Former Obama Campaign Senior Political Strategist David Axelrod defended Louis C.K.’s right to be free from “de facto censorship” following controversial leaked audio of the comedian making fun of Parkland students.
“I don’t know,” said C.K. on the leaked audio from a mid-December stand-up routine. “They testified in front of Congress, these kids. Like, what the fuck. What are you doing? You’re young. You should be crazy. You should be unhinged, not in a suit saying, ‘I’m here to tell’ … fuck you. You’re not interesting cause you went to a high school where kids got shot. Why does that mean I have to listen to you? How does that make you interesting? You didn’t get shot. You pushed some fat kid in the way and now I got to listen to you talking?”
Axelrod didn’t defend the comedian’s comments — rather, he called for the market to “decide” instead of “de facto censorship.” (RELATED: Here’s The Wounded Warrior’s Response To David Hogg That Is Going Viral)
“Louis C.K. ‘joke’ about heroic Parkland kids was as tasteless as could be but not a huge surprise,” Axelrod tweeted. “He’s made a career of that. But shouldn’t audiences decide to show up or not? De facto censorship isn’t the answer. Let the market decide!”
Louis C.K. “joke” about heroic Parkland kids was as tasteless as could be but not a huge surprise. He’s made a career of that.
But shouldn’t audiences decide to show up or not?
De facto censorship isn’t the answer.
Let the market decide!https://t.co/t37JoCcoBn— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) December 31, 2018
Liberal Twitter, on the other hand, took issue with Axelrod’s position.
Perhaps when your instinct is to leap
to the defense of another privileged white guy, fucking don’t. https://t.co/Zd0gf1NCAJ— Amanda Magee (@AmandaMagee) January 1, 2019
Turns out, the best thing about you was Obama https://t.co/jitnWXNjQ8
— Imani Gandy (@AngryBlackLady) December 31, 2018
This guy once had a reputation for being smart, which is odd considering that this is the tweet of a titanic ultra-dumbass https://t.co/KpKwjrBSJl
— Bill Corbett (@BillCorbett) January 1, 2019
Calling someone a unfunny asshole isn’t censorship, de facto or otherwise. https://t.co/7kuBeYPIwg
— Abby Gardner (@abbygardner) December 31, 2018
That doesn’t make sense, David. “De facto censorship” is part of market forces since it’s NOT de jure. Public dissent doesn’t have to be decided only in comedy venues as much as in the public sphere, as has always been the case. The “public square” is now just bigger. https://t.co/5SELRJ2kXb
— Ebony SkyTalker (@sfreynolds) December 31, 2018
What is “de facto censorship?” Saying “this sucks?” That sounds like the market deciding to me, Axe! Also, people are showing up to see him & club owners are putting him on, so you can go back to whatever it is you do now without further worrying about poor Louis! https://t.co/TcvIaZKFwX
— Paul F. Tompkins (@PFTompkins) December 31, 2018
Who is censoring Louis CK? He’s not in jail. No one sued him. He’s not being banned from clubs. He’s making residuals. Isn’t that called letting the marketplace decide? https://t.co/epyVB1XeUn
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) December 31, 2018
You don’t seem to know what most of the words you used in this tweet actually mean. No one has censored him. He made callous, cruel jokes and he is being criticized. That is your precious market deciding, ridiculous person. https://t.co/mYIA0b8iLN
— Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick) December 31, 2018
Serous question: why do you suck so much https://t.co/9D8uqrc1kk
— Jason Bailey (@jasondashbailey) December 31, 2018
Who’s proposing censorship? What censoring body says he can’t continue on with the stuff he spews? https://t.co/rNXFbjjOLt
— Soledad O’Brien (@soledadobrien) January 1, 2019
Axelrod doubled-down instead of buckling under the criticism.
There is nothing about what I wrote that should be construed as a “defense” of his disgusting joke or behavior. I’ve never seen his act or watched his show. Just saying that it worries me when people suggest shutting down comics. Just don’t go!
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) December 31, 2018