"Dukes Of Hazzard" star John Schneider has expressed his great displeasure with TV Land's decision to yank reruns of his classic TV series on Wednesday due to the recent controversy surrounding the Confederate flag.
Schneider released a short YouTube video on July 1 defending the show and asking fans to focus on the families who lost their loved one in the massacre at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., on June 17.
"The thing that you need to understand is that people have lost their lives," the 55-year-old actor said. "This is not about a television show. It's not about a flag. It's not about white or black or yellow or blue or green or gold. It's about the fact that people have lost their lives and that is what we should be thinking about."
He then slammed TV Land for pulling the show, calling it "silly" and an "error" to take such action.
"I think it's an error because 'Dukes of Hazzard' was one of the most beloved shows ever... and now it's being cast in a terrible light that it does not deserve," Schneider said.
The "Smallville" actor also tweeted earlier on Wednesday a photo of shooter Dylann Roof burning the American flag while wearing a Gold's Gym T-shirt. "I am grossly offended by flag burning. But... is the Golds Gym logo to be considered a symbol of racism as well now?" he captioned the Twitter pic.
He later told The Hollywood Reporter that the tweet was a joke.
"I'm kidding, of course, but has it really come to this?" Schneider told The Hollywood Reporter. "Come on, TV Land, can't we all just watch TV?"
TV Land did not confirm that the recent controversy about the Confederate battle flag led to its programming decision. The '69 Dodge Charger featured on "Dukes of Hazzard" displayed the flag on its roof, and the car was named "The General Lee" after the Confederate Army Gen. Robert E. Lee.
