Actor Jamie Kennedy speaks up in defense of the controversial actress, asserting that his role in a pro-life movie transformed his perspectives.
Title: A Freethinking Comedian's Battle Against Hollywood Suppression: Jamie Kennedy Speaks Out on Cancel Culture
Jamie Kennedy, a comedian known from the ’90s comedy scene, isn't holding back anymore. In an interview with our site, Digital, he discusses the current state of cancel culture in Hollywood and the damage it has wrought.
The entertainment industry has been notorious for its attempts to silence Kennedy and other celebrities like Melissa Barrera from "Scream" for sharing unpopular opinions, appearing in controversial productions, or joking about sensitive topics.
"The whole 'cancel' idea—'cancellation'—it's insane," Kennedy says. "Like, 'Hey, we don't like what you said. Canceled.' It's like, what? I'm not important? You're deleting me? I thought inclusivity was the goal here."
Kennedy has been a mainstay in showbusiness for over three decades, starring in blockbuster franchises, crafting his own TV show, and still performing stand-up. He now hosts his podcast "HATE TO BREAK IT TO YA."
Like other veteran comedians, Kennedy has observed a chilling trend in recent years: punishing prominent figures for expressing controversial opinions, often targeting high-profile conservatives such as actress Gina Carano, who lost her role in "The Mandalorian" for her social media posts that drew comparisons between Jews during the Holocaust and U.S. political discord.
Carano, who sued Disney for firing her, argues that they did so for her refusal to support movements and ideologies she disagreed with, such as Black Lives Matter, COVID lockdowns, and sharing pronouns. As of July 2024, the suit was allowed to move forward by a U.S. District judge.
Kennedy strongly criticized Carano's firing during the interview, stating, "I love Gina, and that never should have happened. She's an amazing woman, independent, strong, and a heroine in a Disney show. And they cancel her like she's the embodiment of what you want as a strong woman."
He added that while Carano's firing was disappointing, it did contribute to the growing awareness of the absurdity of cancel culture.
Though cancellations are predominantly directed at conservatives, Kennedy believes the biggest victims of cancel culture are those who express liberal views.
In 2023, Melissa Barrera of "Scream" was dropped from future franchise installments following a series of anti-Israel social media posts in response to a Hamas terror attack. Although the company claimed a "zero tolerance for antisemitism" as the reason for her firing, Kennedy argued this was another example of unwarranted cancel culture.
"Cancel culture is real, and it should never have happened to Barrera," Kennedy stated. "She has her beliefs, and she's allowed to have them. If you don't agree, call her out. Don't delete her entirely."
This situation shocked Kennedy, as Barrera was a rising talent who had everything taken away for a tweet.
"It was ridiculous, and it's going to fuel more people questioning why this happened," he added.
Kennedy's frustration stems from his own battles with the media, particularly the backlash he faced for appearing in the 2021 film "Roe v. Wade," a movie centered on the historic ruling legalizing abortion in the U.S. Critics accused the film of being propaganda for religious pro-lifers, despite Kennedy's own ignorance about the topic.
"That was all I did was take heat," he explains. "I just did the movie. It was an independent project, and I was treated like first class. But then the media ruthlessly attacked me for being part of it. It went as far as labeling me a right-wing ideologue."
Kennedy admitted that the movie was a controversial take on Planned Parenthood, a role he accepted before becoming more knowledgeable about the subject.
"I knew nothing about the film's subject matter," he confesses. "It wasn't until they gave me books and said, 'Read this, read this, read this,' that I became more educated on the topic."
He went on to reveal how this experience shaped his beliefs on free speech.
In the realm of comedy, Kennedy laments the consequences of cancel culture, as colleges stopped booking comedians altogether due to anger from audiences over certain jokes, even from liberal comics. Ironically, the protests against conservative humor have stifled the very spirit of free expression that liberal comedians champion.
"I stopped doing college shows," Kennedy says. "They started booking comedians less, and they started getting mad at comedians. I can't perform any jokes anymore, even on college campuses. It's crazy."
If you look closely, some jokes and movies from the past may struggle to be created today, as comedians and filmmakers grow increasingly cautious in a climate where the fear of censorship looms large.
Still, Kennedy remains optimistic about the future.
"With Trump winning in 2024, we might see a resurgence in productions like 'Roe v. Wade.' It needs to be made again," he says.
Gabriel Hays is an associate editor for our site Digital.
- Jamie Kennedy, a renowned comedian known for his '90s comedy scene work, expressed his disapproval of cancel culture in Hollywood during an interview with Digital.
- Kennedy criticized the entertainment industry for attempting to silence celebrities like himself and Melissa Barrera from "Scream" for sharing unpopular opinions or joking about sensitive topics.
- He strongly disagreed with the firing of Gina Carano from "The Mandalorian" for her social media posts, adding that her dismissal contributes to the growing awareness of the absurdity of cancel culture.
- Kennedy believed that while cancellations are predominantly directed at conservatives, the biggest victims of cancel culture are those who express liberal views, such as Barrera's case after her anti-Israel social media posts led to her dismissal from future "Scream" installments.
- Kennedy faced backlash for appearing in the 2021 film "Roe v. Wade," a movie centered on the historic ruling legalizing abortion in the U.S., which he admitted he knew little about before accepting the role.
- In the realm of comedy, Kennedy laments the consequences of cancel culture, citing the decline in bookings for comedians on college campuses due to audience anger over certain jokes, even from liberal comics, ironically stifling the very spirit of free expression that liberal comedians champion.
