Striking Writers Turn Bob's Big Boy Into Unofficial Clubhouse

Since May, actor and game show host Drew Carey has been picking up the tab for striking Hollywood writers at Bob’s Big Boy, the iconic diner in Burbank.

“When writers come up to thank me, I tell them to thank Bruce Helford and the Drew Carey Show writers cause they're the only reasons I'm able to afford this,” Carey said. “Writers helped make me a millionaire. And, I'll never forget it, and I'll never forget them.”

On Sunday evening, the Writer’s Guild of America and the studios announced a tentative deal. A vote to ratify the contract could happen as soon as Tuesday. But until a deal is approved by union members, the diner said it will pass along the check from the writers to Carey.

Mike Lopez, the general manager at Bob’s Big Boy, told LAist the running bill from Hollywood scriptwriters is at around $25,000 each week. Lopez said the gesture is helping boost business.

“It used to be a little bit slow, but since the writers came in, it got busy. Lunch time has been very good. Dinner time has been very nice, so we really appreciate his business,” Lopez said.

Unofficial clubhouse

The diner has transformed into a watering hole away from the picket line for striking writers.

“It's kind of been an unofficial clubhouse, where you can go and you can kind of be sure that there probably is someone, another writer, that's going through the same thing,” said Jon Gutierrez, who wrote on the last season of Mystery Science Theater 3000. And it's kind of become a symbol of what we're all doing here, that we're all in this together.”

Gutierrez said he was cautiously optimistic about the deal struck with the studios but is not ready to leave the picket lines yet. With the SAG-AFTRA strike still going on, Gutierrez said he intends to go out to march to support the actors.

Kellie Griffin is an animation writer and hasn’t worked in the last five months in solidarity with striking workers. She said she had never been to Bob’s Big Boy until the strike began.

“For the whole 146 days of the strike, I might have been here six times. But I do have friends who have actually probably been here probably 140 of the 146 days. My plan actually is to send him a huge shoutout on social media,” said Griffin. “I talked to a manager at one point and they said he spends about $1,200 a day covering our meals and the tip. So, it's a big deal. I mean, that's huge.”

At the takeout counter, a large book is filled with messages to Carey of gratitude from striking writers. One person wrote about being able to take their father out for Father’s Day and his birthday. Another person wrote about how their covered tab helped them through some of the economic burdens of the strike. Most said they would not forget this gesture.

“While this sounds incredible probably to most people, to me, weirdly having worked with him, it's just in character for the guy,” said Richard Day, a former writer for the Drew Carey Show.