planet.

Instead, many executives planned vacations for this year. Companies have pushed film releases to next year — to a post-strike time when actors can promote their projects.

They can end the strikes by agreeing to reasonable terms from SAG-AFTRA and the WGA. Instead, it appears from the outside that they’d rather continue to lose money out of spite.

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Drew Barrymore, The Talk, Even Bill Maher Reverse Scab Plans Amidst Strikes was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

This summer, we have witnessed entertainment industry event that the world has not seen in generations. Both the WGA and …
Drew Barrymore, The Talk, Even Bill Maher Reverse Scab Plans Amidst Strikes was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip. 

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Kim and Kanye’s Daughter North West Faces Criticism Over Her Tattoos

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North West, the 12-year-old daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, is under the spotlight once again — this time for showing off a collection of tattoos that set social media on fire. In recent photos and videos circulating online, North was seen with several arm designs, including tributes to her parents and fashion-inspired symbols. While fans were quick to admire her bold style, not everyone was impressed.

Critics argue that the tattoos — even though they appear to be temporary — are another example of celebrity children being pushed into adult trends too early. Comments flooded social media platforms, with some users saying Kim allows North too much freedom, while others defended the reality star’s parenting approach, praising her for letting her daughter explore creativity and self-expression.

“Kids should be kids,” one commenter wrote, reflecting a broader sentiment among parents online. Meanwhile, supporters pointed out that North comes from one of the most fashion-forward families in the world and that experimenting with style is part of her upbringing.

Kim Kardashian has not directly addressed the controversy, but she has often spoken about encouraging her children to express themselves authentically. North, already known for her viral TikTok appearances and fashion collaborations, seems unfazed by the criticism.

At just 12, North West continues to blur the lines between youth culture and celebrity identity — reminding the public that in the Kardashian–West household, individuality isn’t just allowed, it’s celebrated.

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Jennifer Lopez’s Ex Fires Back: “You Are the Problem”

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Ojani Noa Accuses J.Lo of Cheating After “Never Been Loved” Comments

Jennifer Lopez is once again at the center of a media storm — but this time, it’s her first husband, Ojani Noa, turning up the heat. Following Lopez’s recent Howard Stern Show interview, in which she claimed she has “never been truly loved” by any of her exes, Noa has publicly accused the superstar of cheating and playing the victim.

In the viral Instagram post that has now spread across major outlets like TMZ and New York Post, Noa didn’t hold back.

“Stop putting us down. Stop putting me down with your victim card,” he wrote. “The problem is not us. Not me. The problem is you. You’re the one who couldn’t keep it in your pants.”

“You Chose Fame and Lies Over Love”

Noa and Lopez were married briefly from 1997 to 1998, before her rise to Hollywood superstardom. In his explosive statement, he accused her of being unfaithful during their marriage, claiming she prioritized fame over their relationship.

“You have been loved a few times. You’ve been married four times. And have had countless relationships in between,” Noa continued. “You decided to lie, to cheat on me. You begged me to keep the marriage intact to avoid bad press.”

Noa described himself as “faithful, honest, and loving,” saying he uprooted his life and career to support Lopez at the beginning of her entertainment journey. “I left my family, my friends, everything behind for you,” he wrote, “but once fame came calling, you left me behind.”​

Lopez Silent Amid Growing Backlash

As of now, Jennifer Lopez has not publicly responded to Noa’s allegations. During her Howard Stern interview, the singer and actress claimed her former partners “weren’t capable” of loving her, saying, “It’s not that I’m not lovable… it’s that they’re not capable.”

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Her remarks were widely interpreted as referencing all of her ex-husbands — including Marc Anthony, Cris Judd, and Ben Affleck — but it was Noa who reacted first and most forcefully. His comments have ignited widespread debate online, with many questioning whether Lopez’s honesty came at the expense of others’ reputations.

Public Response and Media Fallout

The online reaction has been intense, with social media users split between defending Lopez’s right to share her truth and blasting her for allegedly rewriting history. Meanwhile, entertainment analysts note that the controversy adds to an increasingly turbulent year for the singer, following canceled tours, underperforming films, and ongoing scrutiny over her marriage to Affleck.

This latest backlash has also reignited conversations about Lopez’s highly publicized romantic history. As tabloids and fans speculate whether more exes might respond, the situation underscores an old truth in celebrity culture — that every candid confession comes with consequences.

For now, Jennifer Lopez remains silent. But in the court of public opinion, the debate about who’s really at fault in her love story is only just beginning.

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Selling Your Soul in Hollywood: The Hidden Cost of Fame

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By all appearances, Hollywood is a dream factory — a place where charisma, talent, and luck collide to create stars. But behind the camera lights and red carpets lies a conversation few inside the industry speak openly about: the spiritual and moral price of ambition.

For actor Omar Gooding, the idea of “selling your soul” in Hollywood isn’t a metaphor — it’s a moral process that begins with tiny compromises. In an October 2025 interview, Gooding explained that no one in Hollywood makes a literal deal with the devil. Instead, it’s the quiet yeses, the moments when comfort overrides conviction, that mark the beginning of the trade. “They don’t say, ‘Take this or you’ll never make it,’” he said. “They just put it in front of you. You choose.”

Those choices, he argues, create a pattern. Once you show that you’ll accept something you once resisted, the industry notices. “Hollywood knows who it can get away with what,” Gooding said. “One thing always leads to another.” The phrase “selling your soul,” in this context, means losing your say — doing what you’re told rather than what you believe in.

That moral tension has long shadowed the arts. Comedians like Dave Chappelle, who famously walked away from millions to preserve his creative integrity, often serve as examples of where conviction and career collide. In resurfaced interviews, Chappelle hinted that he felt manipulated and silenced by powerful figures who sought control of his narrative, warning that “they’re trying to convince me I’m insane.”

This isn’t just about conspiracy — it’s about agency. Hollywood runs on perception. Performers are rewarded for being agreeable, moldable, entertaining. Those who question the machine or refuse the script risk exile, while those who conform are elevated — sometimes beyond what they can handle.

We see the ‘collections’ all the time,” Gooding explained. “When the bill comes due, you can tell. They made that deal long ago.”

But the story doesn’t end in darkness. Gooding also emphasizes that in today’s entertainment landscape, artists have more control than ever. With streaming, social media, and creator‑driven platforms, performers don’t have to “play the game” to be seen. Independent creators can build their own stages, speak their own truths, and reach millions without trading authenticity for access.

Still, the temptation remains — recognition, validation, quick success. And every generation of artists must answer the same question: What are you willing to do for fame?

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As Gooding put it, “You just make the best choices you can. Because once it’s gone — your name, your peace, your soul — there’s no buying it back.”

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