Hartley Sawyer fired from 'The Flash'

[shy175223]

I don't know if anyone has heard or read about what happen but those who haven't, it has been all over the news.

https://www.cbr.com/flash-grant-gustin-eric-wallace-react-hartley-sawyer-firing/

It's ashame , and I was begining to like him,too.

[darkphoenix21]

Yup, saw it earlier. It’s like why wasn’t he vetted more thoroughly before he got the job. I don’t know what he actually said but, with everything going on I’d probably wouldn’t want to read it

I know it’s nothing to do with the Ruby Rose/Batwoman situation but, it seems like the Arrowverse is slowly imploding. I’m like “Who’s next?” And what’s going to happen with his character and Sue Dibny (for that matter)?

[shy175223]

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. Are going recast Ralph or they just going write him off?

[costas22]

James Gunn all over again. Someone catching flak for offensive crap he posted in jest many years ago. The big difference is that Hartley Sawyer won't be rehired, even though he apologized. When James Gunn got fired by Disney, his co-workers stood up for him and all but threatened to boycott the movie. Until Disney was forced to rehire him.

In Hartley's case, no one from his co-workers did that. The current climate in the States leaves little room for rational thinking or forgiveness and people are cancelled as racists at the drop of a hat (just look at the crap Stephen Amell has been dealing with lately). Hence, all his co-workers fell in line with the message that showrunner Eric Wallace posted and just parroted it. Just like they've been parroting all sorts of stuff lately.

To be honest, I never warmed up to Ralph Dibny, Hartley Sawyer as a person has always been indifferent to me and I found his tweets distasteful and moronic. However, before terminating someone, a fine and a reprimand should always be the first step in these situations. Otherwise, in a few years more than half of Hollywood will be "cancelled" over something dumb they posted years ago. And some of his co-workers who were quick to denounce Hartley Sawyer yesterday might find themselves in a similar spot.

[costas22]

Yup, saw it earlier. It’s like why wasn’t he vetted more thoroughly before he got the job. I don’t know what he actually said but, with everything going on I’d probably wouldn’t want to read it

I know it’s nothing to do with the Ruby Rose/Batwoman situation but, it seems like the Arrowverse is slowly imploding. I’m like “Who’s next?” And what’s going to happen with his character and Sue Dibny (for that matter)?

You can't vet this sort of stuff. Imagine casting people and then spending hours looking into Tweets they posted as far back as 2009 (Sawyer's tweets were from 2009-2014). It would be logistically impossible. It's not like Sawyer has a history of racist and misogynistic behavior towards other people (no such charge has ever been made against him). All studios can do is cast the person and hope stuff like this isn't dug up.

As for the Arrowverse, it will be ok, I feel. It survived the Andrew Kreisberg scandal and a staggering loss of viewership over the past 3 years. The CW is still happy with those numbers, the shows are still on Netflix and Berlanti is one of the most popular producers in Hollywood right now.

[President_Luthor]

It sounds like it was a Gunn-like cancel situation. The tweets were apparently offensive enough, and in an environment like today, there's zero tolerance ... and sadly, a limitless statute of limitations. Maybe Sawyer will rebound, but for now, his name is toast in the industry. In this climate, it'll be hard to shake the label or get redemption. (I guess there's always Dancing with the Stars.)

The tweets were dug out from eight years ago, before he was even on the show. The show and network will rebound obviously, but network bad press still isn't good -- it would have been worse had it been during the season.

It's too bad, his arc with Sue was one of the more interesting ones this season. Most of the time, Ralph is just there. What stinks is that Sue's character, through no fault of her own, may get blowback and even be written off next season along with Ralph.

[DJ Doena]

It’s like why wasn’t he vetted more thoroughly before he got the job.

Aren't these tweets like 10 years old? That would mean they were 6-7 years old when he was hired to the show. He's not running for office, there is no team hired for "opposition research" to go though every day of his past.

[darkphoenix21]

Aren't these tweets like 10 years old? That would mean they were 6-7 years old when he was hired to the show. He's not running for office, there is no team hired for "opposition research" to go though every day of his past.

Don’t be surprised if there are people out there who’s soul job is to comb through old social media posts. Obviously, if you post something from years ago there’s ways to find those old posts.....it may not be today, tomorrow, in a month, or in a year but, eventually things like this get resurfaced.

Question: Is that person allowed to grow and move forward, if they truly regret and apologize for what they’ve said or done in their past and have tried to be outstanding members of society there after (e.g. James Gunn)?

[DJ Doena]

Don’t be surprised if there are people out there who’s soul job is to comb through old social media posts.

Yeah they lose their soul doing it. *SCNR*

No I understand that nowadays for whatever reasons people search for 10 year old texts of 160 characters. But that doesn't mean that it's feasible for a TV show production crew to do for every guest or recurring actor (which he was in the beginning) you want to hire for a show.

[darkphoenix21]

Yeah they lose their soul doing it. *SCNR*

No I understand that nowadays for whatever reasons people search for 10 year old texts of 160 characters. But that doesn't mean that it's feasible for a TV show production crew to do for every guest or recurring actor (which he was in the beginning) you want to hire for a show.

That’s what contacts are for and why they’re able to fire someone as soon as these posts come to the surface.