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Hartley Sawyer Fired From “The Flash” After Offensive Tweets Surface

Published

8 months ago

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  • Hartley Sawyer, who played Elongated Man in The CW show “The Flash” was dropped from the series after old offensive posts surfaced.
  • The posts he allegedly wrote between 2009 and 2014 included references to sexual assault, homophobic slurs, racist comments, and more.
  • Sawyer apologized, however, showrunners ultimately issued a statement condemning the posts and committing to maintaining a safe and inclusive workspace. 

Tweets Surface

Actor Hartley Sawyer was fired from The CW series “The Flash” after several misogynistic, racist, and homophobic tweets surfaced.

Sawyer first appeared on the show in 2017 as Ralph Dibny, aka Elongated Man, before being upped to a series regular in 2018.  Over the last two weeks, he’s has faced intense backlash for screenshots of his old Twitter posts circulating online. 

His account has been deleted so it’s difficult to confirm what comments are real, but according to screenshots, he allegedly used a homophobic slur in 2009. In a post from 2012, he allegedly wrote, “The only thing keeping me from doing mildly racist tweets is the knowledge that Al Sharpton would never stop complaining about me.”  

Others from that year read, “Date rape myself so I don’t have to masturbate,” and “If I had a wife I would beat the hell out of her tonight.”  Another from 2014 reads, “Enjoyed a secret boob viewing at an audition today.”

These are just a few of the comments being linked to him, with several others featuring misogynistic remarks about women’s rights and bodies, among other topics.  

The posts were met with even more backlash considering the fact that Sawyer had just made a statement about racism in the country, apologizing for not previously using his platform to advocate for people of color. 

To many, his newfound commitment to the Black Lives Matter movement felt hollow given his history of offensive views in relation to race and violence. 

Sawyer Apologizes

On May 30, Sawyer issued an Instagram apology for the posts, saying in part, “My words, irrelevant of being meant with an intent of humor, were hurtful, and unacceptable. I am ashamed I was capable of these really horrible attempts to get attention at that time. I regret them deeply. This was not acceptable behavior. These were words I threw out at the time with no thought or recognition of the harm my words could do, and now have done today.”

“I am incredibly sorry, ashamed and disappointed in myself for my ignorance back then. I want to be very clear: this is not reflective of what I think or who I am now,” he continued. 

He also directly apologized to fans, castmates, and colleagues who he caused pain and embarrassment with his comments. 

View this post on Instagram

My words, irrelevant of being meant with an intent of humor, were hurtful, and unacceptable. I am ashamed I was capable of these really horrible attempts to get attention at that time. I regret them deeply. This was not acceptable behavior. These were words I threw out at the time with no thought or recognition of the harm my words could do, and now have done today. I am incredibly sorry, ashamed and disappointed in myself for my ignorance back then. I want to be very clear: this is not reflective of what I think or who I am now. Years ago, thanks to friends and experiences who helped me to open my eyes, I began my journey into becoming a more responsible adult – in terms of what I say, what I do, and beyond. I’ve largely kept that journey private, and this is another way that I have let so many down. I still have more work to do. But how I define myself now does not take away the impact of my words, or my responsibility for them. I am very sorry.

A post shared by Hartley Sawyer (@hartleysawyer) on

Fired From The Flash 

However, the apology did little to curb the consistent calls for him to be removed from the series.

On June 8, Executive producer Eric Wallace, producers for The CW, Warner Bros., and Berlanti Productions issued a joint statement saying, “Hartley Sawyer will not be returning for season seven of The Flash.”

“In regards to Mr. Sawyer’s posts on social media, we do not tolerate derogatory remarks that target any race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation. Such remarks are antithetical to our values and polices, which strive and evolve to promote a safe, inclusive and productive environment for our workforce.” 

Wallace made the same announcement in his own statement, adding his personal feelings about the matter. “Concerning his social media tweets,” he wrote, “they broke my heart and made be made as hell. And they’re indicative of the larger problem in our country.’

Wallace also affirmed his commitment to hiring more “Black and Brown writers, directors, actors and producers of all genders to help tell FLASH stories,” and voiced his support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

He specifically pointed to the widespread anguish over the death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and Black Americans across the country who have been harassed. harmed, or murdered. 

Lead actor in the series Grant Gustin also reposted that statement on Instagram adding, “I was shocked, saddened and angry when I saw the tweets. Words matter.”

Sawyer has not released any further comments about the posts or his removal from the show.

See what others are saying: (Screenrant) (The Hollywood Reporter) (Fox News) 

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Kellyanne Conway Accused of Posting Topless Photo of Her Underage Daughter

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16 hours ago

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January 26, 2021

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  • A topless photo of Kellyanne Conway’s 16-year-old daughter Claudia was shared as a Fleet on the former Trump counselor’s Twitter page Monday.
  • Claudia later confirmed that the photo was of her but claimed she never sent it to anyone. She said she believes her mother made a copy of the photo after confiscating her phone in the past.
  • The incident sparked a new wave of concern for the teen, who has repeatedly accused her parents of abuse and unsuccessfully filed for emancipation last year.
  • Claudia changed her tone in a new statement Tuesday, suggesting that her mother would never post such a photo of her online, though some fear her comments may have been recorded by force.

Conway’s Account Posts Nude Photo

Kellyanne Conway, an ex-counselor to former President Donald Trump, is facing intense backlash after a topless photo of her underage daughter Claudia was shared on the elder Conway’s Twitter account Monday.

The photo was posted as Twitter Fleet, which is analogous to Instagram and Snapchat’s 24-hour stories features. It has since been deleted; however, before its removal, it was easily accessible to all of Twitter. Even now, it still exists in the form of screen captures.

After the photo was initially shared, Claudia took to TikTok to confirm that the picture was, in fact, of her.

“The picture’s from months ago, and I’m assuming when my mom took my phone… she took a picture of that, so that was on her phone, and I guess she accidentally posted or somebody hacked her but nobody would ever have any photo like that, ever,” Claudia said, noting that she had never sent the photo to anyone.

Claudia went a step further and accused Kellyanne of keeping the photo to one day use against her. 

Notably, on Tuesday, Claudia adopted a much different tone in another series of TikToks.

This isn’t force,” she said. “This is coming completely from me: Claudia. I have faith and I know that my mother would never put something like that on the internet, as well as me. We would never do that. My mom and I, we fight like mothers and daughters, but we also love like mothers and daughters, and I do love her. I will be taking a break from social media because we are really tired of being [featured in] headlines.’

Shortly after that video was posted, a number of people online pointed out that recently, Claudia said she wouldn’t leave social media on her own accord. Because of that, many think she was forced to record the message.

Conway Accused of Posting Child Porn

Online, many have accused Kellyanne of posting child pornography. 

Many have also reignited conversations of emancipation for Claudia, something the teen unsuccessfully pushed for last year. 

The posting of this photo comes one week after Claudia posted now-deleted TikToks that appear to show Kellyanne physically and verbally abusing her.

In one of those videos, a woman who seems to be Kellyanne can be heard screaming at Claudia while hurling a barrage of explicit insults at the girl. Other moments appear to depict Kellyanne throwing things at Claudia and even hitting her. In one, Claudia is crying and seems to be trying to ask Kellyanne to stop but is unable to get a word in. 

The New York Post reportedly reached Kellyanne by phone Tuesday morning for a statement about the incident. “We have no comment,” she told the outlet while also noting that she was “sitting here with Claudia.”

According to Variety, Twitter is investigating the matter. It is still unknown whether Kellyanne posted the photo herself or if her phone was hacked.

See what others are saying: (Variety) (New York Post) (Vulture)

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JoJo Siwa Swatted After Coming Out as Member of LGBTQ+ Community

Published

2 days ago

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January 25, 2021

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  • In an Instagram live on Saturday, YouTube star JoJo Siwa confirmed that police were called to her house on a false report, a dangerous trend commonly referred to as swatting. 
  • The incident happened hours after Siwa publicly confirmed that she is a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
  • Siwa believes members of the media may have called the police in an effort to force her out of her home so they could photograph her amid the excitement surrounding her announcement. 

JoJo Siwa’s House Gets Swatted

JoJo Siwa, the 17-year old YouTube star who is massively popular among kids, was swatted at her home on Saturday, hours after coming out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

During an Instagram Live with her videographer Nate Javier, Siwa confirmed that officers from the Los Angeles Police Department were called to her house on a false report.

Everyone inside had to step out with their hands up. As this happened, Siwa says paparazzi came out from around the corner.

She believes the media called the police to force her outside so they could photograph her while there was so much excitement surrounding her coming out. 

She called the incident “really scary” but said that she is safe and fine. 

“For me it was no big deal to walk outside my house. I’m okay,” she said. “But I feel bad because there was about 50 police at our house and those police could have had much better time spent somewhere else actually helping somebody instead of dealing with a fake claim from paparazzi.” 

Siwa Comes Out

Siwa made headlines over the weekend as fans began to speculate that she might be coming out. They were first tipped off by a handful of TikToks she appeared in, including one where she lip-synched to “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga. Then on Friday, Siwa shared a photo of herself wearing a shirt from her cousin that said “Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever.”

Many took this photo as her coming out and began to celebrate her for sharing this. On Saturday the star went live on Instagram confirming that she is part of the LGTBQ community. She thanked her fans for their support. 

“I have never ever ever been this happy before and it feels awesome,” she said.  

Siwa said she is not yet ready to specifically label herself and that right now she is just happy to be open and sharing this part of her life with the public. 

“The reason I’m not ready to say this answer is because I don’t really know this answer,” she explained. 

“I wanna share everything with the world. I really do. But I also want to keep things in my life private until they are ready to be public,” Siwa continued. “Right now what matters is that you guys know that no matter who you love, that it’s okay.”

Praise for Siwa Rolls In 

Many stars have applauded Siwa online, including actress Kerry Washington, singer Lil Nas X, and YouTubers Liza Koshy and Colleen Ballinger. 

“You’ve got our love,” Koshy wrote. “Shine on as always!”

“This is the happiest I’ve ever seen you,” Ballinger said. “You’re absolutely glowing and I’m so proud of the woman you are becoming. 

Many were also quick to point out the potential impact her coming out could have considering her large following of young people. 

“JoJo Siwa’s decision to share her truth with the world is a powerful moment,” wrote Sarah Kate Ellis, the president of GLAAD. 

“As one of the most influential young role models today, Jojo’s story is a reminder for LGBTQ youth to love who they are and to find safe and welcoming environments to speak out.”

See what others are saying: (BuzzFeed News) (Newsweek) (Seventeen)

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Joe Rogan Says Grimes Did Not Give Dave Chappelle COVID-19

Published

5 days ago

on

January 22, 2021

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  • Comedian Dave Chappelle is under quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19. He is asymptomatic and his remaining shows in Austin, Texas have been canceled.
  • The news comes just days after Chappelle was photographed with Joe Rogan, Elon Musk, Grimes, and several others backstage at one of his Austin performances.
  • “Because people are asking, I was not exposed to the person who had covid and I have tested negative every day this week,” Rogan wrote on Instagram Friday. “Also, the person that gave covid to Dave was NOT Elon’s partner @grimes.”

Chappelle Tests Positive

Comedian Dave Chappelle has tested positive for coronavirus and is currently under quarantine, according to one of his representatives.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, that rep also confirmed that he is currently asymptomatic and has canceled all of his remaining shows at Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater in Austin, Texas.

“Chappelle has safely conducted socially-distanced shows in Ohio since June 2020 and he moved those shows to Austin during the winter,” the statement read.

“Chappelle implemented COVID-19 protocols which included rapid testing for the audience and daily testing for himself and his team. His diligent testing enabled him to immediately respond by quarantining, thus mitigating the spread of the virus,” it continued.

Joe Rogan Speaks Out After He Was Photographed With Chappelle

Two of the remaining Austin shows were supposed to include fellow comedian Joe Rogan. Rogan took to Instagram Friday morning to announce that they will be rescheduled as soon as possible.

Still, many fans had questions about Rogan’s current state of health. The news of Chappelle’s positive test comes just days after he was photographed maskless with Rogan, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, musician Grimes, and several others backstage at one of his Austin performances.

Since Grimes, who is also in a relationship with Musk, recently had COVID, many were concerned that she may have exposed the group. Others wondered if Chappelle may have spread it.

Rogan eventually updates his Instagram caption to dismiss the ideas.

“Because people are asking, I was not exposed to the person who had covid and I have tested negative every day this week,” he wrote.“Also, the person that gave covid to Dave was NOT Elon’s partner @grimes.”

See what others are saying: (The Hollywood Reporter) (CNN) (AP News)

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