Drew Carey is a mensch. No other way to put it. See, he spent a lot of money feeding writers during the WGA strike with his own money, by paying the tab at two restaurants in the LA area: Swingers Diner and Bob’s Big Boy. The total rumored cost out of his pocket was about $500,000 for the duration of the strike.
I’m sure for some people, the knowledge that they were guaranteed a meal during the work stoppage was a lifeline. Anyone who’s ever worried about money knows it can be debilitating to not know where your next meal is coming from. Carey provided a small act of kindness, and sometimes that feels so rare in this world that it should be celebrated.
Carey is the opposite of a Grinch and even let everyone know that the deal was tentatively agreed to, so they had one more day to run up his tab until he shut it down at midnight.
This isn’t the first time he offered writers a lifeline during a strike. According to the Hollywood Reporter, he did something similar during the last strike in 2007-2008.
Now that the strike is over, people are celebrating Carey’s actions on social media. I may sound like Marge Simpson here, but I just think that’s neat! It’s rare that people get to see the positive impact they’ve made and be genuinely thanked for it. I hope Drew Carey is having an excellent day right now.
We shall not name names, but yes. That person is absolutely correct, when someone has the means to use their resources to help people who are struggling, that is heroic. Strikes are not easy. Unemployment pay typically doesn’t cover much, especially if you’re in a high-cost-of-living area like Los Angeles where rent on a one-bedroom would make your eyes water if you’re in a lower-cost-of-living area. Putting your money where your mouth is and helping workers on a strike is a fantastic use of personal resources if you can swing it.
That’s a screen grab from a social media post from Swingers Diner, one of the locations Carey’s picking up the tab from. Here’s a transcript of what it says:
We’ve been getting a ton of calls and questions since a tentative deal has been reached, and the answer is YES, Drew is still picking up the tab for all WGA members. We know, he is the BEST!
Personally, I like where all the WGA members who reached out to the diner when the tentative agreement was reached heads are. Figure out how long you keep getting to eat for free first—celebrate second. Preferably at the places where Drew Carey is paying for you to eat.
Look, I know what you’re thinking and I already looked it up: Swingers serves alcohol. Now, whether that’s covered is not entirely clear, but based on how he announced his generosity in the first place, I’m leaning toward yes. Beers and Mimosas included!
So the next time you’re having a sick day and are home watching the Price is Right, you can rest easy that you’re supporting the work of a person who is a real mensch and a friend to the labor movement. Good on you Drew Carey, let’s hope you don’t have to do this again anytime soon!
