New Yorker Festival Drops Steve Bannon After Jack Antonoff, Boots Riley, More Pull Out in Protest

Michelle Kim
Updated
“I’ll interview [Bannon] in a more traditionally journalistic setting as we first discussed, and not on stage” —New Yorker editor David Remnick

New Yorker Festival 2018 has dropped Steve Bannon’s headlining appearance. After it was announced earlier today that he would be joining the lineup, many musicians and actors pulled out of the event in protest. Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff, Boots Riley, Jimmy Fallon, John Mulaney, Judd Apatow, Jim Carrey, Patton Oswalt, Bo Burnham, and others have withdrawn. The New Yorker Festival 2018, held from October 5-7 in New York City, has also billed Kelela, Kurt Vile, Miguel, Kacey Musgraves, and other musicians.

The magazine’s editor David Remnick, who was planning to interview Bannon, issued a statement explaining why he re-considered the decision. “I’ve changed my mind,” he writes. “Our writers have interviewed Steve Bannon for The New Yorker before, and if the opportunity presents itself I'll interview him in a more traditionally journalistic setting as we first discussed, and not on stage.” Find the full statement below.

Prior to Remnick’s announcement rescinding the invitation to Bannon, Antonoff announced that he was opting out via a statement on Twitter. “I would ask the new yorker to consider in the future that participants in the festival deserve to make a choice to appear alongside someone this hateful,” he wrote. “steve bannon — respectfully that’s a full no for me and normalization of white supremacy.”

Judd Apatow shared similar sentiments, writing, “I hope the @NewYorker will do the right thing and cancel the Steve Bannon event. Maybe they should read their own reporting about his ideology.” It’s unclear if the individuals are still pulling out after Bannon’s headlining appearance has been dropped.