Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav was met with angry chants of "pay your writers" as he gave the commencement speech at Boston University on Sunday, Mediate reported.
Zaslav's 20-minute address was continuously interrupted by jeers from the very first moment that he was introduced, with hecklers shouting "Shut up, Zaslav," and "We don't want you here."
The demonstrations against Zaslav come amidst a strike by the Writers Guild of America (WGA), which the Warner Bros. Discovery CEO did not mention during his remarks to the students.
The heckling became particularly fierce midway through Zaslav's address as he stressed the importance of learning how to get along with colleagues despite differences, with the Warner Bros. Discovery CEO forced to pause at this point amid loud chants of "pay your writers."
When he managed to continue with the speech, Zaslav said that "some people will be looking for a fight. But don't be the one they find it with. Focus on good people's qualities," according to Mediaite.
People carried signs in solidarity with the WGA, and a "pay your writers" banner was flown overhead before Zaslav went up on stage to deliver his speech.
WGA, which represents more than 11,000 professionals in the entertainment industry, went on strike earlier this month, demanding better compensation for content produced for streaming service, The Hill reported.
MTV was also forced to pre-tape its annual Movie & TV Awards earlier this month due to the strike, as actress and daytime television host Drew Barrymore pulled out of her hosting duties in order to show support for the WGA's demands.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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