June’s unseasonably cool, cloudy weather was perfect for hauling a stripper pole through the streets of Burbank. After a year of picketing Star Garden, Equity Strippers NoHo knew the power of the ol’ razzle-dazzle. They were setting up one of their picket line party atmosphere staples—stripper karaoke—in support of the striking Writers Guild of America (WGA). The dancers deftly assembled their pole in front of Warner Bros. Studios, while streams of sign-toting picketers flowed by.
Stripper karaoke didn’t last long before the cops intervened, saying the pole had to be taken down. The police presence in general was heavier than average for the WGA picket lines, according to multiple observers. Journalist Samuel Braslow tweeted, “In the few times I’ve covered the strike at Warner Bros., I’ve never seen Burbank police, let alone the dozen or so I saw today, who shut down the dancing.” Members of Equity Strippers NoHo weren’t entirely surprised; the police had given them some trouble on the Star Garden line.
Brittani Nichols, Abbott Elementary writer and lot coordinator for the morning picket at WB, told HUSTLER, “It’s no mistake that this is the day they’re trying to give us guff. I think it was super informed by the stripper union being there.” Brittani and a WGA staffer decided to approach the cops and ask about the specific code violation, particularly since WGA had all their permits in order. The cops could not specify the citation and had to step aside.
