Fox News dedicated several segments on Monday morning to complain that Muppets are the latest victim of the “cancellation culture” because Disney’s streaming service added a brief disclaimer to 18 episodes of The Muppet Show warning about potentially offensive content.
Last week, Disney + began adding the disclaimer to the classic television program, which originally aired in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The 12-second message notes that the “program includes negative representations and / or mistreatment of people or cultures “, adding that while the content remains intact, they” want to recognize its harmful impact, learn from it and start a conversation to create a more inclusive future environment together. “
One of the old episodes flagged with disclaimer, for example, shows singer Johnny Cash performing in front of a Confederate battle flag, which has become a symbol of white nationalism and white supremacy. THE Los Angeles Times reported that the warning was added to other episodes with negative and stereotyped representations of Native Americans and Middle Eastern people.
Despite the fact that Disney + is not removing any episodes or even censoring the broadcasts in question, Fox presenters and guests on Monday portrayed this breathless decision as the latest example of “agreed” liberalism engaged in “canceling” culture”
“I do not remember The Muppets always being offensive. Here we are again with the culture of cancellation, ”exclaimed Fox News contributor Joe Concha in Fox & Friends First, initiating the predictable cycle of network outrage.
During a subsequent interview with the frequent guest, Senator Tom Cotton, who made “culture cancellation” one of his favorite problems, Fox and friends co-host Steve Doocy asked the Arkansas Republican and potential 2024 presidential candidate to give his opinion.
“Mickey Mouse’s total movement, folks,” joked Cotton, before making an awkward and clearing transition about why Muppets news is actually an extremely serious problem.
“Seriously, Disney is putting that kind of disclaimer on The Muppets, don’t remove them from Disney + because they don’t want to lose subscribers’ revenue, ”he added. “But at the same time, last year, they thanked an agency of the Chinese Communist Party responsible for the concentration camps for helping them film. It is outrageous and terrible. “
Co-host Brian Kilmeade then intruded, sarcastically asking, “Do you think we will have a Muppet committee to analyze this, would it be bipartisan?”
Cotton, however, noted that “it’s not just The Muppets, ”Bringing to light the fact that Disney + has added disclaimers similar to other content on its platform. All of this, the senator complained, while Disney “still wants $ 12.99 a month”. (In the past few months, Disney + has added warnings to several old films, such as Peter Pan and Dumbo due to culturally or racially insensitive representations contained therein. The films themselves, in turn, remain unedited and available for full viewing on the service.)
From then on, the so-called controversy would continue to receive hourly coverage on Fox’s programming.
Both Fox News and its sister network Fox Business broadcast several segments in the disclaimer, with FBN presenter Stuart Varney exclaiming at one point that “not even The Muppets are protected from the awake crowd. “
He, incredulous, added: “Do you believe that ?!”
On top America Newsroom, meanwhile, the chyron read “Cancel culture comes to ‘The Muppet Show'”, while anchor Bill Hemmer wondered aloud if Disney went “after Miss Piggy” and if she was “on the list”.
In saying that his preference was for Disney to add the disclaimer instead of “canceling” the show, Fox News host Carley Shimkus said he also understood why people are “wondering when this is going to end”, because “Disney has become so political.”
The segment ended with the hosts wondering out loud whether another Muppet-based series would be the next victim.
“We came to Sesame Street yet? “asked Hemmer.
“They could probably find something on the Sesame Street, ”Fellow news anchor Dana Perino interrupted.