Comedy creators pile pressure on the 'propaganda machine'

The makers of some of the world’s most successful comedies have spoken of their disgust and shame at being associated with Rupert Murdoch’s Fox empire.

Power players behind the likes of Modern Family and Family Guy are piling pressure on the entertainment giant that employs them, hoping that the right-wing Fox News will temper its unwavering support for the Trump administration.

Seth MacFarlane, whose Family Guy airs on Fox was first to speak out against the 24-hour news channel’s cheerleading for an administration tearing immigrant children from their families at the Mexican border.

He said he was ‘embarrassed’ to work at 21st Century Fox – whose production arm also makes Family Guy and sister show American Dad – after Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson told his viewers not to believe anything they hear on another channel.

‘In other words, don’t think critically, don’t consult multiple news sources, and in general, don’t use your brain,’ MacFarlane tweeted. ‘Just blindly obey Fox News. This is fringe shit, and it’s business like this that makes me embarrassed to work for this company.’

Filmmaker Judd Apatow then joined the attack

He tweeted: ‘People don’t want to deal with the fact that when you work for any part of Fox you are supporting a family which has made billions lying and manipulating our citizens for their personal financial gain. Now that includes supporting the kidnapping of children. That’s your boss.

‘The Murdoch family is part of this torturing of children. They own the propaganda machine. Fox stars and show runners should speak up! Journalists and athletes should speak up! Maybe their executives should speak up! @SethMacFarlane can’t be the only one with a conscience.

‘I haven’t worked with Fox since 2002. That family promotes evil ideas and greed and corruption. We all choose who to work with. I understand why that is easier for some than others but many powerful people are powerful enough to speak up to their bosses at a moment like this.

Steve Levitan, the creator of Modern Family, which airs on ABC but is produced by Fox said he may terminate his relationship with the company when the sitcom’s contract is up.

He said: ‘Let me officially join @SethMacFarlane in saying I’m disgusted to work at a company that has anything whatsoever to do with @FoxNews. This bullshit is the opposite of what #ModernFamily stands for.’

‘I have no problem with fact-based conservatism (such as WSJ, [the Wall Street Journal]), but @FoxNew’s 23-hour-a-day support of the NRA, conspiracy theories and Trump’s lies gets harder to swallow every day as I drive onto that lot to make a show about inclusion.

‘I look forward to seeing #ModernFamily through to the end and then, sale or no sale, setting up shop elsewhere.’

The backlash comes at a sensitive time for Fox as The Walt Disney Company and Comcast in a multi-billion-dollar bidding war for its assets, not including Fox News. Although the fact that the controversial channel will soon be divorced from its entertainment wing may well have emboldened critics.

On Fox News on Sunday, aggressively right-wing commentator Ann Coulter  accused the migrant children of being actors.

‘These child actors weeping and crying on all the other networks 24/7 right now, do not fall for it, Mr President,’ she said.

And on Monday presenter Laura Ingraham, described the centres where the children were being held as ‘essentially summer camps’,  putting the phrase ‘separated children’ in air quotes.

Published: 20 Jun 2018