Celebrities are offering various services — including a coffee date, autographs and helping solve The New York Times (NYT) crossword puzzle — as part of a charity fundraiser meant to support the Hollywood writers strike.
Natasha Lyonne from “Orange is the New Black” is offering to help solve the NYT Sunday Crossword for $760, according to the auction organized by The Union Solidarity Coalition.
For $610, actor Adam Scott from “Parks and Rec” will walk your dog for one hour — if you live in Los Angeles.
Actors, writers and directors are collaborating on a charity auction with proceeds going towards helping crew members whose healthcare benefits are currently at risk during the strike.
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— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 13, 2023
Busy Philipps, known for “White Chicks” and “Freaks and Geeks,” is offering to take a pottery class in New York City with the highest bidder for just over $2,000.
Philipps posted on Instagram celebrating 100 days of striking Aug. 9. “This will be over when the AMPTP eventually does the right thing and makes a fair deal. We won’t stop until they do.” (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Phil Labonte Perfectly Explains Why You Shouldn’t Care About The Hollywood Strikes)
The auction includes more than video calls and dates with celebrities: Memorabilia and posters signed by celebrities can be purchased for well over $100. An apron from “The Bear,” signed by Jeremy Allen White and more members of the cast, is going for over $2,000 at the time of writing.
The writers, represented by the Writers Guild of America (WGA), went on strike back in May, according to Vox. Hollywood actors joined the writers in July, represented by the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).
The union members were demanding increases in base pay and streaming residual pay, as well as job protection against artificial intelligence, according to Reuters.
The strike has halted production of many famous shows, such as “The Last of Us,” but some are making their return despite the strikes, such as “The Drew Barrymore Show.”