John Schneider, who played Bo Duke on “The Dukes of Hazzard,” on Wednesday unloaded on TV Land for pulling reruns of the show from its schedule as the nation engages in a renewed debate over the Confederate flag.
“The Dukes of Hazzard was and is no more a show seated in racism than Breaking Bad was a show seated in reality,” Schneider told The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday.
“Come on, TV Land, can’t we all just watch TV?” he asked.
The show, which aired from 1979 to 1985, featured a red Dodge Charger painted with a Confederate flag named “General Lee.”
Schneider said his residual payments for the show “have never been much to write home about,” but he insisted that the series promoted good values, not racism.
“I am saddened that one angry and misguided individual can cause one of the most beloved television shows in the history of the medium to suddenly be seen in this light,” he told The Holloywood Reporter. “Are people who grew up watching the show now suddenly racists? Will they have to go through a detox and a 12-step program to kick their Dukes habit? ‘Hi… My name is John. I’m a Dukesoholic.'”
He also expressed his outrage on Twitter over protesters’ plans to burn American and Confederate flags in Brooklyn on Wednesday.
I am grossly offended by flag burning. But… is the Golds Gym logo to be considered a symbol of racism as well now?
http://t.co/fJTFKqPjpB
— John Schneider (@John_Schneider) July 1, 2015
Last week, Warner Bros. said it would no longer license models of “General Lee” after numerous stores announced they would stop selling products featuring the Confederate flag.
