Controversy Over Abrupt End of ABC Show Continues

Did faith and politics end the TV show Last Man Standing on ABC? Tim Allen, the lead actor, believes so. In a podcast interview on Norm Macdonald Live, he said: “There is nothing more dangerous, especially in this climate than a funny, likable conservative character.”

The character had more conservative views that matched the actor. Tim Allen was known for incorporating Jesus Christ into the script and argued that conservative political beliefs and the Christian faith are not represented enough in Hollywood. He has complained about mean-spirited humor towards religious denominations. Tim Allen was raised in the Anglican Church but converted to Catholicism.

The show was canceled while it was still popular. It was the third most-watched scripted show on the network. The cancellation was unexpected to everyone working on the show and Tim Allen went to social media to express his frustration with ABC.

Stunned and blindsided by the network I called home for the last six years. #lastmanstanding — Tim Allen (@ofctimallen) May 16, 2017

There were a string of theories posted online saying the reason for the suddenness was the belief system of the actor and the show being a platform for conservative values. ABC sent out a public statement: “”We have actors on our shows who have all sorts of different political views. Tim Allen is a valuable part of the Disney/ABC family. He has been for a very, very long time. But Tim Allen’s personal politics had nothing whatsoever to do with it.”

While there are numerous different reasons that are plausible for why the show was canceled, they seem to not satisfy either the actor or fans of the show.

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