Thursday’s picket line at Warner Bros in Burbank featured a unique twist as newly unionized strippers from North Hollywood turned out to support striking WGA writers. The exotic dancers from Star Garden Topless Dive Bar officially joined Actors’ Equity in May after a 15-month battle with the venue’s owners. The strippers have only the second union in the US and the first to organize this century.
Supporting the Strike
The strippers, including Reagan, Charm, May, Halo and Sinder, were on-site at WB to show their support. The dual-union member Reagan mentioned that they “wanted to come out in solidarity, bring a little of our party that we had on our picket lines and lift morale.” They were joined by members of IATSE, WGA, and other unions.
Police Presence and Media Attention
There was a small police presence outside WB, but they did not harass anyone, and there were no incidents. However, there was more horn-honking from drivers on Olive Avenue than just about any other picket site during the 45-day-old strike. Many passersby, most deploying cameras, stopped by to take pictures. There were more members of the media at this event than most if not all others since Day 1.
Broadway Community Joins the Strike
Representatives from the Broadway community also joined the WGA East on the picket lines. Paula Pell emceed the proceedings from a stage erected on Broadway between 43rd and 44th Street in an event kicked off by WGAE president Michael Winship. Attendees and speakers included the likes of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sara Bareilles, Robert Schenkkan, Craig Bierko, Norbert Leo Butz, Jordan Cooper, Adam Pascal, Warren Leight, and Seth Rudetsky among others. Among those who performed were Bierko, who sang “Ya Got Trouble” from The Music Man, and Cooper, the Tony-nominated Ain’t No Mo’ star and playwright, who belted out “Everything’s Coming Up Roses.”