25 Absolutely Brilliant Signs From The Hollywood Writers Strike

    They're writers. You KNEW their signs were going to be good.

    Mike Spohr
    by Mike Spohr

    BuzzFeed Staff

    As you've likely heard, the Writers Guild of America — representing the people who write the movies and TV shows we all enjoy — has gone on strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

    The Writers Guild of America protesters holding picket signs
    Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images

    You can learn more about it here and here, but basically, the writers are trying to ensure that they're fairly compensated as the industry becomes more reliant on streaming — and that the studios don't turn screenwriting into, essentially, a gig economy where writers can’t earn a steady income.

    Well, writers being writers, they've made some incredibly clever and funny signs to show off at their protests. Here are some of the very best:

    1. This sign hilariously played off Nicole Kidman's wonderfully campy AMC movie ad:

    2. While this one referenced Khia's song "My Neck, My Back":

    "My Neck, My Back, We Need a Fair Contract"
    @IGNASHOUS / Via Twitter: @IGNASHOUS

    3. This writer had a message the studio surely will love! He supports A.I.!

    4. And this writer hilariously summed up the state of things: "Don't piss on my leg and tell me 'It's streaming.'"

    hmm... great writing #WritersGuildofAmerica #writersstrike pic.twitter.com/XM0n4Akpce

    — Jacques Hyzagi (@jacques_hyzagi) May 3, 2023

    5. This sign also gets right down to it:

    Michael Jamin is one of the best. #writersstrike @WGAWest @WGAEast pic.twitter.com/yWqRTOHKgJ

    — Matt🚀Rodgers (@Matt_Rodgers42) May 3, 2023

    6. Brett Goldstein — who in addition to playing Roy Kent on Ted Lasso is also a writer on the show — held up one reading "This sign was not pitched on by a writers room which is why it feels dissatisfying."

    7. There were a LOT of funny Succession-themed signs, like this one referencing the "It just made sense dramaturgically" meme:

    https://t.co/9WABAWgBuf pic.twitter.com/jkJUwk4AxP

    — Will Landman 🍥 (@WillTheLandMan) May 2, 2023

    The background: Actor Jeremy Strong (who plays Kendall Roy) recently went viral after using "dramaturgically" in an interview about the show.

    Closeup of Jeremy Strong
    HBO

    8. And this sign perfectly tweaked one of Tom Wambsgans' lines to the situation:

    A person holding a sign that says, "They have ludicrously capacious salaries. What's even in there? 773 million? Greg, it's monstrous. It's gargantuan" with a picture of Tom Wambsgans
    @EmaJuarezOk / Via Twitter: @EmaJuarezOk

    You can see the scene the sign references below:

    9. This one reads "Succession without writers is just The Apprentice and look how well THAT worked out."

    10. And this one made a threat, LOL:

    "Fair contract or we'll spoil Succession"
    Twitter: @tkmiles / Via Twitter: @tkmiles

    11. This sign suggested maybe the studios shouldn't be too quick to come up with their own ideas:

    "You came up with Quibi"
    @marshizzle44 / Via Twitter: @marshizzle44

    12. This sign joked about Jenna Ortega saying she needed to fix some of her character's lines in Wednesday:

    "Without writers, Jenna Ortega will have nothing to punch up!"
    @marshizzle44 / Via Twitter: @marshizzle44

    13. This sign got personal:

    "How can I afford my La Croix addiction?"
    @marinafang / Via Twitter: @marinafang

    14. And this sign had fun with the classic Friends show titles:

    "The one where writers get a fair contract"
    @marinafang / Via Twitter: @marinafang

    15. This sign used Netflix's latest hit title for the cause:

    "We have beef with Netflix" #FAIRCONTRACT
    @marinafang / Via Twitter: @marinafang

    16. Speaking of Netflix, LOL:

    "Can't Netflix and chill when writers have bills"
    @JoeOtterson / Via Twitter: @JoeOtterson

    17. Some more good ones: "HBO Max pays HBO minimum."

    18. "Just trying to feed my cats :("

    Solidarity. #wgastrong pic.twitter.com/6EW3juUj6y

    — Kirsten King (@KirstenKing_) May 2, 2023

    19. "Gays just want to have fund$"

    20. And "I still wanna see Batgirl." (I know the writers have bigger things to negotiate about, but if they somehow got Batgirl released after all this, that would be...chef's kiss.)

    "I still wanna see Batgirl"
    @marshizzle44 / Via Twitter: @marshizzle44

    21. This sign referenced a classic movie line (you have to imagine saying it in Al Pacino's voice):

    One thing you can count on froma #writersstrike is DAMN GOOD SIGNS pic.twitter.com/4aRkwuoBba

    — Julianna Forlano, MSW (@JuliannaForlano) May 3, 2023

    22. This sign referenced a poignant line from WandaVision that proves why writers are so damn important:

    "What is good TV if not writers persevering?"
    @damnparka / Via Twitter: @damnparka

    23. White Lotus fans will appreciate this one:

    24. This adorable sign will amuse fans of The Mandalorian:

    A person holds a sign that says "This is NOT the way" with Grogu frowning hard
    @jennyyangtv / Via Twitter: @jennyyangtv

    25. And lastly, I think it's safe to assume these two are comedy writers: