Hollywood producer David Simon, creator of “The Wire,” is boycotting Texas for his next project because of the state’s recently-enacted law banning abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected.
Simon announced on Monday that he was looking elsewhere to film a Texas-based HBO show over the state’s abortion law, claiming to be standing up for his employees’ civil liberties.
“[As] an employer, this is beyond politics. I’m turning in scripts next month on an HBO non-fiction miniseries based on events in Texas, but I can’t and won’t ask female cast/crew to forgo civil liberties to film there. What else looks like Dallas/Ft. Worth?” Simon tweeted.
If an employer, this is beyond politics. I’m turning in scripts next month on an HBO non-fiction miniseries based on events in Texas, but I can’t and won’t ask female cast/crew to forgo civil liberties to film there. What else looks like Dallas/Ft. Worth? https://t.co/q6Py6XikYh
The Dallas Film and Creative Industries Office, which recruits and coordinates film industry projects in the Dallas area, responded to Simon, arguing that he should bring the crew in and vote to change Texas from the inside rather than boycott the state.
“Laws of a state are not reflective of its entire population. Not bringing a production to Dallas (a big ‘D’) only serves to further disenfranchise those that live here. We need talent/crew/creatives to stay & vote, not get driven out by inability to make a living,” the office tweeted.
Simon insisted, however, claiming he was not boycotting the state, but only looking out for his employees. “You misunderstand completely. My response is NOT rooted in any debate about political efficacy or the utility of any boycott. My singular responsibility is to securing and maintaining the civil liberties of all those we employ during the course of a production,” he tweeted.
In follow-up tweets, Simon claimed that his decision to skip out on Texas was not a political decision. “Love Austin and San Antonio. Even like Houston some. And you are blissfully unaware that this is not a political decision for us; we can’t ethically ask any female cast/crew to relocate to any state that requires them to forgo civil liberties. The end,” Simon said, responding to a critic pointing out the Texas’ major metropolitan areas are run by Democrats, su... (Read more)
Tweets mentioned:
https://twitter.com/AoDespair/status/1439957619901411329
https://twitter.com/DallasCommish/status/1439984389820141571
https://twitter.com/AoDespair/status/1440040443400491008
Submitted 916 days ago
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