William Shatner’s RT television series is likely over due to rising conflicts in Europe.
William Shatner’s latest television show, I Don’t Understand, has all but been formally canceled amid issues in Eastern Europe. The television show was produced by Ora TV, but leased out to RT, a known Russian propagandist news outlet, that for a long time, incorporated a lot of American broadcasting into its RT America operation.
Shatner’s show isn’t the only one from Ora TV that is on the outs with RT America, as it appears as all of their shows are done with the channel. It’s unclear if that means the shows are done for good or just for the time being, but anything is possible at the moment.
Ora Media CEO John Dickey released a statement on Tuesday (via The Daily Beast)
"Given the invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, Ora Media has paused production of content we license to T&R Productions. Future business decisions will be made based on the evolving situation."
Shatner unapologetically launched an RT America talk show last year, titled I Don’t Understand, despite widespread criticism. In recent days, however, he’s taken to social media to express some solidarity with Ukraine.
Shatner himself responded with a comment to the Daily Beast and reiterated that he had no say in who Ora TV sold the show to.
"Ora TV sold the show to RT America. I had no say in the matter. My talk show, ‘I Don’t Understand,’ is purely entertainment and about all the things I don’t understand which is everything because I am at a loss for most things. It is informative, entertaining and totally, absolutely non-political. My contract for seventy half-hour shows this past year has been with Ora TV. Those seventy shows are in the pipeline and I have no voice in that matter as well.’I await with apprehension what will transpire but my total sympathy is with Ukraine. They are the historic change in the world today and I look at them with great admiration and pray that they will emerge victorious.As for RT America, my latest information is that all production from Ora TV shows to RT America has been suspended."
Shatner followed it up with a Tweet, expressing support for the Ukrainian people.
https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner/status/1498474350852382727?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1498474350852382727%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedailybeast.com%2Fdennis-miller-abandons-his-show-on-rt-the-kremlin-funded-network
William Shatner should force Ora TV to permanently distance itself from RT
I don’t blame Shatner for doing the show, it’s on Ora TV to sell their show to a better type of person. That said, Shatner needs to make a stand today, and either privately or publically, force Ora TV to end their dealings with RT going forward permanently.
They are far from good people and are known for spreading misinformation about a whole variety of things, but on their RT channel and on RT America.
Even if this conflict is resolved very soon, there’s no way that anyone can ever look at Russia the same way again, not under this regime. So to do any dealings with any of their state ran propaganda machines would just be vile.
Shatner has to put his foot down and say “no more”.