ABC/Randy Holmes(NEW YORK) — Shonda Rhimes has made it clear that the people signing a petition to fire Jesse Williams from Grey’s Anatomy are wasting their time.
In response to the call to have Williams removed from the cast for his emotional BET Awards speech about racial injustice, the Grey’s Anatomy creator voiced her support for him, tweeting, “Um, people? Boo don’t need a petition. #shondalandrules.” Following his speech on June 26, Rhimes applauded his comments, tweeting, “@iJesseWilliams’ speech. YES.”
Um, people? Boo don't need a petition. #shondalandrules
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) July 5, 2016
Rhimes also retweeted Williams’ comment telling people to ignore his critics. He wrote, “Do not promote empty people & their tantrums. Pure clickbait to gain followers, attention & money, for themselves, not you. Never you.”
Do not promote empty people & their tantrums. Pure clickbait to gain followers, attention & money, for themselves, not you. Never you.
— jesseWilliams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 3, 2016
As previously reported, a petition created by Erin Smith was posted on Change.org demanding that Williams be fired from his role as Dr. Jackson Avery. The petition begins, “Jesse Williams spewed a racist, hate speech against law enforcement and white people at the BET awards. If this was a white person making the same speech about an African American, they would have been fired and globally chastised, as they should be, but there has been no consequences to Williams’ actions.”
The call to have him fired has led to several counter petitions urging that Williams continue on Grey’s Anatomy. Williams received the BET Humanitarian Award for his involvement in the Black Lives Matter movement.
Copyright © 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
