Talk shows walk back plans to scab as negotiations resume in WGA strike

polygon.com:

Bill Maher is famous for two things: Being the host of Real Time with Bill Maher, an HBO talk show where the alleged comedian smugly articulates his brand of centrism opposite often-reasonable guests; and crafting a public persona best described as “huge fucking asshole.” Because of these two things, it wasn’t particularly surprising when the host announced last week <a href=«https://twitter.com/billmaher/status/1702112410516254893?ref_src=» https:>via social media

that he would be bringing the show back, “sans writers or writing.” This was a nonsensical claim, a bit of semantic tomfoolery meant to dress up a clear violation of the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike as anything but. What is surprising is that Maher has since walked that decision back.

In a follow-up post Monday, Maher announced that he would “delay the return of Real Time, for now,” and said that he had made his initial decision “when it seemed nothing was happening and there was no end in sight” to the strike. A return to negotiations, per Maher’s statement, is why he changed his tune.

My decision to return to work was made when it seemed nothing was happening and there was no end in sight to this strike. Now that both sides have agreed to go back to the negotiating table I’m going to delay the return of Real Time, for now, and hope they can finally get this…

Broken clocks and Bill Maher both do occasionally have valid points. This week does legitimately seem to bring the first signs of real progress in the writers’ strike, as the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the Hollywood studios, have announced that both parties have confirmed a schedule to resume bargaining this Wednesday. It’s the