Danny Masterson erased from 'That '70s Show' 25th anniversary display at SD Comic-Con
We just heard from Luke Y. Thompson, our film reviewer friend who recently contributed his thoughts on Tom Cruise’s latest movie and also appeared on our podcast.
Luke’s at San Diego Comic-Con, as he is every year, where the annual convention has been affected this time by the WGA and SAG/Aftra strikes going on, which has resulted in the cancellation of some of the programs.
Planned panels on ‘That ‘70s Show’ were pulled, for example, when actors couldn’t participate.
However, outside the hall, Luke found this display for a planned 25th Anniversary show celebrating the 1990s sitcom, and he noticed that something was missing.
“Masterson erased,” he noted.
Masterson’s character “Steven Hyde” isn’t included on the display.
“Outside the convention center, TV and movie companies do lots of pop-ups and displays. Most are photo ops. Some have food,” Luke says. “A lot of studios preemptively did not schedule panels. When the strike actually hit, the last few remaining with actors canceled. There's one with directors I think today, they're still allowed. The movie press spins it like it's the end of Comic-Con, but the vast majority of con goers never go to those panels anyway.”
On May 31, Masterson was convicted of two counts of forcible rape under California’s strict “One Strike” law, which has him facing 30 years to life in prison.
During his two criminal trials, Masterson’s status as a protected celebrity in the Church of Scientology, and the church’s attempts to keep his victims from coming forward, were prominent features of testimony.
On September 7 he’ll be sentenced by Judge Charlaine Olmedo, and in the meantime he’s being held at Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles.
As far as the show is concerned, though, it’s like he never existed.
UPDATE: Thanks to the reader who provided the original shot that Masterson was pulled from.
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The impactful display of the 1990s sitcom minus DM, outside the hall at San Diego's Comic-Con, sends a clear message for anyone who takes notice. DM is not celebrated. Instead, he sits behind jail bars awaiting sentencing for rape and drugging the victims. Kudos to the master-mind that created the display without his image.
Fortunately for the 70’s show he can be removed and no one will miss him because it’s such a big cast. However Danny does get his place in the HALL OF SHAME with Bill Cosby.
In marketing it is normal to present three points or items in your campaign.
My s three items: Danny, Bill and Scientology. Highly toxic and now being shunned.