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'Modern Family' co-creator joins growing list of writers, producers criticizing Fox News

'Modern Family' co-creator Steve Levitan is the latest Hollywood creator to speak out against Fox for giving Fox News a platform amid coverage of the Trump administration's immigration policy debate.
Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
Producer Steven Levitan (L) and actress Julie Bowen attend The 22nd Annual Critics' Choice Awards after party at Barker Hangar on December 11, 2016 in Santa Monica, California.

"Family Guy" mastermind Seth MacFarlane is leading a growing chorus of writers and producers who have long relationships Fox but are now condemning the studio for continuing to back Fox News despite its coverage of the Trump administration's new immigration policy.

MacFarlane, who also created and stars in Fox's sci-fi dramedy "The Orville," began the chain Friday responding to a tweet from CNN host Brian Stelter: "Isn't this sad?" Stelter wrote. "Tonight @TuckerCarlson told his viewers not to believe ANYTHING they learn from his rivals.'"

"In other words, don't think critically, don't consult multiple news sources, and in general, don't use your brain," MacFarlane added. "Just blindly obey Fox News. This is fringe (expletive), and it's business like this that makes me embarrassed to work for this company."

"I couldn't agree more," "Modern Family" co-creator Steve Levitan responded to MacFarlane.

"Let me officially join @SethMacFarlane in saying I'm disgusted to work at a company that has anything whatsoever to do with @FoxNews," he said in a separate Tweet Monday night. "This [expletive] is the opposite of what #ModernFamily stands for."

Levitan was responding to a tweet that quoted Fox News host Laura Ingraham on air describing child detention centers on the U.S. border as "essentially summer camps" or "boarding schools."

"Modern Family," which highlights themes of diversity and acceptance, is heading into its tenth season this fall, The sitcom airs on ABC but is produced by 20th Century Fox TV: anentity of 21st Century Fox, which also owns Fox News.

Levitan announced Tuesday that, after "Modern Family" wraps up, he would be "setting up shop elsewhere."

"Fox Studio has been a wonderful home for most of my career - so many amazing people there who share the concerns about @FoxNews but aren't in the position to speak out."

He later issued a statement, published by Deadline, through his agent: “I have great respect and admiration for Dana Walden, Gary Newman, Peter Rice and everyone at 20th Century Fox TV studio who have all treated me so well for almost two decades. For now, I will take some time to see where these people land, and at that point I will make a decision about my future.”

Levitan also has the option to forego traditional networks altogether: streaming outlets have recently lured away big-name producers, like Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy, who both signed deals to create content for Netflix.

Producer and writer Judd Apatow said he hasn't worked with Fox since the network canceled his college drama "Undeclared" in 2002 after one season. He urged fellow creators to continue speaking out and praised those who already had, twice tweeting "who's next?"

"That family promotes evil ideas and greed and corruption," Apatow said of the Murdochs, who control Fox. "We all choose who to work with. I understand why that is easier for some than others but many powerful people are powerful enough to speak up to their bosses at a moment like this."

Paul Feig, who directed "The Heat" and produced "The Peanuts Movie" for 20th Century Fox, tweeted Tuesday that he "love[s] the people in the movie and TV divisions," but "cannot condone the support their news division promotes toward the immoral and abusive policies and actions taken by this current administration toward immigrant children."

Wendy Molyneux, a writer for Fox's animated family sitcom "Bob's Burgers" echoed the others, tweeting Tuesday: "this is the POV of almost every artist/writer/actor working with the entertainment division at Fox, which is progressive and open minded, but brought down by the despicable news division. Hard to reconcile. I think they'll have a hard time holding on to artists."

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