With all work on hold for WGA members as the strike enters its second week, Hollywood writers will mix picketing with romance at an upcoming singles event on the picket line Wednesday.
The event, titled “Strike Up a Romance,” encourages single writers to mingle at the Universal Studios picket line Wednesday, May 10 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. before reconvening for a drink at a local restaurant walking distance from the picket lines from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
“Because we can no longer say we’re ‘too busy’ to date, single writers are invited to mingle on the picket line while we strike and grab drinks afterwards,” the flyer for the all inclusive 21+ event reads, posted to Twitter by the event co-hosts. “Join us to fight for our rights … and for love!
The event is co-hosted by WGA member and TV writer Jaydi Samuels Kuba and development exec and TV producer Lauren Rosenberg, who own matchmaking company LJMatchmaking and have been widely known as the “Love Agents of Hollywood.” Samuels Kuba and Rosenberg had initially floated the idea of throwing a singles picket, and decided to combine forces with writers Debby Wolfe and Marcos Luevanos, who had a similar idea and decided to cover the cost of drinks for single writers following the afternoon picket shift for a limited time.
Writer Deanna Shumaker also joins the organizing team after previously suggesting a color-coded tape system for picketers to identify potential love interests on their picketing signs.
Samuels Kuba noted that spirits were “pretty high” among picketers, saying “people were chanting, catching up with old friends, having fun encouraging passers-by to honk, eating ice cream and dancing to a drum beat” at the Netflix picket line Monday.
“We feel we have really compelling arguments on our side, and personally (as a matchmaker and dating coach) I’m an optimist who believes the right side usually emerges victorious,” Samuels Kuba told TheWrap.
“Many writers I know are very driven, dedicated to their craft, and keep crazy hours, so it can be tough to prioritize anything in their personal lives such as dating,” Samuels Kuba continued. “Because we’re literally unable to work right now, it seems like we might as well make the best of it and use the time to do things we’ve always wanted to do (like finding the right person — or in the case of me and Lauren, matchmaking even more people!).”