In the process, she also put co-host Meghan McCain in her place, prompting an apology from the show’s token Republican.
After the new streaming channel announced Tuesday that it was removing “GWTW” from its list of available films until its historical context can be put in proper perspective, McCain noticed that it was a trending topic.
In a tweet, she seemed excited about ginning up some kind of viral culture war debate with friends and colleagues on the show, especially Oscar-winning Whoopi Goldberg.
I’m going to pitch the Gone With The Wind being pulled from HBO as a hot topic tomorrow (deleted tweet). I am privileged to work with an academy award winning actress and I am actually more interested in a discussion with her about it than on twitter. Have a good night everyone!
On the show, Goldberg said she didn’t believe in censoring the film, but it was important to note that the values of “GWTW” are not the same ones as in contemporary society.
But Hostin didn’t even think the conversation about the film was really necessary, considering the more pressing issues of the day.
“Well, we have had this discussion many times before, and, you know, my biggest concern right now isn’t the availability of ‘Gone With the Wind’ on HBO,” Hostin said, accompanied by an award-worthy eye roll.
Hostin pointed out that, yes, the movie glorifies the Confederacy and the Antebellum South without providing the true horrors of slavery, but expressed frustration that HBO’s move was so important to conservatives over more pressing issues.
“Nobody is in favor of censorship, and someone like Megyn Kelly spent all morning tweeting about this,” Hostin said. “I would like to see that same energy from people on the right rather than talking about this issue, talking about the voter suppression that happened yesterday in Georgia, talking about the 112,000 Americans that are still dead from COVID,” rather than lamenting over “Gone With the Wind.”
She added:
“I think this is much ado about nothing. I think this is a big distraction, and again, it’s a discussion we have had so many times before.”
Hostin’s side-eye toward the topic apparently struck a nerve with McCain, who apologized for bringing up the topic, while trying to justify it.
“I mean, I guess I should apologize that we’re doing this topic because it was my doing,” McCain said. “I was on Twitter last night, and it was a conversation that’s been trending, and I actually just thought it would be interesting to talk to you, Whoopi [Goldberg], because you’re an Academy Award winner, I believe only the second black Academy Award winner after Hattie McDaniel who won an Oscar, and it’s important to talk about censorship in film and books right now because we need to talk about what’s appropriate and what’s not.”
McCain then conceded that her feelings about “Gone With the Wind” are probably different than her co-hosts, but said she “would like to know what it means for people who are friends of Hattie McDaniel if it’s removed.”
She added, “I know this seems like a trite and stupid conversation to some of you, but I was interested in it,” she said. “So it’s my fault this is a topic today.”
You can see the complete segment below:
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