"It's the right thing to do": Drew Carey reveals he covered meals for writers amid the 2023 strike

Drew Carey, the host of The Price is Right, made headlines after the Writers Guild Awards on Sunday, April 14, where he recounted his philanthropic act during the 2023 writers' strike in Los Angeles. In his speech at the Hollywood Palladium, Carey revealed that he covered the meal expenses of striking writers at two iconic LA eateries, Bob's Big Boy and Swingers.

Carey explained that his motivation stemmed from a belief in doing the right thing, expressing his support for the striking scribes.

"It's the right thing to do. I really appreciate all the thanks and stuff it's just it was just the right thing to do and I don't think I should get that much credit for doing a right thing," he said.

However, Drew Carey mentioned during his speech that he didn't anticipate that his gesture would cost him so much money.

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Drew Carey sheds light on covering meal expenses for striking writers

As the 2023 strike continued, Drew Carey found himself facing mounting bills for the meals he provided to striking writers. However, despite concerns raised by his accountant and publicist, Carey remained resolute in his decision to support the cause. He emphasized that honoring his commitment was paramount because it was simply "the right thing to do."

Drew Carey also shrugged off the notion that he deserved excessive credit for his actions, acknowledging that the writers, especially those from The Drew Carey Show, had played a significant role in his success. He highlighted the sacrifices made by individuals and spoke about a friend who was at risk of losing their home due to the strike. He called individuals like this "the real heroes" of the movement.

With a touch of humor, Carey recounted the shock he experienced when the bills started rolling in after he decided to cover the meals of those involved in the strike. Speaking about initially anticipating a bill similar to his previous contribution of $67,000 during a prior strike, he said:

"I didn’t know it was going to cost me so much money. The last (strike) it was like, I think the total bill was like $67,000. I thought it was going to be about the same thing. But then some of you decided, 'Oh yeah I’m going to get a shake and some dessert.'"

Throughout the strike, Carey kept his philanthropic efforts discreet, refraining from publicizing the extent of his generosity. In appreciation, writers left a "thank you" book at Bob's Big Boy, penning notes and expressing their gratitude to the host of The Price Is Right.

From May to September 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA), representing 11,500 screenwriters, embarked on a strike due to a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Lasting 148 days, this strike equaled the duration of the 1960 strike, making it the second longest in WGA history, surpassed only by the 1988 strike which lasted 153 days.

Residuals from streaming media emerged as a central point of contention in the dispute. Additionally, writers advocated for the limitation of artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, to serve solely as a tool to aid research or facilitate script ideas, rather than replacing human writers.

The Writers Guild Awards recognized writers with extraordinary talents. Held at Hollywood Palladium for the West Coast division and the Edison Ballroom in New York City for the East Coast division, the event honored storytelling in the midst of industry challenges. Niecy Nash-Betts oversaw the LA edition of the event, while Josh Gondelman hosted it in New York.