Next item up for bids... 148 days worth of meals! Actual retail price: an estimated $1,000,000!
During the WGA strike in 2008, any writer who ate at Bob's Big Boy or Swingers and showed a WGA card got their meal comped by Drew Carey, which ran up a bill of around $67,000. Drew did the same thing during the strikes last summer, but it got far more publicity, and "some of you decided, 'yeah, I'm going to get a shake and dessert.'"
Hollywood Reporter estimates that last summer's gesture cost Drew $1,000,000, but he refused to rescind the offer as he thought it walking it back would be perceived as a sign of weakness and hurt the WGA's cause. "you writers — well not all of you, the Drew Carey Show writers — made me a ****ing million. Everybody in this room makes some actor a million."
As a thank you, the WGA invited Drew to speak at the WGA awards. Posting in TTIR because 1) it pertains to the host and 2) if you've never been to a taping, this is a little taste of Drew the storyteller, a side of Drew that the home audience doesn't often get to see on the air on TPIR, the Drew that entertains the audience during breaks if you get him and George talking showbiz. Move if needed.
Language warning.
