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Cruz Pushes to Block Department of Defense From Helping Studios That Censor Films in China

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  • Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) plans to introduce legislation that withholds Department of Defense assistance from film studios that censor their movies in China.
  • Many movie studios rely on the DOD for equipment, assets, and advice for the accuracy of their storytelling and productions. 
  • Studios also often delete or edit scenes in their films to appease Chinese censors. China is one of the largest box offices in the world, meaning companies are willing to be flexible to get audiences in the country. 
  • Now, Cruz is saying that “Hollywood has been complicit in China’s censorship and propaganda” for too long and must make a choice between DOD help and box office cash in China. 

What is the SCRIPT Act?

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) plans to introduce legislation that would block film studios that agree to censor their movies in China from receiving assistance from the Department of Defense.

Cruz plans to introduce the bill, which is called the Stopping Censorship, Restoring Integrity, Protecting Talkies Act, or the SCRIPT Act, when Senate sessions resume. Movie studios frequently censor portions of their films for their release in China. Many also receive help from the DOD to gain expert advice or access to equipment so their stories and production can be accurate.

But now, Cruz wants Hollywood to make a choice. 

“For too long, Hollywood has been complicit in China’s censorship and propaganda in the name of bigger profits,” he said in a statement. “The SCRIPT Act will serve as a wakeup call by forcing Hollywood studios to choose between the assistance they need from the American government and the dollars they want from China.”

With 1.4 billion citizens, the Chinese box office is incredibly valuable to studios. According to Box Office Mojo, in 2019 China’s box office brought in $7.9 billion, coming in second only to the United States, which brought in over $11 billion. Before the coronavirus outbreak brought moviegoing to a halt, accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers anticipated that China would surpass the U.S. in 2020.

Because so much money is at stake, studios concede to China on a lot of fronts when it comes to censorship. But Cruz says he wants to “combat China’s growing influence” over American media. 

“From buying media outlets to broadcast propaganda into America to coercing Hollywood studios and sports leagues to self-censor by threatening to cut off access to one of the biggest markets for sports and entertainment in the world, the Chinese Communist Party spends billions and billions of dollars to mislead Americans about China and shape what our citizens see, hear, and think,” he added in his statement.

So far, no major studios have responded to the upcoming legislation.

Chinese Censorship in Film

There is no shortage of content that China aims to restrict when Hollywood brings its blockbusters overseas. Bohemian Rhapsody had to remove scenes that explored Freddie Mercury’s sexuality. Likewise, a brief kiss between two women was cut from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker late last year. Other films where homosexuality is a major plot point, like Brokeback Mountain, have been denied any release in the country.

LGBTQ messaging is not the only topic Chinese theaters want to keep off the big screen. Skyfall only got the green light to screen in the country after it erased scenes where violence against security forces and prostitution in China were depicted. Ten minutes of footage were dropped from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End because China feared one character vilified Chinese people. A sequence in the opening of Mission Impossible III was cut because it depicted underwear hanging out to dry on a clothing line in Shanghai, which censors thought looked negative. Iron Man 3 saw a scene added for its Chinese release, where famous Chinese actors played doctors discussing an operation on the titular hero.

Some movies never see the light of day in the country. The 2011 Red Dawn remake was originally going to center around young fighters resisting an invasion of Chinese soldiers, but distributors had them swap Chinese soldiers for North Korean ones. Even though editors scrambled to digitally replace flags and switch the dialogue over, China still did not screen the movie. They also did not screen Disney’s Christopher Robin because many often make jokes comparing the resemblance of President Xi Jinping to Winnie the Pooh.

Hollywood’s Relationship with the DOD

Still, Hollywood relies on the DOD for many reasons. Their relationship is nearly a century old and the Pentagon even has its own entertainment liaison office. According to the DOD, they work with the film industry “to accurately depict military stories and make sure sensitive information isn’t disclosed.”

The DOD helps films that might need military assets like jets or tanks. They also help films that want to film on location places like Air Force or Naval bases. According to The Independent, 800 feature films have been aided by the DOD over the years, including Iron Man, Transformers and The Terminator. The DOD also extends its hand to television and has assisted 900 small screen titles since 2005.

See what others are saying: (Politico) (The Hill) (Fox News)

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Max to Agrees to “Properly” Credit Writers and Directors After Facing Backlash For Lumping Them in As “Creators”

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The company said the credits were laid out incorrectly due to “an oversight in the technical transition from HBO Max to Max.”


After film and television writers slammed Max for crediting all writers, producers, and directors as general “creators” on its platform, the company said it will be adjusting its credits display.

“We agree that the talent behind the content on Max deserve their work to be properly recognized,” the streaming service said in a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. 

Max — the new rebrand of HBO Max that incorporates Discovery content — launched on Tuesday to much criticism. Amid glitches and app-switching confusion, the biggest backlash it faced was over the choice to lump creative roles into one credit section called “creators.” As one viral tweet noted, if a user were to select the film “Raging Bull,” the service’s display would not specifically credit Martin Scorsese as the director, rather, his name would be included at random with half a dozen other people, including writers and producers. 

The decision was condemned by many in the industry who argued it minimizes writers and directors by not properly giving them credit where it is due. Especially amid the ongoing writers’ strike, and with directors and actors starting negotiations with studios, some took it as a slap in the face. 

“The studios don’t want anyone to know our names,” writer Christina Strain tweeted. “It’s easier to pay us nothing if we’re faceless.”

“Another move from studios to diminish the role of writers, directors, actors and other craftspeople. Miss me wit this nonsense,” Jorge Rivera, the Vice-Chair of the Writers Guild’s Latinx Writers Committee, added. 

In a statement, Directors Guild President Lesli Linka Glatter said that Warner Bros. Discovery’s choice to “collapse” these roles into one credit “while we are in negotiations with them is a grave insult to our members and our union.”

“The DGA will not stand for it,” Glatter continued.

WGA West President Meredith Stiehm claimed the move was “a credits violation,” as well as an insult “to the artists that make the films and TV shows that make their corporation billions.”

On Wednesday, Max said it would rework its crediting. 

“We will correct the credits, which were altered due to an oversight in the technical transition from HBO Max to Max and we apologize for this mistake,” the platform said.

See what others are saying: (Gizmodo) (The Hollywood Reporter) (The Los Angeles Times)

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A Quarter of Young British Men Support Andrew Tate’s Thoughts on Women

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U.K. residents at large, however, do not view him favorably.


Even under house arrest in Romania, misogynist influencer Andrew Tate still holds substantial sway over young men. 

According to data from YouGov that was obtained by The Independent, 26% of U.K. men between 18 and 29 years old who know of Tate agree with his views on women. That figure was largely the same for men between 30 and 39, as 28% agreed with Tate’s opinions on the subject. 

Men in their 30s were slightly more likely to agree with Tate on his thoughts about masculinity. Three out of ten supported those views, compared to just a quarter of men 18 to 29.

Those statistics only include the thoughts of men who have heard of Tate, but per YouGov, most have. In the 18 to 29 group, 93% were familiar with him, and 86% of men in their 30s knew of him. 

The U.K. at large was less aware of Tate, with just 63% of British adults having heard of him. Of that group, only 6% held a positive view of him. 

Tate has faced substantial backlash for his sexist rhetoric over the years. In the past, he said that men should have “authority” over their wives or girlfriends, and that women should “bear some responsibility” for being raped. He was previously banned from Twitter over his extremist views on women but has since been allowed back on the platform. 

He is currently being investigated in Romania for organized crime and human trafficking. He was arrested and held in custody in December but was released to house arrest earlier this year. No formal charges have been filed against him yet and he has maintained his innocence. 

Tate currently boasts a Twitter following of 6.7 million. It has grown significantly since he was enveloped in legal controversy, and many of his supporters have demanded his release. 

See what others are saying: (The Independent) (Glamour U.K.)

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Involved in “Near Catastrophic” Paparazzi Chase

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“While being a public figure comes with a level of interest from the public, it should never come at the cost of anyone’s safety,” a spokesperson for the couple said.


“Aggressive” Paparazzi Chase Couple in New York

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were involved in a “near catastrophic” paparazzi car chase Tuesday night in New York City, according to a spokesperson for the couple.

In a statement, the spokesperson described the photographers as “highly aggressive.”

“While being a public figure comes with a level of interest from the public, it should never come at the cost of anyone’s safety,” the statement added.

“This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers,” it continued. 

Details of the incident are still emerging, but BBC News reported that there are claims the chase involved roughly six cars driving recklessly by running red lights, driving on the sidewalk, carrying out blocking moves, going backward on a one-way road, and taking pictures while driving. 

The chase happened after Harry and Meghan were leaving the Women of Vision Awards with Meghan’s mother, Doria. They did not want photographers to learn where they were staying and attempted to avoid them in what turned into a 75-minute chase on a main road in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. They eventually ducked into a New York Police Department Precinct to hide out before getting into a different vehicle.

The NYPD released a statement confirming that they assisted in protecting the couple as “numerous photographers” hindered their transport. Officials said they made it to their destination and there were no collisions, injuries, or arrests. 

The couple’s spokesperson is asking the public to not share or post footage of the incident. 

“Dissemination of these images, given the ways in which they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all in involved,” the spokesperson said. 

Memories of Princess Diana

The chase evokes the brutal press hounding Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, was subjected to throughout her life. The paparazzi’s obsession with her ultimately resulted in her death in 1997, when she was killed in a car crash after being chased by photographers in Paris. 

Since marrying Meghan and later bowing out of the Royal Family, Harry has made it explicitly clear that he fears those events could happen again. Meghan has been the subject of endless tabloid scrutiny, enduring racism and harassment from the press. Part of the reason they left the Royal Family was to keep their family protected from such attacks.

Mayor Eric Adams brought up Diana’s tragic passing while speaking about Tuesday night’s chase. 

“I don’t think there’s many of us who don’t recall how [Harry’s] mom died,” Adams said while speaking to reporters. “And it would be horrific to lose an innocent bystander during a chase like this and something to have happened to them as well…I think that was a bit reckless and irresponsible.” 

Adams also questioned whether or not he believes a chase could go on for two hours in a city as congested as New York, but noted that even a 10-minute chase would be dangerous. He said he will be briefed on the exact timeline and details later. 

See what others are saying: (BBC News) (Associated Press) (Yahoo News)

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