Steve Pond's Blog, page 7
September 26, 2025
Riyadh Comedy Festival Draws Fire Over Human Rights Watch Condemnation, Pete Davidson and Bill Burr Set to Perform
Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Comedy Festival sparked outrage this week, with several U.S. comedians criticizing the high-profile event and Human Rights Watch condemning the festival while urging performers like Pete Davidson and Bill Burr to “publicly urge Saudi authorities to free unjustly detained Saudi dissidents, journalists and human rights activists.”
“The seventh anniversary of Jamal Khashoggi’s brutal murder is no laughing matter, and comedians receiving hefty sums from Saudi authorities shouldn’t stay silent on prohibited issues like human rights or free speech,” Joey Shea, a Saudi Arabia researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a Sept. 23 statement. “Everyone performing in Riyadh should use this platform to demand the release of detained activists.”
The lineup for the Sept. 26–Oct. 9 festival Saudi Arabian festival includes, among others: Burr, Davidson, Aziz Ansari, Hannibal Buress, Jimmy Carr, Dave Chappelle, Maz Jobrani, Sam Morril, Mark Normand, Nimesh Patel and Tom Segura.
Davidson defended his decision to perform in a Sept. 23 interview on Theo Von’s “This Past Weekend” podcast and said that he’s heard of “subreddits of, ‘I think all these people are in bed with (the Saudi royal family).’”
“I just, I get the routing and then I see the number and I go, ‘I’ll go,’” Davidson said as he explained his reasoning for going. “I’ve been getting a little bit of of flack just ’cause my dad died in 9/11. So they’re like, ‘How could you possibly go there?'”
Many U.S. comedians have spoken out against the controversial event. Marc Maron blasted fellow comedy heavyweights who signed on to the Riyadh festival during a stand-up set earlier this week, citing Saudi officials’ alleged ties to 9/11 and the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
“I mean, how do you even promote that? ‘From the folks that brought you 9/11. Two weeks of laughter in the desert, don’t miss it!’” he said. “I mean, the same guy that’s gonna pay them is the same guy that paid that guy to bone-saw Jamal Khashoggi and put him in a f–king suitcase. But don’t let that stop the yucks, it’s gonna be a good time!”
On Friday, comedian Atsuko Okatsuka also slammed the festival sharing an offer letter that was sent to her which included censorship rules. The content restrictions included any material that would “defame” or “degrade” the Saudi royal family, legal system or government in any way.
“The money is coming straight from the crown prince, who actively executes journalists,” Okatsuka shared in a social media post condemning the offer.
The money is coming straight from the Crown Prince, who actively executes journalists, ppl wnonlethal drug offenses, bloggers, etc w/out due process. A lot of the “you can’t say anything anymore!” Comedians are doing the festival
— Atsuko Okatsuka (@AtsukoComedy) September 26, 2025they had to adhere to censorship rules to do it pic.twitter.com/QP34xoi3QG
Shane Gillis also said earlier this week that he was approached to perform but declined the offer because he said he didn’t agree with the alleged ties to 9/11 terrorist attack funding. According to the comedian, after he said no, the festival “doubled” his original offer.
“It was a significant bag,” Gillis told Matt McCusker on their “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast.” “But I had already said no, I took a principled stand.”
According to Human Rights Watch, on Sept. 19 the organization “wrote to the representatives and management of a group of announced participating comedians to request a meeting about Saudi Arabia’s human rights crisis.” They received no response.
On Sept. 20, Tim Dillon, who was set to attend, said his performance was canceled because the Saudi authorities were allegedly “unhappy” about comedic remarks he had made regarding the treatment of migrant workers.
Human Rights Watch cited that many comedians performing at the festival have made public statements about the importance of free expression that “contrasts sharply with the Saudi authorities’ brutal crackdown on any criticism of the government.”
“Comedians performing in Riyadh should speak out against Saudi Arabia’s serious rights abuses or they risk bolstering the Saudi government’s well-funded efforts to launder its image.” Shea concluded. “This whitewashing comes amid significant increase in repression, including a crackdown on free speech, which many of these comedians defend but people in Saudi Arabia are completely denied.”
The post Riyadh Comedy Festival Draws Fire Over Human Rights Watch Condemnation, Pete Davidson and Bill Burr Set to Perform appeared first on TheWrap.
Stan Lee AI Hologram Debuts at LA Comic Con: ‘Thank You for Keeping the Dream Alive’ | Video
Stan Lee may have passed in 2018, but L.A. Comic Con attendees were able to speak to a version of the famed comic book creator in the form of an AI hologram.
L.A. Comic Con introduced the Stan Lee Experience on Friday. The 1,500-square-foot booth in Aisle 200 features an AI-powered avatar of Lee and was able to interact with fans in real time and answer live questions. In a video shared from the exhibit, attendees were heard asking questions like “What do you think about the ‘X-Men’ legacy being so tied to the civil rights movement?” and “If you could pick one superhero to save the world today who would that be?”
The hologram of Lee answered each question from excited onlookers and even addressed each fan by name. He’d pick Spider-Man to save the world, by the way.
“For decades I had the thrill of spinning yarns about heroes and villains in that mighty Marvel manner.” the “Holo Stan” began. “But the real heroes have always been you, the fans, whose excitement kept those stories alive. The world may be a little nutty now and then, but as long as we share out stories and imaginations, there will always be room for hope, heart and heroism. Thank you for keeping the dream alive. Excelsior!”
You can watch a video of the event below.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Proto Hologram (@protohologram)
“At Stan Lee Universe, our mission is to carry on Stan’s legacy. Everything we do is guided by a simple filter: would Stan be proud of what we created today?” Bob Sabouni, head of Stan Lee Legacy Programs for Kartoon Studios and former Marvel executive, said in a statement. “Stan’s greatest joy was being with the fans, shaking hands, sharing stories, and showing up at Comic Cons. From his legendary Soapbox columns to his countless live appearances, Stan loved speaking directly to fans. This experience is a living extension of his voice and spirit, giving fans new ways to feel his presence, celebrate his legacy, and continue the conversation he began so many years ago.
He continued: “We are also committed to protecting the integrity of Stan’s voice. We’ll never put words in his mouth that aren’t in line with things he spoke about in his lifetime. Fortunately, with decades of footage capturing his thoughts on so many subjects, we can build a voice that stays true, not always word for word, but always faithful in spirit, context and intent.”
The technology was created created by a partnership with Hyperreal and Proto Hologram and was authorized by the Stan Lee Universe. According to Hyperreal, the hologram is more of an avatar presence using a large language model. The team relied on uploads of Lee’s writings, interviews and speeches during his career to create the experience.
“It felt like Stan was really there, reminding us why his impact is everlasting,” Proto Hologram said in an Instagram post of the experience. “Technology and storytelling together can do more than entertain, they can connect us to the icons who shaped our imagination.”
“For me, personally, one of the most thrilling things of my entire life was getting to work with Stan Lee when this was Stan Lee’s Comic Con and Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo before that,” Chris DeMoulin, chief executive and general manager of L.A. Comic Con parent Comikaze Entertainment Inc., said in a statement to the L.A. Times. “What was such a joy was watching him interact with fans. Old fans and then people that were bringing their 8-year-old kid who had just read their first Spider-Man comic book.”
L.A. Comic Con Stan Lee AI Hologram (Credit: Courtesy of Steven Hong/Proto Hologram)The Stan Lee Experience costs $15. L.A. Comic Con runs from Sept. 26 to 28. Tickets can be purchased via the L.A. Comic Con website.
The post Stan Lee AI Hologram Debuts at LA Comic Con: ‘Thank You for Keeping the Dream Alive’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Bill Maher Is Tracking the ‘Rise of Autocracy’ With James Comey Indictment: ‘Didn’t Even Know He Had a Talk Show’
Bill Maher has had varied views on President Donald Trump over the last several months, but on Friday’s “Real Time” he acknowledged that with the indictment of former FBI director James Comey, the country was “past the muzzling dissident phase” and into the “prosecuting political enemy space” during America’s rise to autocracy.
“James Comey, our former FBI director, was indicted today by the Trump administration,” Maher began. “I didn’t even know he had a talk show.”
“Trump is in his we caught you with your tail light out phase of justice,” the HBO host continued. “They will find something to pull you over for. But he’s been trying to get shifty.”
On Thursday, Comey was indicted by a federal grand jury in Virginia on one count for giving a false statement and on one count of obstruction of justice. Both charges were related to his September 2020 testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The former FBI director is the first senior government official, who investigated Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign over possible ties to Russia, to face federal charges.
Maher then brought up Trump’s appointment of Lindsey Halligan, one of his personal lawyers, to handle the indictment. She was appointed after the president allegedly forced out a U.S. attorney he put in office in eastern Virginia.
“She is an insurance lawyer, 36 years old,” Maher quipped. “His personal lawyer, never prosecuted anybody, and now she’s going after the former FBI director. If this was an episode of ‘Boston Legal,’ you’d say this show had jumped the shark.”
He continued: “Did I mention she’s a former beauty pageant contestant. Oh yes, for the talent portion, she kissed ass. So if you are tracking the rise of autocracy, we’re past the muzzling dissident phase, and we’re into the prosecuting political enemy space. I think Trump could be in the generals uniform by Christmas.”
The HBO host addressed that it was a good idea to consult basic school civic lessons because normally presidents are not supposed to comment on ongoing investigations, let alone tweet about them. Trump had celebrated the news of Comey’s indictment on TruthSocial, exclaiming “JUSTICE IN AMERICA!” and said the former FBI director was “one of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to.”
“Worst?” Maher asked. “Worst? Like private island having sex with kids, worst?”
At the end of his monologue, Maher brought up the big religious story of the week which was a viral TikTok trend about the supposed upcoming rapture. Christian Evangelicals on TikTok, who believed the rapture was meant to occur on Sept. 23 and 24, spent days getting ready on what became known as #RaptureTok.
“Some nut on Tiktok said Jesus told him the rapture was coming on Tuesday, or maybe it was Wednesday,” Maher said. “And then, of course, Jesus flaked. Jesus, you know, he knows each time a sparrow falls, but his own schedule is a mess. The people who actually disappeared this week were the guys out in front of Home Depot, and a lot of them were name Jesus.”
“Real Time with Bill Maher” airs Fridays at 7 p.m. PT on HBO.
The post Bill Maher Is Tracking the ‘Rise of Autocracy’ With James Comey Indictment: ‘Didn’t Even Know He Had a Talk Show’ appeared first on TheWrap.
JD Vance Says He’s ‘Gotten Dumber’ Listening to Kamala Harris: ‘There is No Substance’ | Video
Vice President JD Vance had some choice words for Kamala Harris saying she had no “substance” and that each time he listened to her he felt “dumber in the process.”
The sitting vice president appeared in a sit-down interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle,” which aired its second part on Friday, and was asked about his thoughts on former Vice President Harris’ new memoir “107 Days.” Her new book recounts her presidential campaign after Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 election.
Ingraham referenced the book and said Harris called Vance a “a juvenile and shapeshifter.” “She is now blaming the campaign, her loss, for the fact that it was short,” the Fox News host continued. “That’s one of the main things she cites. If she had more time, she could have gotten more traction.”
“The problem is not that Kamala’s campaign was too short. It was too long,” Vance quipped while he said to look at the polling numbers. “When people actually listened to what she had to say, per polling, it went down and down and down. A 150-day campaign, three additional senators, and Donald Trump would have won by an even bigger landslide.”
During the 2024 election, Trump won 312 electoral votes while Kamala Harris won 226. He also won 49.9 percent of the popular vote, according The New York Times. Vance did not hold back on his true feelings about his former competitor and asserted that the public simply saw through her.
“The more people know about Kamala Harris, the more they realize there is no substance there,” Vance said. “When we disagreed with Barack Obama or Bill Clinton, they actually had substance. They could actually articulate the viewpoint. I listen to Kamala Harris for 90 seconds and I actually feel like I’ve gotten dumber in the process, and I have no idea what she actually believes.”
“That’s the problem with Kamala Harris, and it’s going to continue to be the problem unless she actually learns how to develop a viewpoint and articulate it for the American people,” he concluded.
Elsewhere during the interview, the vice president talked about the rise of socialism and weighed in on New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
You can listen to the full “The Ingraham Angle” interview in the video above.
The post JD Vance Says He’s ‘Gotten Dumber’ Listening to Kamala Harris: ‘There is No Substance’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
‘Scrubs’ Reboot Brings Together Original Cast for First Table Read: ‘Here We Go’ | Photo
The original stars of “Scrubs” have officially scrubbed back in for the reboot of the comedy, with Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke and more posing for a new photo from the first table read.
ABC — who ordered a revival of the comedy back in July and aired the series’ eighth and ninth seasons in 2009 and 2010, respectively — shared the image after the table read and confirmed the new iteration was slated to premiere in 2026.
For the photo (pictured above), Braff, Faison, Chalke, as well as guest stars and fellow returning OG cast members Judy Reyes and John C. McGinley, smiled brightly as they posed with executive producer and creator Bill Lawrence.
Braff, Faison and Chalke are also executive producers for the reboot of “Scrubs.”
The network went on to post the image to its Instagram on Friday afternoon and wrote, “The gang is back together for the first ‘Scrubs’ table read. Here we go!”
“Scrubs” first debuted in October 2001 on NBC, where it ran for seven seasons before jumping over to ABC for its final two seasons. Over the course of its nine seasons, the medical comedy won two Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Picture Editing for a Multi-Camera Comedy Series and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) in 2005 and 2007, respectively.
Chatter about a possible “Scrubs” reboot first sparked back in 2020, when Braff and Faison voiced their interest in participating in a reunion project on an episode of their “Fake Doctors, Real Friends” podcast. Though, at the time, they feared scheduling conflicts would hinder the cast being able to come back together.
Braff and Faison collaborated again for a number of T-Mobile commercials in the years following — and subsequently kept the hope of a reboot alive.
A premiere date for the new season of “Scrubs” has yet to be announced.
The post ‘Scrubs’ Reboot Brings Together Original Cast for First Table Read: ‘Here We Go’ | Photo appeared first on TheWrap.
Ellen DeGeneres Fights Back Tears Over Death of Frequent Talk Show Guest | Video
Ellen Degeneres fought back tears as she delivered a tribute to Tayt Andersen, a frequent guest of her daytime talk show who charted his lifelong heart condition on his visits to see her.
“We had a very special guest on the show several times, and his name is Tayt,” DeGeneres said in an Instagram video Friday. “He thought that I was his girlfriend, so I told him he was my boyfriend, which shocked my wife.”
Anderson died Friday at age 19 after a lifelong battle with heart disease. He was born without the left side of his heart and endured several open heart surgeries in order to save his life. To commemorate his death, DeGeneres tearily shared a montage of his many visits.
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” provided comfort for Andersen as a young boy in the hospital, his mom said in one clip from the show, and the nurses would even schedule therapy sessions around his afternoon viewings.
“He was a very special little human being, just brought joy and life and laughter into every room that he was in, and I will miss him,” DeGeneres said.
“I love you Tayt. I love you Chrissy. You touched so many lives,” the comedian captioned the post.
Anderson’s family revealed that last weekend he fought “one last battle” and passed away peacefully Friday morning. His mother Chrissy commented on Degeneres’ Instagram.
“We love you so much thank you for being his girlfriend you gave him so much strength,” she wrote.
The nearly three-minute tribute played clips from Anderson’s several appearances on the show. “There aren’t too many people who have a heart as good as yours,” DeGeneres said in one clip. “But if you want to get another heart, that’s OK with me.”
Watch the video here:
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Ellen DeGeneres (@ellendegeneres)
The Andersen family posted a carousel of images of Tayt’s final days to Instagram Friday, delivering the news of his passing. Anderson was 19 years old. His family captioned the post with the #JustKeepSwimming, the “Finding Nemo” mantra from DeGeneres’ character Dory.
“Our hearts are absolutely shattered as we share the news we never wanted to write: Our sweet, strong warrior, Tayt, was released from his bodily prison early this morning, at 1:30 a.m. CT, surrounded by the fierce love of his family,” his family wrote in an Instagram statement. “While our souls feel shattered and lost by this unimaginable grief, we are so thankful that Tayt is finally free. No more pain, no more appointments, no more treatments.”
“Yesterday, we spent the day calling and FaceTiming family so they could say their goodbyes. We made sure to get his handprint—a small way to hold on to him— we watched his favorite movies, read his favorite stories,” the statement continued. “We knew Tayt’s time was limited but we honestly just weren’t ready to lose him.”
The post Ellen DeGeneres Fights Back Tears Over Death of Frequent Talk Show Guest | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Nicolle Wallace Slams James Comey Indictment as a ‘Flashing Red Warning Sign’ for Democracy Under Trump | Video
Nicolle Wallace didn’t hold back when she slammed James Comey’s indictment as a major red flag for democracy.
On Friday’s episode of “Deadline: White House,” Wallace broke down Comey’s indictment and how it is the latest bleak shot fired from President Donald Trump’s administration to target his political enemies. She warned that the “health of democracy” was being tested.
“He can force out a U.S. attorney with sterling Republican credentials and relationships in MAGA Republican circles … who refused to bring the case against Comey – until he finds that weak link, one who says yes, and gets an indictment of a critic he’s been obsessed with for years in a matter of days. The indictment of Jim Comey: a flashing red warning sign for the health of democracy and the rule of law in the United States.”
Ken Dilanian, a justice and intelligence correspondent at MSNBC, joined Wallace on the program to provide new updates on the state of things as Comey’s indictment continued to rattle the political world.
“I’ve just confirmed from a source familiar that the underlying – the main allegation of lying to Congress in this indictment – has to do with the allegation that James Comey told his, or lied about whether he told his friend Dan Richman, who was at the time a special government employee at the FBI,” he said. “Whether he authorized him to be an anonymous source for reporters about stories about an FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton.”
He added: “That sort of goes against what we thought this indictment was about, and it raises this question – because we don’t know what the evidence is that the government has supporting their allegation that James Comey lied to Congress.”
In his first public statement since the indictment, Comey asserted that he is innocent. The former FBI director was indicted on one count for giving a false statement and on one count of obstruction of justice. Both charges were related to his September 2020 testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn’t either,” the former FBI director said in an Instagram video Thursday. “Let’s have a trial. And keep the faith.”
He added: ““My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump, but we couldn’t imagine ourselves living any other way. I’m not afraid, and I hope you’re not either. I hope instead, you are engaged, you are paying attention, and you will vote like your beloved country depends upon it which it does.”
The post Nicolle Wallace Slams James Comey Indictment as a ‘Flashing Red Warning Sign’ for Democracy Under Trump | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Trevor Noah Is Extra Nice to AI Chatbots in the ‘Slight Chance’ It’s Humanity’s Downfall: ‘That Is a Great Answer!’ | Video
Trevor Noah is playing it safe and being extra nice to AI chatbots in the chance it ends up being the downfall of the human race.
While talking with Ezra Klein on his podcast “What Now? with Trevor Noah” earlier this week, the former “Daily Show” host explained his reasoning for always being nice to AI whenever he interacts with it. It boils down to hedging some bets in the chance of a future apocalypse.
“Have you ever tried to out-nice AI? That’s one of my favorite things to do,” Noah said. “I feel like we live in a world where everyone is so angry. I try to do the opposite. So, I will tell it. I’ll be like, ‘That is a great answer. You’re really amazing. I really love the way you think. This is so much fun.’ And then it’ll be like, ‘I am having fun. I’m having a great time.’ I’ll just like see how far we can go down this like rabbit hole.”
He continued, saying he applies Pascal’s Wager to his interaction with AI: “What I do with AI is I don’t think that it’ll lead to the apocalypse. I think it’ll be somewhere in between, and it might be terrible in many ways and great in other ways. But if it does lead to the apocalypse, I would love to know that I was part of teaching it niceness. And maybe there’s just like a sliver of code that exists in its head where it goes, ‘Man, just be nice. Just be like super nice.'”
Pascal’s Wager is a philosophical mindset from French philosopher Blaise Pascal. He thought that whether or not a person held a belief in something like a specific god, the benefits of just choosing or saying they believe in it vastly outweighed non-belief. Noah has chosen to implement that thought process when it came to AI and it’s future.
Klein explained that he takes a different tactic when interacting with AI. He wants to hear it being as mean as possible to him.
“I’m always like, ‘Could you be meaner to me?'” he said. “I don’t need to be glazed so much when I have a question. You don’t need to be mean, but could you just not?”
Watch the full conversation in the video above.
The post Trevor Noah Is Extra Nice to AI Chatbots in the ‘Slight Chance’ It’s Humanity’s Downfall: ‘That Is a Great Answer!’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
J.K. Rowling Praises Emma Watson Spoof Saying Actress Stands ‘Shoulder-to-Shoulder’ With Those Wishing Author Harm | Video
In an apparent jab to her one-time “Harry Potter” child star Emma Watson, J.K. Rowling reshared and praised a video mocking the actress’ recent podcast appearance where she again distanced herself from the author’s anti-trans rhetoric.
The video from social media comedian and political satirist Intel Lady impersonates Watson and says that she has “so much love” for Rowling but also stands “shoulder-to-shoulder” with people who wish the author harm, emphasizing the contradiction between supporting Rowling and trans people at the same time.
“I have always held space for [Rowling] and so much love in my heart for her and would hope that she felt the same way about me,” the comedian-as-Watson says. “But also, I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those who would wish harm on her, hate her and would wish the absolute worst for her in her life. But those seemingly incompatible, those two things can exist at the same time, which is why I love this incredibly diverse world that we live in.”
Watson, who famously got her start in the “Harry Potter” film series, went viral this week for her appearance on Jay Shetty’s “On Purpose” podcast. There, the actress, who has previously spoken out against Rowling’s transphobic views, said that this rift doesn’t mean “I can’t and don’t treasure Jo” for their experiences working together. She added that she would be willing to discuss their differences together, but Rowling has not made that opportunity possible.
Intel Lady’s video — captioned, “You may need some vinaigrette to consume this” — called out this apparent contradiction and made fun of the “word salad” way it was communicated. Rowling soon promoted the parody video on her own X account, writing, “I’m here for ALL the spoofs.”
I'm already missing @intel_lady's Angela Rayner,
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 26, 2025
but I'm here for ALL the spoofshttps://t.co/2jdtD9MYw7
Intel Lady’s parody does not mention the transgender community or the tension between Watson and Rowling over their opposing opinions on trans rights and women’s rights. But it is clear within the context of Watson’s full interview what rift the comedian was referencing. Rowling has notably and frequently spoken out against transgender women in recent years, often decrying “gender ideology.”
Watson responded to Rowling’s increasingly public stance against the trans community in 2020, tweeting: “Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are.”
Rowling said in 2024 that she won’t forgive Watson and her “Harry Potter” co-star for supporting trans rights.
The post J.K. Rowling Praises Emma Watson Spoof Saying Actress Stands ‘Shoulder-to-Shoulder’ With Those Wishing Author Harm | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Nexstar CEO Defends Pulling ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’: ‘No One Has an Unlimited Right to Say Whatever They Want’
Nexstar Media Group CEO Perry Sook and president Michael Biard are defending their decision to pull “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” arguing it wasn’t a violation of the First Amendment.
“No one has an unlimited right to say whatever they want on a talk show. Every network and station has made tough calls when on-air conduct crosses a line. That isn’t a violation of the First Amendment — it’s an exercise of editorial responsibility and stewardship of the public airwaves,” the executives said in a memo to staff on Friday.
The defense comes after Nexstar said it was ending its preemption of the late night show following “constructive” discussions with Disney and ABC. The company, which owns 23 ABC affiliate stations and nine other partner stations, initially pulled the show last week following Kimmel’s comments about Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin.
After Nexstar’s move, ABC followed suit in order to “avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country,” adding that some of Kimmel’s comments were “ill-timed and thus insensitive.”
Disney’s move would trigger protests from writers and union members, calls to cancel Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ subscriptions and an open letter from the American Civil Liberties Union signed by over 400 artists condemning the suspension. But after “thoughtful conversations” with Kimmel, a decision was reached for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to return on Tuesday.
However, Sinclair and Nexstar both continued to preempt the show as discussions with ABC were ongoing. An insider familiar with the discussions told TheWrap that no editorial or content concessions were made between Nexstar and Disney.
“We called for cooler heads to prevail during this sensitive time in our national political discourse, and we believe now is the right moment to bring the show back to our stations,” Sook and Biard said. “We appreciate your patience as this unfolded.”
At the same time, Nexstar acknowledged that its decision created “difficult, and at times distressing, circumstances” for its ABC affiliates, noting that some faced “hostile and even threatening reactions.”
“We regret that, but we also know standing by principle requires fortitude and a willingness to take the harder path. As FCC licensees, we take seriously our duty to program in the public interest, even when not everyone agrees,” Sook and Biard said.
The deal between Disney/ABC and Nexstar followed a similar deal with Sinclair Broadcasting. A spokesperson for Disney declined to comment.
The standoff came as Nexstar has entered into a $6.2 billion merger with rival Tegna that is pending before the Federal Communications Commission, whose chairman Brendan Carr has been a vocal critic of Kimmel and ABC.
If approved, the Nexstar-Tegna merger would create a combined entity with a portfolio of stations representing 80% of U.S. households. It would have a total of 265 television stations in 44 states and the District of Columbia, adding Big-4 affiliate stations in markets including Phoenix, Atlanta, Toledo and Portland, Maine. The combined company would also have stations in nine of the top 10 markets and in 41 of the top 50.
A new MoveOn Civic Action petition, which has over 20,000 signatures, is urging the FCC to reject the merger.
Nexstar has denied that the FCC played any role in its decision to pull Kimmel, arguing that it was made “unilaterally by the senior executive team” and that it had “no communication” with any government agency prior to making the decision.
“Nexstar remains committed to protecting the First Amendment, delivering fact-based and unbiased news, and broadcasting content that best serves our communities,” Sook and Biard’s memo concluded. “These principles guided us throughout this process and will continue to do so. Thank you again for your support and resilience.”
The post Nexstar CEO Defends Pulling ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’: ‘No One Has an Unlimited Right to Say Whatever They Want’ appeared first on TheWrap.
Steve Pond's Blog
