Interview Abruptly Ended After Actor Goes Too Far, Voices Support for Trump
I remember years ago seeing a television spoof of a fast-talking used car salesman attempting to sell a vehicle to a potential customer.
As the salesman gives his pitch, a part falls off the vehicle.
Not missing a beat, the salesman grabs the prospect, whirls him away from the defective part and continues his spiel regarding the defective car.
Something like that happened on the BBC’s “Today” radio program when veteran U.S. actor Kelsey Grammer said something he shouldn’t have. At least not in today’s “woke” world.
On the program, Grammer voiced support for former President Donald Trump. And it quickly became a “quick — let’s look over here and not go there” moment.
Actually, “Today” co-host Justin Webb remained polite in his distinct British way, and both Grammer and Webb indicated it was not the choice of either of them to throttle the Trump talk.
Rather, the public relations arm of Paramount+, which is platforming a reboot of Grammer’s decades-old “Frazier” role, was said to be squelching the actor’s reference to Trump.
Following talk of reprising Frazier’s character in a comeback similar to that of television’s “Roseanne” and making reference to a book he authored about the violent death of his sister decades ago, Grammer was asked about his support for Trump.
“I gotta ask you about politics before we finish,” Webb said. “You mentioned Roseanne early on, who had a great comeback, but also was a Trump supporter.
“You were…a Trump supporter,” Webb said. “I’m fascinated to know if you still are.”
“I am,” was the reply. There was a slight hesitation. “And, um, that’s…
“I’ll let that be the end of it,” he quickly concluded.
Frasier star Kelsey Grammer was asked if he was still backing Trump.
BBC Radio’s Justin Webb: “You mentioned Roseanne [@therealroseanne] early on who had a great comeback but also was a Trump supporter. You were a Trump supporter, I’m fascinated to know if you still are?”… pic.twitter.com/agD5XqiZWJ
— Eddie (@ICU1010) December 4, 2023
As both Grammer and Webb expressed somewhat awkward laughter, Webb later stated: “That was the end of it.
“Do I have to say?” Webb claimed, “That Kelsey Grammer himself was perfectly happy to go on talking about it.
“The Paramount+ PR people — less happy that he talked about it some length,” he said. “Anyway they decided that we’d had plenty of time for our interview.”
So it was Paramount+ — like a smarmy used car salesman — who had to say Enough of this! Look away!
But the BBC co-host didn’t let Grammer’s shutdown slide. “But I should stress that he was perfectly happy to talk about why he supports Donald Trump,” Webb said. “And still does in the coming election.”
The established bankable star status of both Grammer and Roseanne Barr presumably allows them to at least professionally survive despite their political wrongthink.
It’s a sad state and an embarrassment when actors and other celebrities voice all sorts of other social and political opinions endorsed by the establishment while certain topics are among those which — as happened to Grammer — must quickly be shut down.
Kudos to Grammer and Webb for at least telegraphing the censorship under which they were laboring.
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