Dan Levy Called Out an Indian TV Channel for Censoring a Schitt's Creek Gay Kiss
Dan Levy at the 2019 American Music Awards Red Carpet
Levy showed up to the AMAs wearing a navy and red-embroidered Valentino overcoat, paired with matching statement sneakers instead of a dress shoe.
Coming off an Emmys sweep and a brand-new syndication deal with Comedy Central, Dan Levy should be riding high, even though Schitt's Creek has wrapped. However, when he learned that Comedy Central India was censoring a same-sex kiss in the show's fifth season, he didn't hesitate to call out the station's double standard. In a tweet, he explained that Comedy Central India didn't censor a kiss between a man and a woman or two women and called the decision to cut a kiss between two men "a harmful statement" against one of the show important message of inclusivity.
Comedy Central India is currently airing the show's fifth season, which features a game of spin the bottle and an ensuing kiss between writer, co-creator, and actor Levy's character David Rose and Dustin Milligan's character, Ted Mullens. Stevie Budd and Alexis Rose (two female characters) also kiss, though the network didn't remove that from the episode.
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"You showed the kiss between two women, you showed the kiss between a woman and a man, then removed the kiss between two men? This is a show about the power of inclusivity," he wrote. "The censorship of gay intimacy is making a harmful statement against that message. #loveislove"
You showed the kiss between two women, you showed the kiss between a woman and a man, then removed the kiss between two men? This is a show about the power of inclusivity. The censorship of gay intimacy is making a harmful statement against that message. #loveislove https://t.co/3ouNbuetq1
— dan levy (@danjlevy) October 6, 2020
Some Twitter users mistook Comedy Central India for Comedy Central's American network. Levy explained that censorship only occurred in India, not in America.
"I thought I made this pretty clear but for those who are confused, this is about a channel in India," he clarified. "@ComedyCentral in America is not censoring the show. They have been lovely and respectful. Thank you for your time."
I thought I made this pretty clear but for those who are confused, this is about a channel in India. @ComedyCentral in America is not censoring the show. They have been lovely and respectful. Thank you for your time. ✌🏼🙃
— dan levy (@danjlevy) October 6, 2020
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CNN adds that western shows "are frequently edited for nudity or scenes of a sexual nature" before they can be shown on Indian networks. Levy pointed out that Comedy Central India only censored the kiss between two men.
Schitt's Creek was the first comedy ever to sweep all four acting categories in a single year at the Emmy Awards. The show received 19 nominations this year and won a total of nine awards.
