Emmys: Writers Guild Calls for Reinstatement of Variety Writing Award in Primetime Telecast
A petition signed by more than 1,400 union members says that the decision to remove the category from the broadcast "dismisses writing as the foundation for excellence in television, and devalues our profession as a whole."
The Writers Guild of America is escalating its pressure on the Television Academy after the organization removed the outstanding writing for a variety series/special award from the Emmys telecast.
On Tuesday the union sent a letter from major variety series and specials hosts and a petition signed by more than 1,400 members to Television Academy chairman Cris Abrego, calling on the organization to reinstate the category in the awards ceremony primetime broadcast. Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, John Oliver, Jon Stewart, Amber Ruffin, Colin Jost and Michael Che were among the members signing on to the letter to Abrego, which stated that the decision “devalues their [writers’] work, and our series, by sidelining writers from being honored during the Emmys’ main telecast.”
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The petition, signed by members including Leslie Jones, Bill Nye, Ray Romano, John Water, Roy Wood Jr., Rachel Bloom and Raphael Bob-Waksberg, meanwhile says the change “dismisses writing as the foundation for excellence in television, and devalues our profession as a whole.” The petition continues, “We implore the Television Academy to do the right thing.”
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In a message that accompanied the letter and petition, WGA West president Meredith Stiehm and WGA East president Lisa Takeuchi-Cullen asked Abrego to meet and discuss the category, which the union notes in a press release has been “the only time an entire television writers room is honored during the primetime Emmy Awards broadcast.”
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to the Television Academy for comment.
The letter and petition follow an initial message that guild leaders sent to members on Nov. 28, noting that the union had brought its concerns about the move to the Television Academy. The union told members at that time, “If the Television Academy can make this decision without any justification, we worry that it could set a precedent for them to remove other writing categories in the years to come.” It added, “We didn’t spend months on strike, fighting to receive the recognition we deserve for the work we help create, only to be pushed to the sidelines when it comes time to do exactly that.”
After the Television Academy delayed the ceremony in response to the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the Primetime Emmys Telecast is now set to air on Fox on Jan. 15 at 5 p.m. PT, broadcasting from the Peacock Theater at LA Live.