Kayleigh McEnany slams Hollywood for canceling ‘Cops' and 'Live PD’ amid calls by protesters to defund police
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany has called out liberal Hollywood for its apparent anti-law enforcement agenda, citing recent cancellations of shows such as 'Live PD' and 'Cops'. During a press briefing on Friday, McEnany said President Donald Trump wants to bring an end to "violent riots" and is prioritizing the safety of American citizens above all else.
“He’s very keen on seeing the violence in our streets end. He wants to protect the people of this country when derelict Democrat mayors and governors do not,” McEnany said. “He’s also appalled by cancel culture and cancel culture specifically as it pertains to cops. We saw a few weeks ago that PAW Patrol, a cartoon show about cops, was canceled. The show Cops was canceled. Live PD was canceled. Lego halted the sales of their Lego City Police Station.”
“It’s really unfortunate because I stand with, and the President stands with the 63 percent of Americans who think police officers are one of the most important jobs in this country," she added.
In June this year, 'Cops' was pulled off the air by the ViacomCBS-owned Paramount Network despite having had a successful run for over three decades. Meanwhile, A&E took down 'Live PD', a highly rated real-time docuseries about crime investigations across the country. And while Nickelodeon still airs PAW Patrol, the animated show was has been targeted by Black Lives Matter activists over its positive portrayals of law enforcement.
In recent months, Hollywood has amplified its anti-cop rhetoric, with a growing chorus among celebrities supporting the "Defund the Police" movement. A number of stars including John Legend, Lizzo, Natalie Portman, and Susan Sarandon have signed an open letter calling for slashing police budgets across the country. As reported by Breitbart, celebrities are also getting behind the so-called "Breathe Act," a new legislation introduced by the Movement 4 Black Lives that "seeks to defund police departments around the country and to redirect taxpayer dollars to community safety initiatives." Among those supporting the legislation are Lena Waithe, Anna Paquin, Piper Perabo, Connie Britton, 'House of Cards' creator Beau Willimon, and 'Selma' filmmaker Ava DuVernay.
Meanwhile, some stars are calling for Hollywood studios to sever all ties with the police. 'Black Panther' star Michael B. Jordan is working with racial justice activist group Color of Change to urge Hollywood to stop relying on law enforcement during shoots or events such as the Academy Awards. Jordan spoke at a #BlackLivesMatter protest in Century City on June 7. “To the brands that support me, to all the productions, to the studios, if you have any financial ties to the police, we have to relook at our business. We have to stop hiring police. We have to cut off their support. That’s why I’m committing to hiring private security at all my events — private security only,” Jordan said.
“Get the police off our sets and events,” 'Insecure' star Kendrick Sampson told Variety after being hit by seven rubber bullets at a Los Angeles protest this last month. “Coming to set after experiencing police brutality — I’ve been pulled out of my car at gunpoint — there’s trauma there. I’ve also seen certain celebrities, even performers, profiled and blocked from entering Emmy parties by police.”