Before the SAG-AFTRA Strike, ‘The Nanny’ Taught Us About Not Crossing the Picket Line
An important rule from Fran both on and off-screen: don’t cross that picket line!
The iconic Fran Drescher is in media headlines for her spearheading and leadership with the SAG-AFTRA strike that began this week. It’s a historic moment, marking the first time since 1960 that the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America have struck at the same time. Drescher, the president of the labor union, rallied everyone with an impassioned speech criticizing major production studios for their unjust treatment of their employees and calling for solidarity among workers to create positive change. The need for fair wages, improved benefits, and employment protection are all pressing issues for workers both in the entertainment industry and in all other fields. The gravity of Drescher’s words and message are intense and real: “This is going to affect every single person that’s in labor.”
In case anyone is surprised that Drescher is on the front pages for her leadership today, they’ll be more surprised to know that this moment feels like it was years in the making, long before she became union president. Almost three decades ago when she played the iconic Fran Fine on The Nanny, she played a character that also caught herself in the spotlight on an issue involving labor unions and workers’ rights. That’s right, Fran Fine came from a union family, and 29 years ago she shares the same sentiment that Drescher shares now: don’t cross a picket line!
Who is Fran Fine?
The Nanny is a cultural gem and one of the best shows released in the 90s. The series earned 12 Emmy nominations along the way to becoming one of the popular and beloved sitcoms of the decade. And importantly, the show helped introduce the world to the incomparable character of Fran Fine. Played by Fran Drescher, the titular nanny was a high-spirited, energetic, and lively persona who radiated charisma. The show followed her life as she became the nanny to the Sheffield family, an incredibly wealthy family headed by their British Broadway producer of a father, Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy). It’s a fish-out-of-water story about the down-to-earth, blue-collar Fran Fine and how she brings heart and love to the dysfunctional, upper-class family.
Fines Don’t Cross Picket Lines!
Fran teaches us one of her most important lessons in Season 2, Episode 13 of the show: “The Strike.” In this episode, Fran encounters a picket line of busboys on strike outside a hotel, protesting for better wages. The problem? Well, the picket line is blocking her from entering the debut of Mr. Sheffield’s newest play. Ironically, Sheffield’s newest production was an adaptation of Norma Rae, a story about a woman’s journey to unionize her own workplace. When Maxwell tries to get her to cross the line, she vehemently refuses, citing her mother’s three important rules: don’t wear musk oil to a zoo, never touch a public toilet, and, most importantly, never cross a picket line. Mr. Sheffield ends up dragging Fran across the line anyway, but he finds himself in hot water with the news thanks to the dissent.
Coming from a blue-collar family herself, Fran is a vocal supporter of the protesters and their picket line. She shares about how her family were all union supporters, most notably her Aunt “O’Blouse,” whose coffin was literally paid for by her union. In fact, she got that nickname because she sang the lyrics television “or blouse,” in a musical commercial for her union, the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. AfterMr. Sheffield is photographed pulling his employee across a picket line, he receives an immense amount of negative publicity. This leads to him being invited to Sally Jessy Raphael’s talk show to discuss the incident.
Fran gets brought onto stage to join Mr. Sheffield as Raphael interviews them both. Their humorous and snarky back and forth leads them to discuss ideas of mutual respect and listening. Although, admittedly, the two are speaking with undertones not connected to the picket line but instead reflect their other personal conflicts in the episode. Still, the discussion had been started and the adage “there’s no such thing as bad publicity” is proven after their appearance. The whole media snafu embarrassed the hotel enough that they negotiated with the striking busboys, reaching an agreement as they settled for a higher wage. Even when she wasn’t trying, Fran proved to be an ally to labor unions and showed how solidarity, public attention, and sheer audacity are all necessary for effective picket striking.
