Joel McHale Says His Jokes Will ‘Suck’ During Writers Strike: ‘They Need to Be Written’
Joel McHale showed his support for the Writers Guild of America in a very Joel McHale way: With a series of bad jokes.
At City Year Los Angeles’s 12th annual Spring Break: Destination Education event this Saturday, McHale opened up the night series of events by addressing the looming “elephant” in the room at Sony Picture Studios in Culver City.
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Following an introduction from Tony Vinciquerra, CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, McHale addressed the ongoing writer’s strike in his opening speech. Vinciquerra did not address the strike at the event.
“I just want to address the elephant in the room that is possibly carrying a picket sign,” he said. “We stand with the WGA and that is why all my jokes will suck tonight because they’re not written by a real writer.”
McHale went on to tell a trio of jokes without pinnacle. “There’s no punch lines, guys, because they need to be written by great writers,” said McHale. “Viola Davis’ show, ‘How to Get Away with Murder,’ would just be ‘Murderers’ because there would be no one to write how they got away with it, right?”
This year’s Spring Break: Destination Education brought together an audience of leaders, celebrities, influencers and families in support of City Year L.A.’s cause — uplifting students across L.A. in school and life.
City Year L.A. honored Oscar-winning actor Octavia Spencer for her advocacy with children’s education. She was bestowed the award by fellow Oscar winner, Viola Davis.
“I am thrilled to be here to honor my friend, my sister, Octavia Spencer,” said Davis. “Octavia and I have known each other for over 20 years… And since, we have journeyed into movies together, in friendship and advocacy, and now she’s just this awesome actress, producer [and] children’s author: She is Octavia Spencer.”
Upon receiving the Service to a Cause Greater Than Self award, Spencer thanked Davis, “Viola and I have had each other’s back for a long time, and this means more to me than you will ever know.”
“When I first became involved with City Year L.A. 12 years ago, I was struck by the dedication and passion of the core members who are working in our schools. These young people were giving their support to students in need, working tirelessly to provide academic and emotional support to help these students succeed,” said Spencer. “It’s humbling to be honored for a core belief of mine. The idea that by coming together we can strengthen our communities and build a better, brighter future.”
The event, too, honored Kevin Demoff, COO of the L.A. Rams. and featured a performance by Grammy-nominated artist Chloe Bailey.
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