Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav appeared on stage at Boston University today to accept an honorary degree and give the class of 2023 commencement speech.
The response was… not good as Zaslav was reportedly met with boos and angry chants from students. The screams, shouts and chants from the 7,000-strong crowd seated on the football field reportedly began when BU’s President Robert A. Brown introduced Zaslav.
The noise would reportedly “ebb and flow” throughout his 20-minute speech and include phrases like “Pay your writers” and “Shut up, Zaslav”.
It got bad enough the WBD CEO had to repeatedly stop his speech until the waves of cries temporarily died down, including after making comments about his personal financial success, offering ‘life advice’ and his mantra of hard work and working with others you might dislike.
Before Zaslav took the stage. an airplane banner with the message “David Zaslav Pay Your Writers” was also seen flying above the commencement exercises at Nickerson Field.
In a previous statement, the WGA called the decision to select Zaslav a “poor decision,” with both Boston guild members and students enrolled in the university’s film and television program expressing “deep disappointment” over the choice.
In a statement after the speech, Zaslav thanked the university and said: “I am grateful to my alma mater, Boston University, for inviting me to be part of today’s commencement and for giving me an honorary degree, and, as I have often said, I am immensely supportive of writers and hope the strike is resolved soon and in a way that they feel recognizes their value.”
Source: THR
