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Bill Maher is resuming production on his talk show Real Time without writers amid the ongoing strike.
The Real Time with Bill Maher host announced on Wednesday that he was bringing his weekly HBO talk show back amid the ongoing WGA writers' strike to help his out-of-work crew.
"Real Time is coming back, unfortunately, sans writers or writing," he wrote on social media. "It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work. The writers have important issues that I sympathize with, and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only people with issues, problems, and concerns. Despite some assistance from me, much of the staff is struggling mightily.
"I love my writers, I am one of them, but I'm not prepared to lose an entire year and see so many below-the-line people suffer so much."
The 67-year-old comedian explained that his show, which has been on air since 2003, will be missing some of its usual features.
"I will honor the spirit of the strike by not doing a monologue, desk piece, New Rules or editorial, the written pieces that I am so proud of on Real Time," he stated. "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 bulls**t and predictable partisanship, and that will continue."
Representatives from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) called Maher's decision "disappointing" and declared that some of their members would be picketing the show.
"Bill Maher is obligated as a WGA member to follow the strike rules and not perform any writing services. It is difficult to imagine how Real Time With Bill Maher can go forward without a violation of WGA strike rules taking place," they wrote on social media.
Maher's announcement comes days after Drew Barrymore returned to film The Drew Barrymore Show amid the strikes on Monday.
All of U.S. TV's late-night shows have been off the air since the strike began in May.
The Real Time with Bill Maher host announced on Wednesday that he was bringing his weekly HBO talk show back amid the ongoing WGA writers' strike to help his out-of-work crew.
"Real Time is coming back, unfortunately, sans writers or writing," he wrote on social media. "It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work. The writers have important issues that I sympathize with, and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only people with issues, problems, and concerns. Despite some assistance from me, much of the staff is struggling mightily.
"I love my writers, I am one of them, but I'm not prepared to lose an entire year and see so many below-the-line people suffer so much."
The 67-year-old comedian explained that his show, which has been on air since 2003, will be missing some of its usual features.
"I will honor the spirit of the strike by not doing a monologue, desk piece, New Rules or editorial, the written pieces that I am so proud of on Real Time," he stated. "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 bulls**t and predictable partisanship, and that will continue."
Representatives from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) called Maher's decision "disappointing" and declared that some of their members would be picketing the show.
"Bill Maher is obligated as a WGA member to follow the strike rules and not perform any writing services. It is difficult to imagine how Real Time With Bill Maher can go forward without a violation of WGA strike rules taking place," they wrote on social media.
Maher's announcement comes days after Drew Barrymore returned to film The Drew Barrymore Show amid the strikes on Monday.
All of U.S. TV's late-night shows have been off the air since the strike began in May.