Michael Cieply Questions Whether a Prolonged Writers Strike Could Remove Hollywood from the Culture Wars

The writers strike has been going on for a month now, and while our reporters and contributors have done an excellent job covering the issues and prospects, I can’t help but make one observation: if this continues for a few more months, it will start to shift the cultural balance of power. In the past, Hollywood’s labor wars haven’t had much impact on the country as a whole, but with the current political climate, that could change. Hollywood is a powerful, left-leaning cultural and political force, and without writers, it will soon begin to lose its voice. Late-night shows, which are at the center of Hollywood’s progressive consensus, will miss out on important cultural moments and political positioning. If the strike continues into September, new TV series and politically oriented feature films might miss out on awards season, leaving Hollywood warriors like Robert De Niro without a platform. While some late-night shows may find a way to come back without writers, Hollywood’s removal from the culture wars will soon begin to tell.