From recent attempts to silence late-night comedians to complaints from conservatives about \u201cwoke culture\u201d in Hollywood, DePaul\u2019s film school community is worried about the impacts on free speech.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI do not want our voices to be silenced in terms of creative freedom,\u201d said Zoe Goldstein, a DePaul junior who\u2019s majoring in film and television. \u201cIt is very scary the dystopian feeling going on in the industry with censorship.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe are going backwards as a society.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The entertainment industry has had a tough couple of months. President Trump recently <\/span>ended plans<\/span><\/a> to honor actor Tom Hanks, whom he called \u201cwoke\u201d and \u201cdestructive.\u201d Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel had his show \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live\u201d briefly removed from the ABC lineup. Kimmel is back on the air. But these are just a few ways the Trump administration is impacting the entertainment industry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe concerns about censorship in broadcast television are valid, especially considering historical instances like the Smother Brothers comedy hour in 1969,\u201d said Christopher Parrish, a screenwriter who also teaches in DePaul\u2019s <\/span>School of Cinematic Arts<\/span><\/a>. He said the show featured stand-up and sketches that included jokes about the Vietnam War, which drew <\/span>criticism<\/span><\/a> from the Nixon administration.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe refusal to self-censor and eliminate political humor led to the (CBS) network firing them,\u201d Parrish said. The book titled \u201c<\/span>Dangerously Funny<\/span><\/a>: The Uncensored Story of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour\u201d illustrated the ongoing challenges of maintaining creative freedom in the face of censorship.<\/span><\/p>\n Parrish urged DePaul film students to \u201cspeak your truth through your work.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe best way to protect a democracy is through the expression of free speech,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n Avery Anderson, a DePaul film student, plans to do just that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI voice my opinions and post on media platforms about issues,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cThe media on TV is a place to express ourselves and not feel like we have the government watching over what we make.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Anderson noted that government officials often say things people don\u2019t agree with, so actors and comedians should be able to do the same.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe government should not be involved in what is on the air,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cThey shouldn\u2019t be able to remove a talk show host from the air, simply because they don\u2019t like something he says.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n When Kimmel was pulled off the air, some Americans <\/span>threatened to boycott<\/span><\/a> Hulu and Disney+.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m proud of every American who protested this administration and also, in particular, the Americans who protested with their pocketbook,\u201d Parrish said. He and others felt that public pressure helped get Kimmel reinstated.<\/span><\/p>\n Kimmel\u2019s viewership went up after his return, with more than <\/span>6 million watching<\/span><\/a> his first night back last month. This leads to a new wave and recurrence of late-night comedies on television. In addition, \u201cThe Late Show With Stephen Colbert\u201d <\/span>has been canceled<\/span><\/a> by CBS, with its last day on air planned for May 2026, though the network claims it is for financial reasons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf late-night TV is changing, other media might be too. Colbert could end up on streamers like Netflix, and his audience could grow larger.\u201d Parrish said.<\/span><\/p>\n