‘Modern Family’ co-creator denounces Fox, says he’ll be ‘setting up shop elsewhere’
Steve Levitan, co-creator of the Fox-produced comedy “Modern Family,” says he’s “disgusted to work at a company that has anything to do with Fox News” in a tweet on Tuesday, adding that he’ll be “setting up shop elsewhere” after the hit series finishes its run.
Levitan was responding to a tweet that cited host Laura Ingraham’s commentary Monday night that said migrant detention centers housing children “were essentially summer camps [or] boarding schools.”
Let me officially join @SethMacFarlane in saying I’m disgusted to work at a company that has anything whatsoever to do with @FoxNews. This bullshit is the opposite of what #ModernFamily stands for. https://t.co/dnvIbgoIyA
— Steve Levitan (@SteveLevitan) June 19, 2018
“I have no problem with fact-based conservatism (such as [the Wall Street Journal]), but @FoxNew’s 23-hour-a-day support of the NRA, conspiracy theories and Trump’s lies gets harder to swallow every day as I drive onto that lot to make a show about inclusion,” Levitan added in another tweet.
I look forward to seeing #ModernFamily through to the end and then, sale or no sale, setting up shop elsewhere.
— Steve Levitan (@SteveLevitan) June 19, 2018
“Modern Family” airs on ABC but is produced by 21st Century Fox.
“Apparently there are a lot of people very upset because we referred to some of the detention facilities tonight as essentially like summer camps,” Ingraham said. The ‘San Diego Union Tribune’ today described the facilities as essentially like what you would expect at a boarding school. So I will stick to there are some of them like boarding schools.”
Levitan joins actor and producer Seth MacFarlane in denouncing Fox News in recent days. MacFarlane is the creator of “Family Guy,” which first debuted on Fox in 1999.
{mosads}MacFarlane took issue with Tucker Carlson on Sunday after the Fox News host said on his Friday program, “If you’re looking to understand what’s actually happening in this country, always assume the opposite of whatever they’re telling you on the big news stations.”
MacFarlane responded to Carlson’s comments on Twitter two days later, calling them “fringe” and stating he was “embarrassed to work for this company.”
“In other words, don’t think critically, don’t consult multiple news sources, and in general, don’t use your brain,” replied MacFarlane. “Just blindly obey Fox News. This is fringe shit, and it’s business like this that makes me embarrassed to work for this company.”
MacFarlane announced he would be donating $2.5 million to NPR and one of its member stations in reaction to the comments.
This story was updated at 5:17 p.m. Wednesday.
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