H’oh boy. ESPN’s Jemele Hill tweeted the following on Sunday in response to Dallas Cowboy’s owner Jerry Jones’ announcement that he would bench players who didn’t stand during the National Anthem:
In response, ESPN benched her for two weeks. Jemele Hill’s co-anchor, Michael Smith, sat out last night’s broadcast in solidarity, but will be back tonight.
And of course our Culture Warrior-in-Chief couldn’t let this go, trolling Hill this morning with this tweet:
So, just so we get this straight: when Trump tells people to boycott the NFL, all good, man. When Jemele Hill urges people to boycott the NFL, she should be punished, maybe lose her job.
Look, ESPN has the right to discipline their employees however they see fit. And it’s not surprising in the least that after the earlier controversy they would take action against Hill for wading into these political waters — particularly as they impact specific NFL teams. But, again, it’s at the very least alarming, at worst possibly illegal for the President of the United States to be advocating for the firing of a private citizen for expressing her political beliefs. Whether or not you agree with Hill or think that ESPN’s decision, you should still be alarmed by Trump’s behavior.
Meanwhile, Trump also tweeted the following this morning:
- The NFL stopped being a tax-exempt non-profit in 2015. However, the NFL, like many other sports leagues, often takes advantage of tax-free municipal bonds to build their stadiums, costing the government billions of dollars in lost taxes. These sorts of deals have proven to not boost the local economies in any significant measure, and it means citizens of Nebraska are paying for stadiums in Los Angeles — and non-fans like myself are paying for billionaires to own teams.
- ~squints at tweet, makes an edit~
Oh my God, Trump has finally tweeted something I don’t entirely disagree with. I need to go lie down.
In Other TV News
Harvey Weinstein’s name is going to be scrubbed from all The Weinstein Company’s TV series from here on out, starting with this week’s Project Runway. OK.
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee has lost its showrunner and head writer, Jo Miller, but no one seems to know why.
Here are people on Game of Thrones whining about how hard it was to make one zombie. Meanwhile, The Walking Dead is laughing its ass off right about now.
They also talk a bit about the death of Littlefinger in this clip:
Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams, Amazon’s new anthology series whose trailer I posted here, is threatening to adapt the same short stories multiple times. This will either be very cool or a mastabatory exercise for the creators.
Looks like we have to wait until July for Cinemax’s supremely creepy series Outcast to return.
Oh, Nene, no.
Renewals
- Fox has ordered more episodes of Star.
- Top Chef Jr. has been renewed for a second season by Sprout ahead of its premiere on Friday.
In Development
- ABC is developing three dramas: Heartland, an adoption drama; Acquired, a crime drama; and New World, a family castaway drama.
- NBC is producing Cipher, a spy-action drama.
- Apple has dropped a 10-part Elvis biopic that was being produced by The Weinstein Company.
- E! has ordered a pilot for #FashionVicitm.
- Netflix’s first production in the Middle East will be a stand-up special for Adel Karam.
Casting News
- That Asshole Nick Viall is going to guest star on Speechless for some nonsensical reason.
- Laura San Giacomo will be in the cast of Highland, TNT’s Margaret Cho comedic drama.
- Animated series Elena of Avalor has booked Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Buscemi, Cloris Leachman, Rosie Perez and Mario Lopez to do guest voices.
- Rachel Skarsten is joining Imposters.
- Simon McBurney is going to be in Carnival Row.
- Scott Bryce is joining Chicago P.D.
- Jonny Coyne joins The Blacklist.
R.I.P.
Christine Z. Wiser, Documentarian
WATCH THIS
American Horror Story: Cult: Reportedly, this episode opens and closes with a mass shooting. So. 9 p.m., FX
The Flash: Season premiere. 7 p.m.
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: Season premiere. 8 p.m.
Late Night: Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Mandy Moore, Shaquille O’Neal, Noah Cyrus Late Night with Seth Meyers: James Spader, Domhnall Gleeson, Ladee Hubbard, Joe Russo The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Tracee Ellis Ross, Luke Evans, Jade Bird The Late Late Show with James Corden: Jennifer Connelly, Jason Alexander, Mark Consuelos, Everything Everything Jimmy Kimmel Live: Chris Hemsworth, Whitney Cummings, Vance Joy Watch What Happens Live: Carla Bruni, Yolanda Hadid
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