Drew Barrymore is out as the host of this year’s National Book Awards.
The National Book Foundation released a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, announcing that the actor and talk show host will no longer emcee the prize ceremony scheduled for Nov. 15.
Barrymore drew fire earlier this week when she announced on Instagram that she would be bringing back her daytime talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show, despite the writers’ strike that has shut down much of the television and film industry over the past months. Her show employs writers who are members of the striking Writers Guild of America; some of them picketed outside CBS Broadcast Center, where the show is filmed.
The WGA condemned Barrymore for resuming her show, writing on X, “The @DrewBarrymoreTV Show is a WGA covered, struck show that is planning to return without its writers. The Guild has, and will continue to, picket struck shows that are in production during the strike. Any writing on ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ is in violation of WGA strike rules.”
The National Book Foundation said in its statement, “The National Book Awards is an evening dedicated to celebrating the power of literature, and the incomparable contribution of writers to our culture. In light of the announcement that ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ will resume production, the National Book Foundation has rescinded Ms. Barrymore’s invitation to host the 74th National Book Awards Ceremony.”
Last year’s National Book Awards ceremony took place during a strike by employees of publisher HarperCollins; the ceremony’s host, Padma Lakshmi, wore a button supporting the striking workers.
By contrast, producers on Barrymore’s series reportedly kicked out two audience members from a taping of the show on Monday because they were wearing WGA buttons. One of the people removed from the audience said they both joined the picket line outside afterward.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
