David Remnick previously faced a huge backlash after announcing U.S. President Donald Trump's former adviser would headline the magazine's annual event.
- Sep 4, 2018
AceShowbiz - Officials behind the New Yorker Festival have scrapped plans for an interview with controversial political figure Steve Bannon after stars like Jim Carrey and Judd Apatow threatened to pull out.
David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, faced a huge backlash on Monday, September 03 after announcing U.S. President Donald Trump's ultra-conservative former adviser would headline the magazine's annual art, politics, and media festival next month.
The news prompted already-scheduled celebrity guests like comedy stars Carrey, Apatow, Patton Oswalt, John Mulaney, and Mike Birbiglia, as well as rocker Jack Antonoff, to back out of the festival's events as the public uproar unfolded on social media.
A statement from David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, explaining his decision to no longer include Steve Bannon in the 2018 New Yorker Festival. pic.twitter.com/opayiw5GQ2
— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) September 3, 2018
"Bannon? And me? On the same program? Could never happen," tweeted Carrey, while filmmaker Apatow was more direct as he posted, "If Steve Bannon is at the New Yorker festival I am out. I will not take part in an event that normalizes hate. I hope the @NewYorker will do the right thing and cancel the Steve Bannon event. Maybe they should read their own reporting about his ideology."
Bannon? And me? On the same program?
— Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) September 3, 2018
Could never happen.
Antonoff also detailed his cancellation in a series of lengthy messages, writing, "i'm no longer going to be speaking/performing at the new yorker festival as long as steve bannon is there".
If Steve Bannon is at the New Yorker festival I am out. I will not take part in an event that normalizes hate. I hope the @NewYorker will do the right thing and cancel the Steve Bannon event. Maybe they should read their own reporting about his ideology.
— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) September 3, 2018
i’m no longer going to be speaking/performing at the new yorker festival as long as steve bannon is there
— jackantonoff (@jackantonoff) September 3, 2018
He went on to insist he only found out about Bannon's inclusion when the public announcement was made, and he refuses to help celebrate the "normalization of white supremacy".
The widespread criticism quickly led Remnick to disinvite Bannon from the festival, although in a statement explaining his decision, he insisted the interview was planned to really put the divisive political strategist under pressure with a series of tough questions.
However, he conceded, "There is a better way to do this. Our writers have interviewed Steve Bannon for The New Yorker before, and if the opportunity presents itself I'll interview him in a more traditionally journalistic setting as we first discussed, and not on stage."
