Actor Laurence Fox, of the British actor dynasty that includes his father James and uncle Edward, has made a bit of name for himself lately in matters not directly related to his craft and art – namely, politics and political correctness.
For this, he came under fire online and from his opponents – but now, Fox has lived to see an apology issued to him.
In an appearance on BBC’s Question Time show in January, Fox drew a firestorm of criticism from ideological opponents when he denounced one audience member as “racist” for referring to him as “a white privileged male.”
The exchange had to do with Meghan Markle, and the audience member’s claim the UK press had treated Prince Harry’s wife badly on account of her race.
Fox disagreed – but was then for this called “white” and “privileged.” It was at this point that the artist posited this a racist statement in itself – basically, a liberal dog-whistle.
Among those coming down on Fox after his Question Time appearance was actors union Equity – that is, at least one member of its Minority Ethnics Committee (renamed since as the Race Equality Committee) who referred to him at the time as “a disgrace to our industry.”
https://twitter.com/EquityUK/status/1238389563061612547
But this actors’ trade union has now said in a statement that it had been a mistake for Equity “as an organization” to voice this kind of criticism.
Back in January, Equity didn’t seem entirely sure that the offensive pronouncement coming from one of its committee members against Fox was the way to go.
The comment as at the time described as “inadvertently” breaking Equity’s rules, and as a mistake – however, adding at the same time that “racism is real” and that Equity has a track record of fighting it.
The union is now saying this didn’t mean they wanted Fox “canceled” – i.e., made unhirable in the industry.
And now that Equity has apologized – members of the disgraced Race Equality Committee doubled down by saying they had “no choice but to resign.”
Fox, meanwhile, doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. He welcomed Equity’s move, after taking a couple of weeks’ off social media – apparently worn out by the criticism he had endured.
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