The LeBron James-produced HBO talk show The Shop: Uninterrupted announced it is scrapping a new episode featuring rapper and fashion designer Ye spouting "hate speech and extremely dangerous stereotypes."
The episode came on the heels of several incidents in the past week in which Ye has made appallingly antisemitic comments, including centuries-old conspiracy theories and remarks many interpreted as threats of violence.
The Shop's production company said the episode was produced as an opportunity for Ye to clarify his recent anti-Jewish statements and conspiracy theories.
Instead, he seems to have used the invitation as an opportunity to double down on them.
In a statement, Maverick Carter, CEO of The Shop producer Springhill Entertainment, explained:
"Kanye was booked weeks ago and, after talking to Kanye directly the day before we taped, I believed he was capable of a respectful discussion and he was ready to address all his recent comments."
"Unfortunately, he used The Shop to reiterate more hate speech and extremely dangerous stereotypes."
Carter went on to call Ye's comments hate speech.
He had some pointed words for the controversial rapper.
"While The Shop embraces thoughtful discourse and differing opinions, we have zero tolerance for hate speech of any kind and will never allow our channels to be used to promote hate."
“I take full responsibility for believing Kanye wanted a different conversation and apologize to our guests and crew. Hate speech should never have an audience.”
The move comes on the heels of Ye's suspension from both Instagram and Twitter because of his antisemitic comments.
The controversy over his remarks only intensified when deleted footage surfaced from a recent Fox News interview with Ye and the channel's Tucker Carlson, whose show has become a haven for all manner of bigotry, White nationalist, Christian nationalist and eliminationist rhetoric.
Tucker and others at Fox turned Ye into something of a far-right hero after his endorsements of former Republican President Donald Trump and his several incidents of bigoted comments about Jews, Anti-Blackness and misogynoir.
Carlson and Fox chose not to air footage in which Ye spouted antisemitic stereotypes like the notion Jews control all global capital and banking, as well as rhetoric pertaining to Black Hebrew Israelites theory Black people are the "chosen people" spoken of in the Bible and Jewish people are "not the real Jews."
On Twitter, people weren't exactly surprised the episode had to be scrapped given Ye's recent behavior.
While The Shop made the right decision, it seems it's far too late to contain Ye's rhetoric.
Ye's antisemitism already became a point of celebration among right-wing fascist and White nationalist movements on social media apps like Telegram, message boards like 4chan and neo-Nazi internet forums.
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