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ABC: Politics Had 'Nothing to Do' with Cancellation of 'Last Man Standing'

posted onAugust 8, 2017
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Article snippet: The multi-camera sitcom — starring Allen as Mike Baxter, a marketing director for a sporting goods store who juggles work and a hectic family life — was one of the few shows on network television to approach its worldview through a conservative lens, while Allen is himself politically conservative. The show’s abrupt cancellation in May after six seasons came as a shock to fans, who immediately accused ABC of axing it for political reasons. Last Man Standing was the second-most watched comedy on the network behind its mega-hit Modern Family, drawing an average of 8.1 million viewers in live and DVR viewing across its most recent season — an especially impressive viewership for a Friday night program. Allen wrote on social media that he was “stunned and blindsided” by the cancellation, and an online petition calling for the show’s reinstatement racked up more than 400,000 signatures. Dungey insisted Sunday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Beverly Hills that the cancellation was not motivated by politics. “Politics had absolutely nothing to do with it,” Dungey told reporters, according to the Daily Mail. “We have actors on our shows who have all sorts of political views. Tim Allen is a valuable part of the Disney family and has been for a very long time.” At the time of the show’s cancellation, Dungey said the move was made for “business and scheduling reasons,” including a move away from comedy programming and into a fantasy lineup for Fri... Link to the full article to read more

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