Love him or hate him, CM Punk isn’t afraid to stand up for a cause. This was made apparent during this past live broadcast of AEW Collision on TNT when the man also known as Phil Brooks appeared sporting a “SAG-AFTRA on Strike” shirt.
Cameras were noticeably careful not to show any close-up shots of Punk’s shirt, but his message was unmissable when filmed from a distance. Outside of the ring, Punk starred in the 2019 horror film Girl on the Third Floor and has a recurring role as Ricky Rabies on the Starz original series Heels.
Punk’s highly visible support of the ongoing strike comes as his Heels co-star Stephen Amell literally tried to walk back his recent public comments calling the strike a “myopic” “reductive negotiating tactic.” Amell was later seen picketing alongside his fellow union members in front of the offices of Warner Bros. Discovery. CM Punk took this one step further by appearing on a television network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, using the live broadcast to draw continued attention to the strike.
Punk is not the only member of the All Elite Wrestling roster to cast a spotlight on the efforts of the writers and actors looking for just compensation. “Hollywood Hunk” Ryan Nemeth has been filming regular dispatches from the picket line to be featured in the weekly AEW-centric YouTube series “Being the Elite.” Nemeth’s writing and acting credits include various television and short film roles.
Through these lighthearted weekly clips, viewers get a better sense of the camaraderie and hardships of the strike. This includes enduring the harsh summer conditions while also trying to find local businesses who will open up their bathrooms to strikers.
Of course, these are all small ways in which to bring greater attention to the ongoing strike and struggle for writers and actors to be properly compensated for their work. At the very least, we know that if there is one group of professionals who understand the struggle for improved working conditions, it’s professional wrestlers.
