Writers' strike forces MTV Awards to go pre-taped, but awardees stand up for strikers

Los Angeles, May 8 (IANS) The 2023 MTV Film & TV Awards, which was derailed by the US writers' strike and forced to turn into a non-live event, saw many expressions of support for the striking writers, from entertainment celebrities, according to 'Variety'.

'The White Lotus' star Jennifer Coolidge, who received the Comedic Genius Award, was the first person to reference the strike in her pre-recorded speech, and threw her support behind the Writers Guild of America (WGA), reports 'Vareity'.

"Almost all great comedy starts with great writers, and as a proud member of SAG [Screen Actors Guild], I stand here before you tonight side-by-side with my sisters and brothers from the WGA, who are fighting for the rights of artistes everywhere," Coolidge said, according to 'Variety'.

She added: "I think of the words of Shakespeare where he once said, 'The play is the thing.' Well, I don't want to put words in his mouth or anything, but I think what he really meant was it's everything."

'Stranger Things' star Joseph Quinn also shouted out for the striking writers, saying, "Being a writer is a hard job and it deserves respect." The stars of 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars", adds 'Variety', threw their support behind the WGA, ending their Best Competition Series speech by saying, "We Queens stand with the writers in their strike."

And while accepting the Golden Popcorn for Best Show for 'The Last of Us', Pedro Pascal said that the show's creative team is "standing in solidarity with the WGA, that is fighting very hard for fair wages."

The first big expression of support for the strike came from Drew Barrymore, who stepped down as presenter of the show.

After that, the show's producers were still hopeful of pulling off some sort of live event sans host. But when the WGA announced it would picket the event on Sunday, the producers gave up and announced that the show would shift to a pre-taped event format, notes 'Variety'.

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