A signed apron from The Bear is part of an online celebrity auction raising money for TV and movie crew members who have lost health insurance coverage during the Hollywood strikes.
With seven days left in the eBay auction, the blue apron — signed by Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and other cast members — is going for more than $2,000. The auction is part of an effort from the Union Solidarity Coalition. Other items and experiences include the cast of Bob’s Burgers singing a song for you (winning bid, so far, $5,400), and a dinner with Bob Odenkirk (who appeared in The Bear’s Christmas episode) and David Cross (winning bid $7,100).
With both SAG-AFTRA and WGA on strike, there haven’t been any announcements of Season 3 of The Bear. The FX-produced show dropped its second season in June on Hulu. After Season 1 highlighted Italian beef sandwich, viewers — particularly Chicagoans — were hooked. The second season took viewers on a whirlwind trip through the city’s restaurants with cameos from various local chefs.
While the spotlight is on Hollywood, there’s a fair amount of filming in Chicago that has been halted. It’s impacted folks like Jorge Reyes-Ortiz, a rigging grip, who has partnered with two Chicago chefs on a pop-up to make a few bucks while he can’t work on TV or film.
During the strike TV and movie writers have shared awful stories about how they’re compensated for their work. One of The Bear’s writers, Alex O’Keefe, has particularly been vocal.
Disclosure: Certain roles within Eater are represented under a Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and Vox Media. The contract at the center of the 2023 labor dispute between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers is separate from the contract covering Eater roles.