Topline
The author of an article Fox News latched on to as proof that Tom Hanks had been “canceled” rebuffed the network for misrepresenting his op-ed after the segment aired Monday, a controversy that comes as the media outlet continues its hyperfocus on coverage of the “cancel culture wars.”
Tom Hanks attends the 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium in Los ... [+]
Key Facts
After NPR TV critic Eric Deggans penned an op-ed claiming Hanks has not done “enough” to combat racial injustice in America, Fox News ran a segment on Monday claiming the article was a sign the left was trying to “cancel” the American actor.
“Cancel culture comes for Tom Hanks” read a chyron on the screen during the network’s coverage of the story beneath a graphic that labeled Hanks “canceled” in big red letters.
Fox News contributor Joe Concha called Deggans’ article “profoundly stupid,” while co-host Martha MacCallum said she hopes Hanks comes out “swinging.”
“Apparently he’s proud of what he wrote,” Fox News co-host Bill Hemmer said, “but being white in America apparently has . . . a lot of pitfalls.”
Deggans hit back at Fox News on Twitter, arguing it is “disingenuous and inaccurate” for the network to associate his column with cancel culture.
The TV critic said he was trying to encourage Hanks to “use his power” and platform for good, not to blackball him.
Fox News referred Forbes to the network segment when pressed for comment.
Key Background
Deggans received a barrage of criticism from conservative pundits online after publishing the op-ed on Sunday under the headline “Tom Hanks Is A Non-Racist. It's Time For Him To Be Anti-Racist.” The op-ed argued that Hanks, who recently published an opinion article in the New York Times calling for Americans to learn the history of the Tulsa Race Massacre, needed to go further to fight against racial injustice. Hanks has spent “built a career playing righteous white men” in movies that often “leave out Black contribution,” Deggans argued. “If he really wants to make a difference, Hanks and other stars need to talk specifically about how their work has contributed to these problems and how they will change,” he said.
Chief Critic
“FoxNews.com did a story about my column on Tom Hanks that also mentioned cancel culture,” Deggans said in a tweet. “But my column was encouraging Hanks to use his power to make more movies and TV shows reflecting a broader history, so I'm not sure where the cancel part comes from.”
Crucial Quote
"History was mostly written by white people about white people like me, while the history of Black people—including the horrors of Tulsa—was too often left out,” Hanks wrote in the Times opinion piece after the 100th year anniversary of the Tulsa Massacre. “Until relatively recently, the entertainment industry, which helps shape what is history and what is forgotten, did the same. That includes projects of mine.”
Surprising Fact
“Cancel culture” is a heavily covered topic on Fox News: The network reported on the topic five times as much as CNN and seven times as much as MSNBC between 2017 and 2021, according to the Washington Post.
Tangent
Merriam Webster defines “canceling” as the “removing of support for public figures in response to their objectionable behavior or opinions. This can include boycotts or refusal to promote their work.” The concept of shaming someone over their views or words goes back generations, but experts say “cancel culture”—and the backlash that resulted from it—emerged with the rise of social media and the internet.
Further Reading
Opinion: Tom Hanks Is A Non-Racist. It’s Time For Him To Be Anti-Racist (NPR)
