Amy Schumer, a left-leaning actress and stand-up comedian, canceled her interview with a TV station owned by Sinclair Broadcasting Group this week after the company received backlash from other media outlets.
Schumer, a cousin of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), canceled the interview and hopes that she can avoid working with Sinclair-owned TV stations in the future, BuzzFeed reported. She had initially planned to sit down this week with WJLA, an ABC affiliate in Washington, D.C., to promote her movie I Feel Pretty, but she pulled out.
Schumer's interview cancelation was in reaction to a Deadspin video compilation of dozens of anchors reading similar scripts about false news online that sometimes gets picked up by mainstream outlets. The script did not criticize any particular outlets or people, but was nevertheless denounced by many critics as "pro-Trump propaganda."
BuzzFeed's Steven Perlberg wrote that Schumer's actions may set a precedent for others in Hollywood who hold similar progressive views:
Schumer's politics are no great secret — she supported Hillary Clinton and has been a vocal critic of the NRA and President Trump. Her outspokenness has helped make her into a progressive figure, but Schumer's political views aren't uncommon in Hollywood, raising the question of whether more actors will choose to avoid Sinclair-owned stations in the future.
Once a little-known company outside of the TV industry, Sinclair has become infamous in political circles for its "must run" segments promoting pro-Trump talking points. The Deadspin video has already sparked some to call for a boycott, and a Democratic candidate for Maryland governor said she would not advertise on Sinclair stations. Sinclair is currently awaiting approval of a $3.9 billion takeover of Tribune Media, which would extend its reach to 72% of American households.
Sinclair's senior vice president of news Scott Livingston defended the segment on Monday in a statement.
"It is ironic that we would be attacked for messages promoting our journalistic initiative for fair and objective reporting, and for specifically asking the public to hold our newsrooms accountable," Livingston said.