Bannon Disinvited from Annual New Yorker Festival After Backlash
Peter D'Abrosca
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The former chief strategist for President Donald J. Trump has been disinvited from an annual event for art, political and Hollywood elites hosted by The New Yorker.
“Today, The New Yorker announced that, as a part of our annual Festival, I would conduct an interview with [Stephen K.] Bannon,” said David Remnick, editor of the magazine. “The reaction on social media was critical and a lot of the dismay and anger was directed at me and my decision to engage him.”
Liberals could not possibly have anyone with opposing views ruin their Trump-bashing festival. It would be tragic.
“The main argument for not engaging someone like Bannon is that we are giving him a platform and he will use it, unfiltered, to further the ‘ideas’ of white nationalism, racism, anti-Semitism and illiberalism,” Remnick said.
It seems rather illiberal to shun anyone with a different point of view, barring them from open and honest debate, but the New Yorker’s festival is certainly a private event and that is their right.
Remnick attempted to excuse the magazine by saying that it had already interviewed Bannon this year, and that his presence at the would not add any value, as he is already set in his beliefs.
“There are many ways for a publication like ours to do its job: investigative reporting; pointed, well-argued opinion pieces; Profiles; reporting from all over the country and around the world; radio and video interviews; even live interviews,” he said. “At the same time, many of our readers, including some colleagues, have said that the Festival is different, a different kind of forum.”
The event is scheduled for October 5-7, and will include such guests as musicians Miguel and Kacey Musgraves, and former Obama administration official Sally Yates.
Late night television show host Jimmy Fallon and deranged former comedian Jim Carrey pulled out of the event after Bannon was invited.
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