<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kansas-city-chiefs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kansas City Chiefs</a> kicker Harrison Butker signed a 4-year $26 million contract extension on Monday, making him the highest-paid kicker in the NFL on a per-year basis, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter <a href="https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/1820545492952223826" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The extension for the 29-year-old kicker comes after another season where he ranked among the top kickers in field goal percentage, extra-point percentage, and total points. Last year, Butker also helped his team win its second-straight Super Bowl.
Butker&#8217;s new deal includes $17.75 million guaranteed. The kicker represented and negotiated the deal himself, per Schefter. Butker becomes the highest-paid NFL kicker just over two months after he enraged many on the Left following his viral commencement speech at Benedictine College.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Highest paid kickers in the NFL on a per-year basis:
🏈Harrison Butker: $6.4M 
🏈Justin Tucker: $6M 
🏈Jake Elliott: $6M 
🏈Matt Gay: $5.62M 
🏈Graham Gano: $5.5M <a href="https://t.co/EMMxvwnjgL">https://t.co/EMMxvwnjgL</a>
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1820545492952223826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The three-time Super Bowl-winning kicker sparked outrage after telling the graduating class that his success was all because &#8220;a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.&#8221; During the address, Butker also slammed Pride Month and President Joe Biden&#8217;s pro-abortion policies.
Butker&#8217;s commencement address sparked outcry and mockery among some celebrities and athletes, including <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/katy-perry-releases-edited-version-of-harrison-butker-speech-in-honor-of-pride-month" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Katy Perry</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chelsea-handler-attacks-harrison-butkers-faith-in-social-media-rant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chelsea Handler</a>, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/serena-williams-trashes-open-christian-harrison-butker-at-espy-awards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Serena Williams</a>. A Change.org petition also called on the Chiefs to drop Butker. The <a href="https://www.change.org/p/demand-the-kansas-city-chiefs-to-dismiss-harrison-butker-for-discriminatory-remarks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">petition</a>, which garnered nearly 240,000 signatures, called Butker&#8217;s comments &#8220;sexist, homophobic, anti-trans, anti-abortion, and racist,&#8221; but the team&#8217;s ownership, head coach, and Butker&#8217;s teammates stood by their kicker amid the outrage.
Days after the backlash, Butker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-chiefs-kicker-harrison-butker-breaks-silence-says-he-will-continue-to-be-unapologetic-catholic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stood by his comments</a>, saying that the “shocking level of hate” would not deter him from being “unapologetic” about his faith.
<a href="http://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1722702091491000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3dzILUu8JkHbwoxyGwS0qT">WATCH THE TRAILER FOR ‘AM I RACIST?’ — A MATT WALSH COMEDY ON DEI</a>
“If it wasn’t clear that the timeless Catholic values are hated by many, it is now,” Butker said at the Courage Under Fire gala in Nashville on May 24. “Over the past few days, my beliefs, or what people think I believe, have been the focus of countless discussions around the globe.”
“In my seven years in the NFL, I’ve become familiar with positive and negative comments. But the majority of them revolve around my performance on the field,” Butker added. “But, as to be expected, the more I’ve talked about what I value most, my Catholic faith, the more polarizing I’ve become. It’s a decision I’ve consciously made, and one I do not regret at all.”

Harrison Butker

Cancel Culture Fail: Harrison Butker Signs Deal Making Him Highest-Paid Kicker In NFL

Cancel Culture

General

Kansas City Chiefs

Leftists

U.S.

You never forget your first cancellation.
Jack Black, comic actor and part-time rock star, is getting a crash course in Cancel Culture after a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jack-blacks-bandmate-apologizes-for-dangerous-comment-about-trump-assassination-attempt-dropped-by-talent-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regrettable gig</a> Down Under.
Except his band Tenacious D’s cancellation didn’t follow the punitive blueprint. Plus, he and bandmate Kyle Gass said something worthy of recrimination, even for the most unwoke among us.
Not all cancellations are created equal.
The trouble started a day after the July 13 assassination attempt on President Donald Trump’s life in Butler, Pa. Tenacious D interrupted its concert in Sydney, Australia to celebrate Gass’ birthday. The “Elf” alum was turning 64, and longtime music partner Black presented him with a cake on stage.
Black asked Gass to make a wish before blowing out the candles. Gass did as told and shared it with the adoring Tenacious D fans in attendance.
“Don’t miss Trump next time,” Gass said. Black took a beat and said, “Thank you.”
And the show went on.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Jack Black went on stage with his band over the weekend and his bandmate said &quot;don&#39;t miss Trump next time&quot; to laughs from the audience.
A month ago, he was a featured speaker at Biden&#39;s fundraiser in Los Angeles.
&quot;We must come together&quot; indeed. <a href="https://t.co/HGlNTlzure">pic.twitter.com/HGlNTlzure</a>
&mdash; Greg Price (@greg_price11) <a href="https://twitter.com/greg_price11/status/1812870638580687142?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Except somebody recorded the moment and shared it on social media. In that way, this cancellation began precisely as many others have before it. As expected, condemnation was swift and digital.
Black’s reputation as a Democratic stooge didn’t help. He previously promoted President <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/29/morgan-freeman-and-jack-black-back-iran-nuclear-deal-for-fear-of-becoming-super-dead" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barack Obama’s Iranian deal</a> and appeared mere weeks ago at a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-arrives-in-l-a-for-celebrity-fundraiser-after-trumps-massive-hauls-in-ca" target="_blank" rel="noopener">President Joe Biden fundraiser</a>, pretending as if Biden wasn’t compromised by age and a yet-unknown ailment.
Those partisan ties made the moment look even worse.
Local politicians joined the fray, condemning their concert comments. One, Australian Senator Ralph Babet, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jack-black-tenacious-d-tour-canceled-kyle-gass-trump-shooting-comment-deported-from-australia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanded Gass and Black be deported</a> for their words.
Black, to his credit, apologized in swift fashion, and it didn’t sound like his PR team penned it.
&#8220;I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,” Black shared on his <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9e5msPpC3y/">Instagram feed</a>.
What happened next proved how different this Cancel Culture event would be.
&#8220;After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_766663" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-766663" class="size-large wp-image-766663" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-1664790316-864x576.jpg" alt="CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 06: Kyle Gass (L) and Jack Black of Tenacious D perform at PNC Music Pavilion on September 06, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jeff Hahne/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-1664790316-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-1664790316-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-1664790316-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-1664790316.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Jeff Hahne/Getty Images</div>
Black didn’t wait for press outrage to reach critical mass. Nor did he let the incident die down to see how much professional blowback he might receive.
He canceled himself.
More importantly, he embraced consequences for his actions. Suspending the Tenacious D tour likely cost him plenty, not just with fan loyalty but dollars and cents.
The news cycle moves fast these days. He could have laid low and hoped another news event took people’s attention away from the comments.
Heck, fellow actors Mark Hamill and John Leguizamo are doing their best to make us forget all about Tenacious D via Twitter. Hamill is <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/star-wars-mark-hamill-donald-trump-message-under-fire-1925735" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mocking President Trump’s ear bandages</a> while Leguizamo falsely claimed Trump <a href="https://x.com/JohnLeguizamo/status/1813068113883353431?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1813068113883353431%7Ctwgr%5Ef295f6657497c475e3474b3500449d91152a655e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.breitbart.com%2Fentertainment%2F2024%2F07%2F16%2Factor-john-leguizamo-spreads-fake-news-trump-wasnt-injured-in-assassination-attempt%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wasn’t injured in the attack.</a> Chances are we’ll hear more unhinged Hollywood comments that will make Gass’ quip seem tame in comparison.
Black also vowed to shut down indefinitely on the creative front. While he may not be as in-demand as he once was, last year&#8217;s &#8220;The Super Mario Bros. Movie&#8221; was a blockbuster and this year’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” proves he’s still a viable commodity in Hollywood.
Black did something else few could have expected. He threw Gass, who also apologized via Instagram, under the tour bus. He said Gass “blindsided” him with the comment. The duo have worked together for two decades under the Tenacious D banner.
That couldn’t have been an easy decision to make.
Accountability is in short supply in western culture of late. Just ask Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who has yet to resign for overseeing the worst possible breach in her line of work via the July 13 shooting.
Black, to his credit, held himself accountable.
What didn’t happen in this Cancel Culture-style moment? Conservatives didn’t demand their censorship en masse or reach out to the tour’s sponsors to suspend their ties to the duo. The band’s Hollywood peers neither defended nor attacked them for their comments.
They may not have faced any repercussions back in La La Land. Wishing death on Trump is considered normal behavior in celebrity circles. Just ask Charlie Sheen, Madonna, Johnny Depp, Snoop Dogg and other stars who have shared variations of that sick theme.
Black and Gass may have enhanced their careers with their Sydney shtick, as warped as that sounds.
Kathy Griffin’s infamous snapshot holding Trump’s bloody head showed there are still cultural limits when it comes to GOP-based rage. While the aforementioned stars suffered no professional blowback for their assassination fetish, Griffin’s career cratered following her image’s release.
The final difference between &#8220;TenaciousD-Gate&#8221; and your garden variety cancellation is clear. Author J.K. Rowling endured a brutal cancellation for thoughts many sane souls share regarding trans issues.
Shane Gillis watched his “Saturday Night Live” dreams disappear when old, crude jokes resurfaced.
Gina Carano’s Disney career died because she refused to self-censor her common sense views.
They didn’t deserve their cancellations. We can still have different opinions.
Black and Gass cheered on the assassination of a U.S. president. There’s no nuance there. It’s just wrong. Any sane soul understands wishing death on a president is beyond the pale.
Even in our increasingly coarse culture many realize just that.
Every few years a Hollywood star learns that sharing the ugliest views possible about their political opponents has real-world consequences.
That may explain why Black and Gass canceled themselves before someone beat them to it.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Tenacious D In Concert – Charlotte, NC

Jack Black Upends The Cancel Culture Blueprint

Australia

Entertainment

Hollywood

Jack Black

Opinion

Readers Pass

Cancel Culture victims are legion, but no one has been targeted quite like J.K. Rowling.
The “Harry Potter” author broke rank with fellow progressives in 2020, and she’s been paying the price ever since.
Yet she persists, to tap a progressive catchphrase. So do other stars who refused to back down. They ended up even bigger as a result.
Rowling’s Cancel Culture sin was agreeing with most people on one of the era’s most explosive issues. The author’s social media <a href="https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defiance on trans doctrine</a> caused an immediate outcry. The media <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/jk-rowling-is-so-transphobic-even-elon-musk-wants-her-to-shut-up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pounced and seized</a>. So did fellow progressives and trans activists.
This is the moment when many Cancel Culture targets begin their Apology Tour™.
Not Rowling.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/you-are-not-kind-you-are-not-righteous-jk-rowling-unloads-on-trans-activists" target="_blank" rel="noopener">She held firm</a> at the time and has yet to flinch over four long years.
<div id="attachment_493506" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-493506" class="size-large wp-image-493506" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/GettyImages-1067071942-864x576.jpg" alt="LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 13: J.K Rowling attends the UK Premiere of &quot;Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald&quot; at Cineworld Leicester Square on November 13, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/GettyImages-1067071942-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/GettyImages-1067071942-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/GettyImages-1067071942-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/GettyImages-1067071942-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/GettyImages-1067071942-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/GettyImages-1067071942-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/GettyImages-1067071942-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />John Phillips/Getty Images</div>
Over that time, she’s <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/jk-rowling-working-with-police-over-death-threat-after-voicing-support-for-salman-rushdie-12672229">received death threats</a>, watched her name <a href="https://ew.com/celebrity/j-k-rowling-removed-from-seattle-museum-of-pop-culture-anti-trans-remarks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">repeatedly</a> get <a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/08/11/jk-rowling-removed-museum-pop-culture-harry-potter-transphobic-views" target="_blank" rel="noopener">erased</a>, and has been betrayed by the actors she helped make household names, including “Harry Potter” franchise alum Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson. 
Except her Harry Potter legacy is as powerful as ever. The video game extension of said franchise, “Hogwarts Legacy,” <a href="https://www.pcgamer.com/hogwarts-legacy-sold-over-22-million-copies-warner-bros-exec-brags-its-the-best-selling-game-of-the-year-in-the-entire-industry-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boasted sales above and beyond expectations</a> despite attempts to cancel the title.
Max decided to revive the Harry Potter franchise via an upcoming TV series, one of the streamer’s biggest projects to date. The platform <a href="https://x.com/jk_rowling/status/1805968567034069278?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1805968567034069278%7Ctwgr%5Ea8a85c42362cddcff8900257829dcd6c7c72d76c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.breitbart.com%2Fentertainment%2F2024%2F06%2F27%2Fcancel-culture-fail-warner-bros-included-j-k-rowling-in-selecting-harry-potter-series-creative-team%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even invited Rowling</a> to vet the talent behind the saga.
Rowling stood up to the mob and emerged as a more powerful force.
Comedian Tyler Fischer endured a very different brand of cancellation. No one “resurfaced” one of Fischer’s old gags to get him professionally pummeled.
He simply fought back against DEI-style discrimination and for medical autonomy.
<div id="attachment_671085" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-671085" class="size-large wp-image-671085" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/GettyImages-1822517496-384x576.jpg" alt="NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 29: Tyler Fischer attends the DailyWire+ Red Carpet Premiere of &quot;Lady Ballers&quot; on November 29, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images for Bentkey Ventures)" width="384" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/GettyImages-1822517496-384x576.jpg 384w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/GettyImages-1822517496-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/GettyImages-1822517496.jpg 682w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" />Jason Davis/Getty Images for Bentkey Ventures</div>
Fischer decided early in the pandemic not to get the COVID-19 vaccine. He was young, healthy, and had already survived a brush with the virus. The latter gave him natural immunity, something the medical powers that be downplayed at the time.
His decision cost him both friendships and gigs at a time when his career was still a work in progress.
Fischer didn’t get political, nor did he give up. He stuck to his principles, created viral-friendly impressions of Dr. Anthony Fauci, and rebuilt a career without Hollywood’s help.
He did fight back, though. He filed a lawsuit against his former management team for admitting they couldn’t find work for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/no-joke-white-comic-terror-on-the-prairie-actor-sues-talent-agency-alleging-discrimination">a straight, white male</a>.
And he kept on hustling.
He co-starred in not one but two DailyWire+ films: “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/lady-ballers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lady Ballers</a>” and “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/terror-on-the-prairie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Terror on the Prairie</a>.” He paired with fellow rebel comics JP Sears and Ryan Long. He ingratiated himself to Fox News’ viewers via “Gutfeld!”
And he just landed the most coveted spot for any modern comedian — The hot seat on “The Joe Rogan Experience.”
Comedians once saw “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” as the ultimate sign they had “made it.” If Carson invited you to the NBC couch after your set, it was the ultimate sign of respect.
Now, a chat with Rogan serves a similar purpose. Fischer has officially made it, and he did so without betraying his values or free speech principles.
Comic legend Roseanne Barr actually said something awful and should have apologized for it immediately.
That’s exactly what she did after she crudely compared former Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett to a “Planet of the Apes” character on Twitter.
Apology not accepted, even if she had a track record of reaching out to minority scribes on her eponymous sitcom. ABC fired Barr from her own sitcom and killed off her iconic character, turning the series over to “The Conners.”
Decades atop the Hollywood food chain ended with the speed of a Tweet.
She was done.
She laid low for a while, finally using a FOX Nation stand-up special as her official re-entry into showbiz. From there, she started a feisty podcast, co-starred on DailyWire+’s “Mr. Birchum” series, and made herself a familiar face in Austin, Texas, the new comedy epicenter.
She’s now an elder statesperson in the country’s hottest comedy scene, part of the Rogan revolution where free speech reigns supreme.
<div id="attachment_756513" style="width: 867px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-756513" class="size-large wp-image-756513" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-1466195333-857x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 14: Roseanne Barr, host of FOX Nation’s &quot;Cancel This!,&quot; Visits FOX News Channel’s &quot;Gutfeld!&quot; on February 14, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ferdman/Getty Images)" width="857" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-1466195333-857x576.jpg 857w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-1466195333-300x202.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-1466195333-768x516.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-1466195333.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 857px) 100vw, 857px" />Steven Ferdman/Getty Images</div>
In a way, Barr’s cancellation is ongoing. She won’t be welcomed on any late-night show or “Saturday Night Live” episode going forward. No Hollywood studio will tap her for a comic cameo or supporting role.
She doesn’t need it anymore.
Nor does Shane Gillis, but the feeling isn’t mutual.
The affable comic snared the gig of a lifetime in 2019 when Lorne Michaels chose him to join “Saturday Night Live.” Gillis’ old material “resurfaced,” including a crude routine with Asian stereotypes.
He got canned before the season’s first episode aired.
Many might have called it a career. Not Gillis. He kept on creating, from stand-up gigs to his hilarious “Gilly and Keeves” YouTube sketch series.
<div id="attachment_756511" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-756511" class="size-large wp-image-756511" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2151825240-864x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 06: Shane Gillis attends Netflix is a Joke Fest: Tires Special Screening at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on May 06, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2151825240-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2151825240-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2151825240-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2151825240.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix</div>
Gillis also leaned on social media platforms to build his base, posting full-length stand-up specials on YouTube with dizzying results. His “Live from Austin” special has generated 28 million views since going live in 2022.
Suddenly, “SNL” had second thoughts. The show invited Gillis to host the program that tried to cancel his career. 
Meanwhile, Netflix ordered up a Gillis special, “Beautiful Dogs,” along with an original comedy series (“Tires”).
It’s worth acknowledging that other stars have done and said far worse without a hint of cancellation. Alec Baldwin and Ezra Miller rush to mind.
These canceled stars didn’t deserve the cultural punishments meted out by the modern Left. They proved too talented to stay canceled.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Saturday Night Live – Season 49

Meet These Cancel Culture Survivors

Comedy

J.K. Rowling

Roseanne Barr

Saturday Night Live

Tyler Fischer

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jon-stewart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jon Stewart</a> fashions himself a court jester, but often he’s just a fool.
Consider his bewildering take on cancel culture, which the press often cites with either scare quotes or prefaced by “so-called.”
There’s nothing imaginary about it.
Tell that to Stewart, who in 2021 <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/jon-stewart-believes-cancel-culture-is-a-myth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed it was just a myth, a mirage</a>. Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.
<blockquote>People that talk about cancel culture never seem to shut the f*** up about it…Like, there’s more speech now than ever before. It’s not ‘you can’t say it,’ it’s that when you say it—look, the internet has democratized criticism. What do we do for a living—we talk s***, we criticize, we postulate, we opine, we make jokes, and now other people are having their say. And that’s not cancel culture, that’s relentlessness. We live in a relentless culture. And the system of the internet and all those other things are incentivized to find the pressure points of that and exacerbate it.</blockquote>
Roseanne Barr would like a word. She might be the most infamous cancel culture victim, her career and signature show erased for one racially charged tweet for which she immediately apologized.
Or four rebel comics canceled by a Seattle comedy club for <a href="https://mynorthwest.com/3952217/rantz-seattle-comedy-club-canceled-comics-over-offended-activists/#:~:text=Rantz%3A%20Seattle%20comedy%20club%20canceled%20comics%20over%20offended%20activists&amp;text=A%20Seattle%20comedy%20club%20canceled,community%20activists%20and%20progressive%20comics." target="_blank" rel="noopener">telling the “wrong” jokes</a>.
Or a white male comedian <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/no-joke-white-comic-terror-on-the-prairie-actor-sues-talent-agency-alleging-discrimination" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allegedly canceled by his management</a> for being a white male comedian.
Or a conservative comedian allegedly <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/steve-mcgrew-brad-garrett-trump-fired/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">canceled by a comedy club</a> for being a conservative comedian.
Or the jokes never told because <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/desus-mero-self-censor-cancel-culture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comedians censor themselves</a> to avoid cancellation.
Or sitcoms memory holed for <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/23/entertainment/30-rock-episodes-blackface-trnd/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blackface-themed gags</a>. Or a beloved episode of “Fawlty Towers” <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-53032895" target="_blank" rel="noopener">temporarily shelved by the BBC</a> for racist language. The bit in question mocked racism, but never mind.
Both shows and humans get canceled by the mob, and Stewart pretended it didn’t exist.
His talking points had a short shelf life.
Later that same year, Stewart defended fellow comedian Dave Chappelle after cancel culture came for him. Chappelle’s Netflix special “The Closer” featured jokes targeting the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dave-chappelle-on-meeting-trans-activists-they-wanted-to-incite-violence-against-themselves-for-publicity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trans community</a>, along with a longer bit that paid homage to a late trans comic. His white-hot career and legacy seemed on the verge of collapse.
The media savaged his shtick. Netflix employees picketed their own company. 
Stewart <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2021/10/21/jon-stewart-dave-chappelle-never-hurtful-need-better-communication-netflix-trans/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rushed to his pal’s defense</a>.
<blockquote>…. he’s one of my favorite people on the planet and he’s just a good, decent… – you know, if there is any miscommunication, I’m sure that – I love that dude, like as a person.</blockquote>
<div id="attachment_741419" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-741419" class="size-large wp-image-741419" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/05/GettyImages-974985614-865x576.jpg" alt="BOSTON, MA - JUNE 13: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been digitally enhanced) Comedians Dave Chappelle and Jon Stewart kick off a limited three-city run at Wang Theatre at Boch Center on June 13, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Pilot Boy)" width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/05/GettyImages-974985614-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/05/GettyImages-974985614-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/05/GettyImages-974985614-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/05/GettyImages-974985614.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Pilot Boy</div>
Stewart thought added context could save Chappelle. He forgot the Barr example.
She has said she went out of her way to hire minority writers on “Roseanne” to improve the show’s diversity. Former “Roseanne” scribe Norm Macdonald backed up that claim. That context couldn’t save her career from cancel culture.
Chappelle’s special could have been canceled by Netflix. Few would have been surprised by that turn of events and imagine the chilling impact it might have had on his fellow comedians.
Gosh, if the comedy GOAT like Chappelle can be canceled, what about his peers?
Shockingly, Netflix stood tall and defended the comedian.
Cancel culture was real then. It’s real now. Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker can tell us all about it, from the Change.org petition <a href="https://www.change.org/p/demand-the-kansas-city-chiefs-to-dismiss-harrison-butker-for-discriminatory-remarks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanding the team fire him</a> for his pro-Catholic views to sports scribes <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/kc-chiefs-fire-harrison-butker-154028688.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">echoing those demands.</a>
Stewart picked an odd time to re-engage with the cancel culture conversation. He did it, of course, to smite Donald Trump and the Right.
<div id="attachment_741547" style="width: 708px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-741547" class="size-full wp-image-741547" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-23-at-5.01.36%E2%80%AFPM-2-copy.png" alt="Screenshot: The Daily Show/YouTube." width="698" height="355" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-23-at-5.01.36%E2%80%AFPM-2-copy.png 698w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-23-at-5.01.36%E2%80%AFPM-2-copy-300x153.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 698px) 100vw, 698px" />Screenshot: The Daily Show/YouTube.</div>
The former and current “Daily Show” host once dabbled in bipartisan yuks. Now, those moments are increasingly rare. He’s more akin to the Colbert School of Comedy. Propaganda, not satire.
Case in point: <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/jon-stewart-daily-show-trump-cancel-culture-1235905423/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He brought up Butker’s imbroglio</a> to once again claim cancel culture is about accountability, not punishment. Why a Catholic must be held accountable for sharing Catholic beliefs at a Catholic college wasn’t cited in his rant.
He once again summoned his favorite strawman, that we’re “surrounded by and inundated with more speech than has ever existed in the history of communication” to deny cancel culture’s existence. Yes, but that doesn’t negate the chilling effects cancel culture has on both comedy and the culture at large.
He doubled down, saying cancel culture doesn’t exist. It’s just a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/article/2024/may/21/jon-stewart-trump-cancel-culture" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cudgel wielded by the Right.</a>
<blockquote>Because the idea that there is an all-pervasive, all-powerful threat to free speech called ‘cancel culture’ has become a central tenet of modern conservatism. They celebrate their being silenced at conferences. They celebrate their being silenced on podcasts and streaming outlets. They celebrate their being silenced with over 700 book titles about ‘being canceled’. Why are there so many of these f***ing books?</blockquote>
Stewart pivoted to Orange Man Bad to placate the show’s clapping seals. Turns out the real cancel culture is happening on the Right, and it’s all Trump’s fault.
<blockquote>Anyone who dares speak out against him, or refuses to buy into Trump’s stolen election claims, you’ll lose your job like Liz Cheney or countless others…In fact, everything the right says cancel culture does to them is actually being done by MAGA.</blockquote>
Countless others? How are political realities the same as cancel culture? Wasn’t Cheney’s plight the most extreme example of a politician betraying her own party over and again and being voted out of office?
It’s deflection. It’s insincere. And it ignores the obvious truth. Cancel culture is a product of the Left.
Why would Stewart deny it? Because he’s felt the Left’s wrath more than once, and he knows he better steer clear of it if he still wants to keep peddling jokes on fancy TV shows.
In 2021 Stewart enraged the Left by saying, on “The Late Show” no less, that COVID likely came from the lab where the virus originated. He was shocked by the <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/how-dare-i-jon-stewart-reflects-on-lab-leak-theory-blowback/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fallout from that comic rant.</a>
<blockquote>My bigger problem with that was I thought it was a pretty good bit that expressed kind of how I felt, and the two things that came out of it were I’m racist against Asian people, and how dare I align myself with the alt-right.</blockquote>
Sounds not-so-MAGA like.
More recently, he returned to “The Daily Show” and admitted that President Joe Biden is old, frail, and far from a strong candidate for re-election. The backlash from the Left was ferocious.
He’s been Colbert-like on the show ever since. That’s the best way to keep cancel culture off your back, and he knows it.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

23rd Annual Mark Twain Prize For American Humor

Jon Stewart Doubles Down, Says Trump Is Source Of Cancel Culture

Donald Trump

Jon Stewart

“Monty Python” alumnus <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/monty-python-alum-john-cleese-slams-wokes-and-the-current-thrill-of-being-offended">John Cleese</a> blasted the current cancel culture and said when a person sets &#8220;out to get someone fired … that&#8217;s very totalitarian.&#8221;
Speaking to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfDBTpAzV4U">Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression group’s</a> Greg Lukianoff, the host asked the legendary comedian about the evolution of cancel culture, from when audiences freaked out over topics in his 1979 film “The Life of Brian” to now. 
“What I experienced [then] was people who were upset and offended by things,” the 84-year-old comedian said. “And once or twice, I’ve done things that afterwards I felt that I’ve crossed the line and thought I shouldn’t have done that. But people would get upset and complain to the BBC or something like that.”
“Or they might get up and walk out of the show,” he added. “The thing about Cancel Culture is, it seems to be very organized. And it’s not just protest. It’s trying to get people fired. I don’t mind people protesting, that’s fine. But if you set out to get someone fired … that’s very totalitarian.”
“The enemy of creativity is interruption,” Cleese continued. “And interruptions can come from inside, as well as outside. And if the moment you think of something you think, ‘Ooh, will that offend someone?,’ you’ve interrupted yourself and it will stop the creative flow.”
The “A Fish Called Wanda” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/monty-python-alum-goes-viral-after-tweeting-about-unfair-advantage-biological-men-have-in-womens-sports">star</a> said “all moments” in his life “that have been important in forming” his personality &#8220;came when I suddenly had a realization that something I believed wasn’t the case.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
John Cleese on Cancel Culture: An ‘Organized … Totalitarian’ Movement <a href="https://t.co/HHPkkaIEGU">https://t.co/HHPkkaIEGU</a>
— MRC NewsBusters (@newsbusters) <a href="https://twitter.com/newsbusters/status/1782088168923160972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
He said none of that would’ve happened if he had to deal with people around him “saying you mustn’t think like that.” Cleese said that you’ve got to “ignore the people who are trying to stop you from learning something new.”
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“A lot of people are very frightened of getting fired, and that’s awful, getting fired,” he added. “There’s good and bad in all of us, and the moment you think you’re more perfect than you are, then that’s trouble. … And that’s why all this virtue signaling is so foolish now … they also need to know they have a nasty streak, too, because we all have.”
The famed British comedian has been very outspoken in the past about cancel culture, labeling the “wokes” the new “authoritarians,” as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beware-the-wokes-monty-python-alum-defends-new-show-tackling-cancel-culture-and-new-authoritarians">previously reported</a>.
“Like all people who believe that are purer than they actually are, they are authoritarians,” Cleese previously <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnCleese/status/1579397566655262720?s=20&amp;t=uUR-qN7yGJAx40uWiVuwFA">tweeted</a>. “Which is why all the best comedians make fun of them.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beware-the-wokes-monty-python-alum-defends-new-show-tackling-cancel-culture-and-new-authoritarians">&#8216;Beware The &#8216;Wokes&#8221; : &#8216;Monty Python&#8217; Alum Defends New Show Tackling &#8216;Cancel Culture&#8217; And New &#8216;Authoritarians&#8217;</a>

Pendulum Summit In Dublin – Day 2

‘Totalitarian’: ‘Monty Python’ Star John Cleese Blasts Cancel Culture

‘Totalitarian’: 'Monty Python’ Star John Cleese Blasts Cancel Culture

Celebrities

John Cleese

Wokeness

World

The man who shot former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ronald-reagan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ronald Reagan</a> in the early 1980s said in an interview this week that he is a victim of cancel culture.
John Hinckley Jr., who spent years confined to a mental hospital for trying to murder Reagan, was freed from all restrictions in 2022.
The 68-year-old has tried to become a singer since gaining his freedom, but has had numerous planned concerts canceled by venues because the businesses do not want controversy.
“I think that’s fair to say: I’m a victim of cancel culture,” he <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/20/us-news/john-hinckley-jr-claims-he-is-a-victim-of-cancel-culture-after-concert-called-off/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> in an interview with the New York Post. “It keeps happening over and over again.”
“They book me and then the show gets announced and then the venue starts getting backlash,” he claimed. “The owners always cave, they cancel. It’s happened so many times, it’s kinda what I expect. I don’t really get upset.”
He claimed that he was not the same person that he used to be and that he did not want to &#8220;dwell on the past.&#8221;
“I’m just caught up in the cancel culture, I guess,” he complained. “It would be a venue for new artists, distinguished artists and they wouldn’t get canceled [at] the last minute like I’m getting canceled.”
Hinckley shot Reagan on March 30, 1981, just 69 days after his inauguration. Reagan was leaving the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., at around 2:30 p.m. after having given a speech to about 5,000 members of the AFL-CIO when Hinckley opened fire with a .22 revolver.
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Hinckley <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/john-hinckley-jr-the-now-free-man-who-tried-to-assassinate-president-ronald-reagan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fired six shots</a> at Reagan and his security team. One bullet ricocheted off of Reagan’s limousine and struck the president under his left arm, according to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. It was initially thought that Hinckley missed Reagan, until the president began coughing up blood and was taken to the hospital. It was later discovered that the bullet grazed one of the president’s ribs and became lodged in his rib just one inch from his heart. The injury left Reagan with a punctured lung and internal bleeding, resulting in a 12-day hospital stay.
Also injured in the attack were Press Secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy, and policeman Thomas Delahanty. Brady was hit in the head and became permanently disabled, requiring a wheelchair for the rest of his life and affecting his speech. He died on August 4, 2014, with a medical examiner ruling his death a homicide resulting from Hinckley’s gunshot 33 years earlier.
Delahanty was struck in the back of his neck trying to protect Reagan, while McCarthy was struck in the abdomen. Both men survived and fully recovered.
Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity and confined to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. One of his attorneys, Greg Craig, went on to become assistant to the President and White House special counsel under Bill Clinton and White House counsel under President Barack Obama. In 2019, he was indicted for lying to federal prosecutors about his work at a private law firm for the former president of Ukraine without registering as a foreign agent.
By 2011, Hinckley was allowed to leave the hospital for several days at a time to visit family in Virginia. In 2012, therapists in Virginia withdrew a plan that would allow Hinckley to leave the hospital and live full-time with his mother. At the time, the Department of Justice said Hinckley hadn’t changed and should remain in the hospital. Four years later, in 2016, Hinckley was released from St. Elizabeth’s to live with his mother and gain more privileges.
In September 2021, U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman announced that Hinckley would be fully released without conditions if he continued to show he was “no longer a danger to himself or others,” the Associated Press reported. Hinckley was granted his freedom without any restrictions on June 15, 2022.
Ashe Schow contributed to this report.

US-MUSIC-POLITICS-HINCKLEY

Man Who Tried To Assassinate Ronald Reagan Claims He’s A Victim Of ‘Cancel Culture’

assassination

Crime

Ronald Reagan

A Seattle comedy club abruptly canceled four comedians&#8217; shows, citing the neighborhood&#8217;s &#8220;progressive values.&#8221;
Capitol Hill Comedy Bar dropped shows from April to October for comedians Dave Smith, Luis Gomez, Jim Florentine, and Kurt Metzger.
Two of the comedians, Florentine and Metzger, shared the email they said they received from the comedy club informing them their shows were canceled.
The club called it a &#8220;challenging situation&#8221; and said it considered the matter with investors, local comedians, and neighborhood advocacy groups.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I guess I need to clean up my act. My comedy shows in Seattle are cancelled along with <a href="https://twitter.com/luisjgomez?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@luisjgomez</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ComicDaveSmith?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ComicDaveSmith</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/kurtmetzger?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kurtmetzger</a>.
After careful consideration and discussions with our team, investors, local comedians, and neighborhood advocacy groups, we&#39;ve encountered a…
&mdash; Jim Florentine (@Mrjimflorentine) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mrjimflorentine/status/1761071406467473577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I’m sorry, but this is too funny not to immediately put on blast! Also, am I mistaken that this club is in Seattle’s historic “CHAZ” district? (Kurt looks up toward heaven.) THANK U GEORGE FLOYD! For the fun Im about to have with this on Twitter after I take a quick shit! BRB! <a href="https://t.co/K4gGSGoPkW">pic.twitter.com/K4gGSGoPkW</a>
&mdash; Kurt Metzger (@kurtmetzger) <a href="https://twitter.com/kurtmetzger/status/1760824699624505541?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Capitol Hill is known for its progressive values, and we&#8217;ve received significant feedback expressing concerns about the alignment of these upcoming shows with the neighborhood&#8217;s ethos. This feedback includes concerns from local advocacy groups that are deeply embedded in our community and work towards upholding its values,&#8221; the comedy club wrote in the email. &#8220;This decision was not made lightly, and we want to ensure it does not reflect on your talent and the quality of your work but is instead a reflection of our commitment to our community&#8217;s values.&#8221;
The club added that it would refund people&#8217;s tickets for these events and promised that &#8220;we truly value the art of comedy and the diverse perspectives it brings.&#8221;
&#8220;I guess I need to clean up my act,&#8221; Florentine posted Friday on X.
Metzger expressed how hilarious he found the decision.
&#8220;I’m sorry, but this is too funny not to immediately put on blast!&#8221; Metzger posted Thursday on X.
&#8220;Also, am I mistaken that this club is in Seattle’s historic “CHAZ” district? (Kurt looks up toward heaven.) THANK U GEORGE FLOYD! For the fun Im about to have with this on Twitter&#8230;,&#8221; the comedian added.
The comedy club is located in the former Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) area of Seattle, the six-block area leftist anti-police protesters barricaded and declared &#8220;autonomous&#8221; after George Floyd died in police custody in 2020.
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Gomez commented on his podcast that it is &#8220;the right of any business&#8221; not to book him but called the comedy club &#8220;super woke.&#8221;
“Are they idiots for booking us and then unbooking us? Yes, it’s a dumb move. Is my former agent an idiot for booking me at a super woke progressive venue that like the entire lineup is like f***ing blue-haired f***ing freaks?” Gomez <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Supg09fMTgI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
He added that another factor could be &#8220;young, jealous&#8221; local comics.
&#8220;This is what happens when comics don&#8217;t have anything going on. They just look for drama,&#8221; Gomez said.

Comedy show neon template. Comedy lettering and glowing neon microphone

Seattle Comedy Club Cancels 4 Comedians Over ‘Progressive Values’

Seattle Comedy Club Cancels 4 Comedians Over 'Progressive Values'

Business

canceled

Seattle

Social Issues

Washington

People slammed Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters as an anti-Semite long before the Oct. 7 attacks triggered a wave of Jewish hate across the globe.
Waters, the band’s co-founder and a still-active rocker at 80, has walked a razor-thin line over the years between criticizing Israel and attacking the people who call the nation home.
He may have crossed said line even for his staunchest defenders.
Waters recently spoke out against fellow rock icon Bono of U2 fame. The Irish superstar reacted swiftly to the Oct. 7 massacre by Hamas which killed 1,200 people and kidnapped hundreds more.
Rape. Torture. Beheadings.
The news accounts proved so grisly Bono addressed them from, where else, a concert stage mere hours after the attacks. 
<div id="attachment_700475" style="width: 940px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-700475" class="size-large wp-image-700475" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1709324578-930x576.jpg" alt="LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 29: (Exclusive Coverage) Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Bram van den Berg of U2 perform during opening night of U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere on September 29, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation)" width="930" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1709324578-930x576.jpg 930w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1709324578-300x186.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1709324578-768x476.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1709324578.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 930px) 100vw, 930px" />Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation</div>
He paid particular attention to Hamas’ assault on a music festival dedicated to peace by tweaking the band’s ‘80s smash, “Pride (In the Name of Love).”
<a href="https://americansongwriter.com/u2-reworks-pride-to-pay-homage-to-those-killed-by-terrorists-at-israeli-music-festival/">The altered lyrics?</a>
From: &#8220;Early morning, April four / Shots ring out in the Memphis sky / Free at last, they took your life / they could not take your pride.&#8221;
To: &#8220;Early morning, October 7th / As the sun is rising in the desert sky / Stars of David, they took your life / But they could not take your pride.&#8221;
<blockquote>In the light of what’s happened in Israel and Gaza, a song about non-violence seems somewhat ridiculous, even laughable, but our prayers have always been for peace and for non-violence…But our hearts and our anger, you know where that’s pointed. So sing with us…and those beautiful kids at that music festival.</blockquote>
The band shared the concert clip via its social media accounts. How could anyone object to U2’s tribute, which wasn’t aggressive, only heartfelt? What possible argument could be lobbied against it? Shouldn’t musicians be particularly outraged by a terrorist attack on a concert?
Tell that to Waters.
He spat out his disgust for what Bono said on <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/program/the-stream/2024/2/17/roger-waters-on-gaza-resistance-and-doing-the-right-thing-2">Al Jazeera TV</a>:
<blockquote>Anybody who knows Bono should go and pick him up by his ankles and shake him until he stops being a [giant] s*** &#8230; we have to start speaking to these people and saying, ‘Your opinion is so disgusting and degrading, when you stand up for the Zionist entity…’
What he did in the Sphere in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago, singing about the Stars of David, was one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen in my life.</blockquote>
Remember, Waters is an 80-year-old man.
If that rhetoric came as an isolated outburst some may be willing to forgive if not forget. Except it’s part of a pattern, one that leaves less and less doubt of Waters’ intentions.
<div id="attachment_700477" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-700477" class="size-large wp-image-700477" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1496485220-864x576.jpg" alt="LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 06: Roger Waters performs on stage at The O2 Arena during the 'This is Not A Drill' tour, on June 06, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1496485220-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1496485220-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1496485220-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1496485220.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Jim Dyson/Getty Images</div>
We saw something similar late last year when he sat down for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-WSb23wdLI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an interview</a> with independent journalist Glenn Greenwald roughly a month after Hamas’ savagery.
<blockquote>Let’s wait and see what happened, was my first reaction [to the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks]. My second reaction was — how the hell did the Israelis not know this was going to happen? There’s something very fishy about that.</blockquote>
There’s no proof the Israeli government knew such an attack was coming. It’s hard to imagine any government would allow that kind of atrocity to be perpetuated on its people for political purposes.
Greenwald pressed Waters on whether he thought the Oct. 7 attacks were “justified.”
<blockquote>We don’t know what they did do. But was it justified for them to resist the occupation? Yeah.</blockquote>
We knew fairly quickly what Hamas did. The terrorists filmed much of their barbaric acts on GoPro-style cameras, smartphones, and other devices, eager for the world to witness their barbarism. Journalists and <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12732767/israel-screening-hamas-terror-attack-october-7.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hollywood dwellers</a> got to see a montage of the clips shortly after Oct. 7.
Canadian journalist Matt Gurney <a href="https://thepostmillennial.com/just-about-the-worst-thing-ive-ever-seen-canadian-journalist-reacts-to-footage-of-hamas-october-7-massacre" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called the footage</a> &#8220;just about the worst thing I have ever seen.&#8221;
Waters also <a href="https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/1699350277-roger-waters-says-israelis-making-up-stories-about-october-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">downplayed</a> the fact that Israeli citizens were targeted in the melee.
<blockquote>The thing was thrown out of all proportion by the Israelis making up stories about beheading babies.</blockquote>
No one has credibly disputed that 1,200 people that day, or that the terrorist group kidnapped men, women, senior citizens and even toddlers following the attacks.
Waters’ ex-bandmate David Gilmour made up his mind a while ago on whether Waters harbors hate against Jewish people. Last year, Gilmour used his X account to promote the documentary “The Dark Side of Roger Waters,” a film accusing the singer of anti-Jewish sentiments.
The film, from the Campaign Against Antisemitism, featured <a href="https://consequence.net/2023/10/david-gilmour-roger-waters-antisemitic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first-person accounts by Jewish musicians</a> who worked with Waters – Norbert Stachel and Bob Ezrin &#8211; who claimed they heard him utter anti-Semitic comments.
Gilmour’s wife, Polly Samson, added fuel to the fire by saying Waters was “antisemitic to [his] rotten core.”
All of this comes after Waters’ infamous stage antics where he performed under an inflatable pig emblazoned with <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N37X0TS/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Star of David</a> and strode across the stage wearing a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/german-police-investigate-roger-waters-nazi-style-costume-concert-2023-05-26/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nazi-like uniform</a>. The latter, he said, was his way of opposing fascism and bigotry.
The most intriguing part of it all? We’ve seen actors face professional blowback recently for sharing anti-Israeli comments, including <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/susan-sarandon-dropped-by-agency-after-her-anti-semitic-remarks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon</a>. Cancel Culture also erased Roseanne Barr&#8217;s career for a horrid Tweet.
Waters, on the other hand, has endured few repercussions for his chronic words and actions.
City Council members in Frankfurt, Germany, briefly stopped a planned May 2023 concert by the rocker, declaring that Waters “repeatedly called for a cultural boycott of Israel and drew comparisons to the apartheid regime in South Africa and put pressure on artists to cancel events in Israel.”
<a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/roger-waters-canceled-frankfurt-rescheduled-court-ruling-1235315712/">A court overruled the decision</a>.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-22-Feb-2024-02-05-PM-9790

Roger Waters Removes All Doubt, Blasts Bono For Honoring Victims Of Oct. 7 Massacre

Anti-Semitism

Bono

Gaza

Hamas

Israel

Music

Spotify superstar <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-rogan">Joe Rogan</a> is a man’s man in the classic sense of the phrase.
The comedian loves hunting, eating red meat, and combat sports. He’s been part of the UFC revolution for more than 20 years, providing color commentary for some of the sport’s biggest matches.
He looks as wide as he is tall, and it’s all muscle, not fat. So why does he attract so many female listeners?
<div id="attachment_693389" style="width: 826px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-693389" class="size-large wp-image-693389" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1440840074-816x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 11: Joe Rogan is seen on stage during the UFC 281 ceremonial weigh-in at Radio City Music Hall on November 11, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)" width="816" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1440840074-816x576.jpg 816w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1440840074-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1440840074-768x542.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1440840074.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 816px) 100vw, 816px" />Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC</div>
A <a href="https://business.yougov.com/content/47483-whos-listening-to-the-joe-rogan-experience-men-mostly" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 YouGov poll</a> found that Rogan’s podcast fan base leans younger and male.
No surprise there given the show’s content, Rogan’s personal interests, and the crush of male guests. He also curses like the proverbial sailor sans apology.
Yet <a href="https://variety.com/2024/digital/news/joe-rogan-renews-spotify-deal-not-exclusive-1235895424/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Variety’s announcement</a> of Rogan’s Spotify contract extension included this nugget:
<blockquote>Per Edison Research’s Q3 2023 survey of most listened-to podcasts, “The Joe Rogan Experience” ranked No. 1 for the period. In addition, “JRE” was the No. 2 most listened-to podcast for women 13 and older in the U.S., according to Edison.</blockquote>
Number two. And it’s not for lack of female-centric podcasts or alternatives across the pop culture landscape. And that includes true crime podcasts, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/13/why-are-women-falling-asleep-to-true-crime-podcasts-and-tv-shows.html#:~:text=%22My%20research%20shows%20that%20women,what%20to%20do%20if%20kidnapped." target="_blank" rel="noopener">audio catnip for many women</a>.
Turns out women love Rogan, too. But why?
<div id="attachment_693165" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-693165" class="size-large wp-image-693165" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/JRAR-1024x576.jpg" alt="Joe Rogan Aaron Rodgers" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/JRAR-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/JRAR-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/JRAR-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/JRAR-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/JRAR-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Screenshot: Joe Rogan Experience</div>
Rogan is unapologetically male at a time when pop culture suggests that’s off limits. So-called “toxic masculinity” must be called out and avoided at all costs.
That message got through to Rogan.
“It’s become a disparaged term, to be a man,” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoE_VJ0UopM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rogan said in an undated clip</a> from his podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience.”
“We are now around soft men and hard times. We’re in a time of ‘<a href="https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/views/news/peterson-rogan-tate-the-cult-toxic-masculinity-3129491" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toxic masculinity’</a> where you can be toxically male,” he said <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5Za3RPE9uc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in another talk</a> on the subject. “And if you’re suppressing masculinity, you’re going to bring on hard times.”
He dug deeper into the phrase last year with <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/podcasts/joe-rogan-goes-after-critics-who-believe-toxic-masculinity-is-an-indictment-of-all-men-thats-crazy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Punisher” star Jon Bernthal</a>.
<blockquote>There’s no term toxic femininity, right? But there’s toxic human beings, and some of them happen to be male and some of them happen to be female … but it’s not an indictment on male, you know, the male gender of the species. That’s crazy.</blockquote>
Rogan’s unabashedly male persona connects with his female flock.
It’s not unlike how women swoon over the Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce courtship. The couple represents an old-school romance, the prettiest girl at the prom and the gridiron hero scoring touchdowns for his sweetie.
Podcaster Karol Markowicz noticed a recent viral moment when Kelce moved past a security guard to open a car door for his squeeze during a Big Apple date. The video swiftly got shared far and wide, with Markowicz noting how women swooned over his old-fashioned manners.
They’re playing out their gender roles to a T, sans apology. And so, too, is Rogan. Women reacted to Kelce’s Alpha Male move, much like they long for Rogan’s podcast brand.
<div id="attachment_646243" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-646243" class="size-large wp-image-646243" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-01-at-4.20.43-AM-1024x574.png" alt="Elon Musk" width="1024" height="574" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-01-at-4.20.43-AM-1024x574.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-01-at-4.20.43-AM-300x168.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-01-at-4.20.43-AM-768x431.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-01-at-4.20.43-AM-1536x861.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-01-at-4.20.43-AM-2048x1148.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Screenshot: Joe Rogan Experience</div>
When Cancel Culture came calling Rogan stood his ground. He apologized for using the N-word in the past, although never against a person of color in a derogatory way and carried on his show and career. The press piled on, too, shaping everything Rogan did or said as “controversial” or “problematic.” 
He ignored the attacks, understanding his fans didn’t believe the false narratives against him. Plus, he kept on challenging authority, promoting his professional and personal interests as if the woke mob never knocked on his door.
That’s courage in 21st-century America, and Rogan’s alpha male instincts served him well. Thus the new Spotify deal, reportedly worth up to $250 million.
Men appreciate Rogan as much for his content as his attitude toward their gender. He preaches discipline, much like Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, connecting with disaffected young males hungry for a father figure.
Alpha Males don’t wait for opportunities to knock on their door. They break the door down and make it happen.
<div id="attachment_693413" style="width: 730px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-693413" class="size-large wp-image-693413" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1137862413-720x576.jpg" alt="PASADENA, CA - APRIL 17: Comedian Joe Rogan performs during his appearance at The Ice House Comedy Club on April 17, 2019 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Michael S. Schwartz/Getty Images)" width="720" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1137862413-720x576.jpg 720w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1137862413-300x240.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1137862413-768x614.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1137862413.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" />Michael S. Schwartz/Getty Images</div>
Rogan is a mixed martial artist as well as a stand-up comic. That requires patience, discipline, and a dedication to one’s health that goes beyond what most people embrace.
<blockquote><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL16129Qayg">F*** your motivation</a>. You need discipline. Because motivation’s not there every day. I’m missing motivation most days … once I get going, I feel great … but it’s that beginning part that’s hard because your body wants to stay comfortable.</blockquote>
Young men in particular won’t find many Alpha Male role models in pop culture. James Bond had to ride behind his female partner on a motorcycle in the most recent 007 affair, “No Time to Die.” Iconic male figures like Mad Max and He-Man now play second fiddle to strong, empowered female characters.
Male politicians like Gov. Gavin Newsom and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hardly radiate Alpha Male energy. That leaves many men without a sense of purpose or identity. How many times must they see “the future is female” messages before they feel less than useful?
Rogan welcomes them with humor and tough love. That’s the Alpha Male approach, and it means the Spotify superstar will keep attracting both men and women to his signature showcase.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Joe Rogan Aaron Rodgers

Alpha Male Magnet: Turns Out Women Love Rogan, Too

comedian

Joe Rogan

Masculinity

Women

Life for conservatives can often feel like an endless series of setbacks. As the Left continues to wage war on reality and convert more people into their cult of insanity, it often feels like we’re fighting an unwinnable war.
But if you pay attention, there are often victories on the battlefield that should encourage us all to keep fighting the good fight.
Today’s moment of justice has to do with a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/woke-college-puts-professor-on-leave-for-handing-out-jeremys-chocolate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California-based professor</a> who was just cleared to return to work after committing the cardinal sin of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/most-popular-item-prof-under-fire-for-sharing-jeremys-chocolate-bars-says-students-loved-them" target="_blank" rel="noopener">handing out chocolate bars</a>.
Professor David Richardson, a man of substance and excellent taste, was suspended from Madera Community College in May 2023 after he laid out a table of snacks for students which included a selection of <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/collections/jeremys-chocolate?utm_campaign=chocolate&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dw-site&amp;utm_content=na_sweetvictory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy’s Chocolate</a>. Though many of his students didn’t recognize this act of heroism for what it was, one disgruntled colleague – who identifies as transgender – was predictably offended and reported Richardson’s actions to the administration. 
Considering this happened in California, and considering the political leanings of almost every institution of higher learning in the country, it would be logical to assume that Richardson, who taught at the college for 30 years, would lose his job over this. But just when all hope was lost, a light shined through.
The chocolate-loving prof is back, baby.
“I am happy and grateful to be back for all the faculty, staff and students who supported me while I was in exile. I wouldn’t have made it without them. But there is a new normal. I know there were a lot of people on the other side who wanted nothing more than to see me never come back,” Richardson said of his return, per <a href="https://www.thecollegefix.com/suspended-jeremys-chocolates-professor-cleared-returns-to-classroom/">The College Fix</a>.
Richardson, who is both gay and conservative, was drawn not just to the deliciousness of <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/collections/jeremys-chocolate?utm_campaign=chocolate&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dw-site&amp;utm_content=na_sweetvictory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy’s Chocolate</a>, but also the way these delectable candy bars aren’t afraid to declare the truth. Like humans, the candy is <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/collections/jeremys-chocolate?utm_campaign=chocolate&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dw-site&amp;utm_content=na_sweetvictory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">available in two varieties</a>: He/Him and She/Her, one with nuts and one without. They were made in response to a Hershey’s featuring a man as one of the faces of its “SHE” bar on the first day of Women’s History Month.
<a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/collections/jeremys-chocolate?utm_campaign=chocolate&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dw-site&amp;utm_content=na_sweetvictory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GET YOUR JEREMY&#8217;S CHOCOLATE HERE</a>
The professor’s colleague claimed the chocolate brand’s messaging is “transphobic.” That staffer made no mention of how the candy quickly became the most popular item on the snack table once students realized what it was. 
Ultimately, Richardson was “fully exonerated” after an investigation following the Title IX complaint filed against him. Madera Community College spokesman Cory Burkarth declined to comment on the matter, saying the institution didn’t comment on personnel decisions.
This incident proves that not everyone who stands up to leftists gets defeated, even in a completely indoctrinated field such as academia. 
Truth-tellers would be wise to send the message to more people with the miniature <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/collections/jeremys-chocolate?utm_campaign=chocolate&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dw-site&amp;utm_content=na_sweetvictory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">micro-aggression size Jeremy’s Chocolate bars</a>. They’re ideal for handing out to “they/them” at parties, for the holidays, or yes, even in a classroom setting. Because the trans activists can complain, they can tattle, they can scream, but they can’t deny that chocolate tastes better when it’s rooted in truth.
One has nuts. One doesn’t. Any questions, class?

JEREMY’S sweet victory

Sweet Victory: Prof Suspended For Distributing Jeremy’s Chocolate Goes Back To Class

Sweet Victory: Prof Suspended For Distributing Jeremy's Chocolate Goes Back To Class

College

Jeremy's Chocolate

Leftism

Professors

TV’s crankiest character is kvetching for the last time.
Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” kicks off its 12th and final season on Feb. 4, ending a remarkable run that changed TV comedy for the better.
Or, rather, the show’s lack of change gave us hope in the Age of Woke.
David’s ability to spoof his image remains a wonderful bit of performance art. He wasn’t a household name prior to the HBO series’ debut in 2000. It didn’t take long for him to go from “the guy who co-created ‘Seinfeld’” to “Curb’s” signature jerk.
He might be the least likable main character since “All in the Family’s” Archie Bunker. Each episode gave us a new reason to boo him and his selfish ways. Like actor Carroll O’Connor of “Family” fame, David made his Larry doppelgänger oddly lovable, flaws and all.
“Curb’s” improv-heavy style delivered a different brand of sitcom, stripped of canned laughter and stale setups. Like “Seinfeld,” “Curb” often introduced several plotlines that came together in the show’s waning moments.
And we never saw it coming.
Of course, “Curb” was and remains hilarious, thanks to a deep cast including Richard Lewis, Ted Danson, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Garlin, and, most of all, J.B. Smoove. The latter’s introduction in season six gave Larry the ultimate on-screen partner.
<div id="attachment_690129" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-690129" class="size-large wp-image-690129" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1974493864-864x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 30: (L-R) Jeff Garlin, Cheryl Hines, Larry David, Susie Essman, and J.B. Smoove attend the Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 12 premiere at DGA Theater Complex on January 30, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1974493864-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1974493864-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1974493864-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-1974493864.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO</div>
The show’s protracted run could have been “problematic” for David and fans alike. The show started at a time when “safe spaces,” “trigger warnings” and Cancel Culture weren’t part of the vernacular.
David and co. had nearly free reign in the early years. No one could “cancel” a “Curb” installment for bruising their feelings.
Would David’s “Curb” bow down to the woke mob? Could his on-screen character be less monstrous and more of an “ally?” The show would crumble as a result, of course, but we’ve seen more than a few comedy institutions decay under the weight of our woke age.
“Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
Not “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
Even the Left-leaning Guardian applauded David’s showcase for not bowing to modern sensibilities – <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/oct/03/curb-your-enthusiasm-review-if-it-aint-woke-dont-fix-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“If It Ain’t Woke, Don’t Fix It,”</a> read one headline.
<div id="attachment_690207" style="width: 660px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-690207" class="size-large wp-image-690207" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-102599274-650x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK - JULY 02: Larry David and Cheyenne Jackson (R) on location for &quot;Curb Your Enthusiasm&quot; on the streets of Manhattan on July 2, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage)" width="650" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-102599274-650x576.jpg 650w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-102599274-300x266.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-102599274-768x680.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-102599274.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px" />Bobby Bank/WireImage</div>
Signature episodes showed David’s fearless approach to comedy. A 2011 episode dubbed “Palestinian Chicken” found Larry torn between his fellow Jews and a delicious new restaurant. Larry ends up siding with a beguiling Palestinian woman named Shara (Anne Bedian) who ran a restaurant teeming with anti-Semites.
She even called him an “occupier” as they make love. David recently dubbed it his <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1752523735842566307" target="_blank" rel="noopener">favorite “Curb” episode</a>.
The show’s complicated politics shouldn’t be over-examined. David’s approach is nuanced and absurd, his willingness to be true to the character triumphs in the end.
David’s character came of age when other antiheroes ruled the small screen. Think Tony Soprano and Walter White, to name just two. The on-screen Larry wasn’t whacking mobsters or cooking meth. He went through life being offended by everyone crossing his path.
And, more often than not, he selfishly used his money and fame to keep the world at arm’s length.
<div id="attachment_690223" style="width: 773px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-690223" class="size-large wp-image-690223" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-103126001-763x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK - JULY 27: Larry David on location for &quot;Curb Your Enthusiasm&quot; on the streets of Manhattan on July 27, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage)" width="763" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-103126001-763x576.jpg 763w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-103126001-300x226.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-103126001-768x580.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-103126001.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 763px) 100vw, 763px" />Bobby Bank/WireImage</div>
“Curb” rarely dabbles in modern politics, but when it does Larry and co. aren’t crashing any Libertarian dinners. And it wouldn’t be authentic if the on-screen Larry, a product of the Hollywood ecosystem, rocked a MAGA hat sans irony.
“Curb’s” antihero was liberal to the core, but the show dedicated an episode to Larry using that red Trump hat to his advantage. He realized strangers would flee from the sight of any MAGA hat wearer, so he proudly wore it to fend off strangers.
Pure “Curb.”
How did David keep “Curb” honest? Like his on-screen persona, he doesn&#8217;t dwell on <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/curb-your-enthusiasm-boss-larry-davids-willingness-offend-1276219/">what other people think of him</a>, according to the show’s executive producer Jeff Schaffer.
“Here’s the thing for us: Nothing is really off limits. I think it’s just how you do it. Any subject is totally fair game; it’s how you execute it. Larry is willing to address issues other people just might not want to touch at all, and I think there’s a very good reason for that, and that’s that he doesn’t care if you watch.”
Some media outlets decried a <a href="https://observer.com/2020/02/larry-david-hbo-curb-your-enthusiasm-metoo-happy-new-year/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Curb” MeToo plotline as “clumsy,”</a> a commentary that didn’t impact David or the show. Wokesters sensed David and co. didn’t have time for such complaints, so they rarely rose up to attack him or the series.
Even when Garlin, a fixture on “Curb” as Larry’s best bud, got booted from his other gig at ABC’s “The Goldbergs” for <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/03/jeff-garlins-exit-from-the-goldbergs-was-a-long-time-coming-says-wendy-mclendon-covey#:~:text=The%20Goldbergs%20have%20been%20through,was%20a%20long%20time%20coming.%E2%80%9D">allegedly coarse comments and “unwanted hugs”</a> David professionally stood by him.
“Curb” delivered a quasi-“Seinfeld” reunion in season seven, one served up on the show’s unique terms. The sitcom’s main characters joined Larry David for a “new” episode, but we saw it all go down behind the scenes.
<div id="attachment_690213" style="width: 904px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-690213" class="size-large wp-image-690213" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-91286063-894x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 30: (L-R) Actors Larry David, Susie Essman and Jerry Seinfeld attend the &quot;Curb Your Enthusiasm&quot; Season 7 New York screening at the Time Warner Screening Room on September 30, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/WireImage)" width="894" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-91286063-894x576.jpg 894w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-91286063-300x193.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-91286063-768x495.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-91286063.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 894px) 100vw, 894px" />Jamie McCarthy/WireImage</div>
Plus, Larry used the plot to reunite with his ex-wife, played by Hines, lowering expectations for “Seinfeld” fans demanding a perfect reunion moment.
Like “Seinfeld,” “Curb” is leaving at the top of its game with no regrets or talk of “jumping the shark,” the phrase used for shows that outlast their welcome.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 12 Premiere

The Final Season Of ‘Curb’ Has Arrived. Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That.

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The October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel by Hamas revealed the Left’s free speech hypocrisy.
Progressives who sat by as the Biden administration teamed with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meeting-between-state-department-and-facebook-axed-after-judge-warns-of-orwellian-relationship" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social media</a> giants to censor Americans <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/hamas-cancel-culture-free-speech-colleges/">suddenly howled</a> after Hamas apologists were “canceled.” 
The free speech battles within Hollywood have been even more hypocritical, with or without the Hamas atrocities. An industry which praised free speech during the Bush years went silent as conservative stars were <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/487640-hooray-for-hollywood-unless-youre-a-conservative/">repeatedly punished</a>, for their views, sensitivity readers ransacked beloved authors and comedians looked over their shoulders for sharing “problematic” jokes.
Yet two actresses have been “canceled” for supporting the Palestinian cause, albeit in extreme fashion.Was that right? Should stars be able to share potentially abhorrent views sans punishment? 
Rising star Melissa Barrera of “Scream” fame lost a role in the next film in the horror franchise after her pro-Palestinian views went public. She didn’t just call for a ceasefire or express empathy for an impoverished people. <a href="https://time.com/6338695/melissa-barrera-fired-susan-sarandon-israel-hamas-war-hollywood/">She shared a story on Instagram</a> suggesting pro-Israeli forces distort the Holocaust to boost the nation’s armed forces.
<div id="attachment_687127" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-687127" class="size-large wp-image-687127" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1946297363-864x576.jpg" alt="PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 19: Melissa Barrera attends The Vulture Spot at Sundance Film Festival - Day 1 at The Vulture Spot on January 19, 2024 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Vulture)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1946297363-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1946297363-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1946297363-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1946297363.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Vulture</div>
She also suggested the media is controlled by Jews and that Israel’s war against Hamas amounted <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/01/21/news/scream-actress-melissa-barrera-joins-disruptive-anti-israel-rally-at-sundance/">to “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing.”</a>
For that Spyglass Media Group, the studio behind the “Scream” franchises, cut her loose.
Oscar winner Susan Sarandon’s agent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/susan-sarandon-dropped-by-agency-after-her-anti-semitic-remarks">severed ties</a> with the superstar after she crudely compared the raging anti-Semitism in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks to what Palestinians endure in America.
Both actresses hardly appear contrite.
Sarandon’s X account is now a non-stop wave of pro-Palestinian propaganda. Barrera stood by her comments, sans apology.
<div id="attachment_687131" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-687131" class="size-large wp-image-687131" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1542362199-864x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NY - JULY 19: Susan Sarandon walks the picket line in support of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike on July 19, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by JNI/Star Max/GC Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1542362199-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1542362199-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1542362199-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1542362199.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />JNI/Star Max/GC Images</div>
Barrera, who recently marched in a pro-Palestinian protest during the Sundance Film Festival, contends her comments reflect <a href="https://decider.com/2024/01/24/melissa-barrera-addresses-firing-scream/?utm_source=flipboard">mainstream views</a> on the issues in play.
“The people who know me in my family know the truth about me and where I stand, and I think most people in the world also do,” she said. 
Plus, Barrera has more gigs lined up, meaning her cancellation will be short-lived.
Sharing ardently anti-Israeli rhetoric also <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/news/caa-maha-dakhil-resigns-board-israel-social-media-posts-controversy-1235764577/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cost CAA agent Maha Dakhil</a> her gig. Dakhil, who has represented Tom Cruise, Madonna, and more, resigned from the agency’s internal board after she accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza.
Other stars have shared aggressively pro-Palestinian, anti-Israeli views without overt consequences. John Cusack promotes those views ‘round the clock on his X platform but no longer works as regularly as he did in days gone by.
<div id="attachment_687139" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-687139" class="size-large wp-image-687139" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1170854370-864x576.jpg" alt="CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 24: Actor John Cusack speaks at a rally ahead of an upcoming potential strike on September 24, 2019 in Chicago. With Chicago teachers demanding increased school funding, pay raises, and more healthcare benefits, the rally also featured Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who praised teachers' work and called for dramatically increased support for public schools nationwide. (Photo by Scott Heins/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1170854370-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1170854370-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1170854370-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/01/GettyImages-1170854370.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Scott Heins/Getty Images</div>
Other stars rallied to promote an Israeli/Hamas ceasefire, often with little attention to either the Oct. 7 atrocities or the hostages still in the clutches of Hamas.
A few media outlets suggested the Barrera/Sarandon cancellations amounted to a <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/melissa-barrera-scream-firing-sparks-fears-over-new-hollywood-blacklist-1845901" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new Hollywood blacklist</a>.
It’s worth noting other stars have been canceled for far, far less. Roseanne Barr lost her signature sitcom, along with her Hollywood career, for one gross, racially charged Tweet in 2018 for which she immediately apologized.
Actress Gina Carano’s cancellation proved even more cruel. The “Mandalorian” star lost her Disney+ showcase after suggesting American conservatives were being dehumanized in a similar fashion to Jews in Germany in the 1930s.
Agree? Disagree? Either way, it hardly mentioned a reprimand, let alone a pink slip. Carano joined The Daily Wire’s “Terror on the Prairie” western after her dismissal but hasn’t worked in mainstream Hollywood fare since.
And that’s the bigger problem afoot.
Hollywood’s stance on free speech is all over the map, emotionally driven and progressive to the core.
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Carano’s commentary pales compared to that of her “Mandalorian” co-star, Pedro Pascal. The actor <a href="https://boundingintocomics.com/2020/11/07/the-mandalorian-and-wonder-woman-actor-pedro-pascal-compares-donald-trump-voters-to-nazis/">compared Trump voters to Nazis</a> before deleting the post.
He suffered no consequences for his ghastly comparison. Slamming Republicans is encouraged, after all, in La La Land.
And let’s not forget the constellation of stars who wished for President Donald Trump’s death in recent years. The list includes Madonna, who dreamed of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/madonna-womensmarch-i-have-thought-awful-lot-about-amanda-prestigiacomo">blowing up the White House,</a> presumably with Trump inside, director Joss Whedon, Charlie Sheen, Johnny Depp and more.
None suffered any professional blowback for sharing those views. Only Kathy Griffin, who infamously shared a photograph of her holding a bloodied Trump ahead aloft, felt professional pain for her views.
Other repugnant celebrity comments also got ignored. Ellen Barkin pined for disgraced comedian Louis C.K. <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6543255/Outraged-Ellen-Barkin-lashes-Louis-CK-mocks-Parkland-shooting-victims.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to be raped and shot</a> via her then-Twitter account and nothing untoward happened to her career.
Bette Midler repeatedly <a href="https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/10/bette-midler-tweets-rand-paul-attack/325701002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cheered on</a> the neighbor who attacked Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY). The Republican gadfly suffered serious injuries as a result, but Midler kept on working (even for Disney+, for what it’s worth).
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Employers have the right to terminate employees who break the law or disgrace the company with their actions. No one is calling what Spyglass did to Barrera illegal in any fashion.
Hollywood’s lack of free speech logic, let alone moral clarity, is disturbing. Stand for absolute free speech or judge stars who say egregious things in something close to a reasonable, consistent manner.
Pick a lane.
The current mania regarding the Israel/Hamas war could have one result that has little to do with free speech or Cancel Culture. Will Jewish actors, or anyone who cares about the Jewish people, rush to work alongside someone like Barrera? What about Cusack?
The actor recently shared a post featuring “Egypt’s Jon Stewart,” Bassem Youssef, saying the Oct. 7 attacks <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/bassem-youssef-john-cusack-denies-hamas-torture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">didn’t happen</a>. That’s despite video after ghastly video, sharing across the globe, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/hamas-terror-attack-video-los-angeles-new-york-city-screenings-1235637869/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirming the atrocities</a>.
This goes beyond free speech. Actors can opt in, or out, of a given project for any number or reasons. Some may start choosing their co-stars more carefully.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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