Mark Duplass Faces Backlash Over Endorsing Conservative Ben Shapiro, James Gunn Comes to His Defense
Zack Sharf
James Gunn is coming to the defense of Mark Duplass after the indie filmmaker received extreme backlash online for endorsing conservative commentator and The Daily Wire editor-in-chief Ben Shapiro. Duplass took to Twitter on July 18 to tell his “fellow liberals” they should consider “crossing the aisle” and following Shapiro on Twitter.
“I don’t agree with him on much be he’s a genuine person who once helped me for no other reason than to be nice,” Duplass wrote on Twitter to his over 400,000 followers. “He doesn’t bend the truth. His intentions are good.”
Duplass’ advice was immediately slammed across social media. Numerous writers pointed to Shapiro’s history of publishing racist tweets, including one controversial post in which he blamed Trayvon Martin for getting himself shot and killed because he “took a man’s head and beat it on the pavement.” Duplass issued a defense of his original tweet and later deleted both posts from his social media page.
Actual liberal here: get the fuck out of here with this garbage take from Hell.
— Guy Endore-Kaiser (@GuyEndoreKaiser) July 18, 2018
Mark Duplass deleted his Ben Shapiro endorsement but he has been on this path for a while. pic.twitter.com/pURa2O6m6z
— ishmael n. daro (@iD4RO) July 18, 2018
i am suddenly less surprised that TOGETHERNESS became a show about how charter schools are the only way to protect and educate mark duplass’ children
— sonia saraiya (@soniasaraiya) July 18, 2018
no, they aren’t. his intentions are terrible, as many are showing you using his own words.
— The Mountain Goats (@mountain_goats) July 18, 2018
Plainly evident from following Mark Duplass for a while that he’s such a good dude that he’d probably sit down and have a calm conversation with Satan if he could. He’d listen to Satan. He’d *try* to talk Satan into doing some good. That’s clearly who he is and I respect that.
— John Squires (@FreddyInSpace) July 18, 2018
It’s always white men who think crossing the aisle is just about respecting a difference of opinion or willingness to be open minded.
A lot of us have our lives and human rights put in jeopardy by the horseshit people like Ben promote.
But cool, an asshole was nice to you once.
— Ally Maynard (@missmayn) July 18, 2018
As Duplass continued to be criticized, “Guardians of the Galaxy” filmmaker James Gunn stepped in to defend his fellow director. Gunn said he does not support Shapiro’s views, but that doesn’t make Duplass’ tweet about considering following the commentator evil. The director encouraged people to save their outrage over Duplass and use it for the “traitors and racists” in America who deserve scorn.
“Maybe you disagree with Mark Duplass, which is completely fair (personally I think even Ben Shapiro’s mother should unfollow him),” Gunn wrote. “But that doesn’t make Duplass’ point-of-view evil. There are a lot of traitors & racists in the country today. Perhaps save the outrage for them.”
“Mark Duplass tweeting how you should follow an asshole because he thinks it’s the kind thing to do simply can’t be the bar for moral outrage,” Gunn added.
Read Gunn’s full thoughts on the Duplass controversy below. IndieWire has reached out to Duplass’ representatives for further comment.
Maybe you disagree with Mark Duplass, which is completely fair (personally I think even Ben Shapiro’s mother should unfollow him). But that doesn’t make Duplass’ point-of-view evil. There are a lot of traitors & racists in the country today. Perhaps save the outrage for them. 1
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) July 18, 2018
Not everyone can be right all the time about everything, and, if you think that’s possible, then eventually you’re going to be standing by yourself, “right,” but alone. 2
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) July 18, 2018
We have a President who’s an operative for a foreign nation at our helm. We have immigrant children still held without parents. Our election was attacked by Russia and the corrupt GOP is doing everything to make sure we don’t put protections in place against it happening again. 3
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) July 18, 2018
Mark Duplass tweeting how you should follow an asshole because he thinks it’s the kind thing to do simply can’t be the bar for moral outrage.
Have a good day. 4/END
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) July 18, 2018
