Prominent TV executives in the U.K. have expressed dismay over a social media post by Tamara Abood, a former Channel 4 commissioner, criticising Stephen Fry’s “disingenuous” Christmas Day message on antisemitism. Deadline Hollywoodhas more.
Tamara Abood, an ex-Channel 4 current affairs commissioner and producer of shows including What Happens In Kavos, sparked anger after posting on LinkedIn about Fry’s alternative Christmas Day message.
Industry executives were also dismayed that one of Abood’s posts was ‘liked’ by Deborah Williams, Chief Executive of the Creative Diversity Network, British TV’s inclusion watchdog.
Fry used his speech on Channel 4 to express concern about rising antisemitism in the U.K. and implored viewers to stand up against discrimination. The six-minute speech was produced by Fulwell 73.
Abood, who now works as a psychotherapist but maintains links to the TV industry, wrote that the speech was “disingenuous” in a series of LinkedIn messages.
She added: “C4 is broadcasting a Christmas message about antisemitism. If this doesn’t demonstrate to you where the power lies, and who dies for those lies of the powerful, you are choosing to be blind.”
Abood has since deleted her LinkedIn account, meaning her messages are no longer in the public domain, but a source shared screenshots of the posts and the uproar they provoked. Abood has been contacted for comment.
In other messages, Abood argued that antisemitism “is not happening in a vacuum” and that the spectre of hatred towards Jewish people “has been used to silence debate.” …
Leo Pearlman, Managing Partner at Fulwell 73, told the Daily Telegraph – which first reported on the LinkedIn posts – that it was like Abood was “playing a game of antisemitism bingo”. He added: “Every trope is there from ‘Jews control the media’ to ‘antisemitism not operating in a vacuum.’”
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