Tim Allen Under Fire For Controversial Line In The Santa Clauses
Tim Allen has come under fire for a line in the Santa Clauses that states "saying 'Merry Christmas' has become problematic."
Tim Allen, star of the new Disney+ series The Santa Clauses, is currently under siege on Twitter for the line “saying ‘Merry Christmas to all’ has suddenly become problematic!” That line is spoken by Allen’s character, Scott Calvin, as the in-universe Santa Claus. Reaction to the line on Twitter has been harsh and sudden, as is usually the case with social media.
Film critic Scott Weinberg, also the producer of the movie Skyline, is being credited as the original source of the tweet that ignited the latest controversy. Users have responded with comments about fears of canceling Christmas or how Santa wears a red hat. That last comment refers to the Make America Great Again hats worn by supporters of President Trump, including the politically conservative and outspoken Tim Allen.
The conservative comedian made a joke earlier this year directed at President Joe Biden which again resulted in an online mob descending on the star’s social media accounts. That time around, Tim Allen was spared the worst of what Twitter has to offer, with most users just disappointed in a lame joke. The Santa Clauses line behind the latest woke firestorm is generating a much more severe reaction over social media.
The Santa Clauses showrunner, Jack Burditt, was also the creator of Tim Allen’s politically polarizing sitcom Last Man Standing. Burditt and Allen’s political leanings, and how they simply choose to view the world, are likely why the vaguely political line was put into the script. The former Toy Story star has explained in the past how comedy today has changed over the last few years, with the COVID-19 pandemic changing what jokes he feels like he can and can’t say while on stage.
Part of the problem could be that The Santa Clause franchise has historically been family-friendly, which makes even the semi-political line stick out like a square peg going into a round hole. Another issue may be that the series is airing on Disney+, a service, and company that is staunchly pro-Christmas. The final issue is again, Tim Allen, with the actor’s critics on social media looking for any excuse to go after the star due to his political opinions.
Prior to working with Disney on The Santa Clauses, Tim Allen was removed as Buzz from the Toy Story franchise. Captain America star Chris Evans was given the role of Buzz in the movie Lightyear, ending an 18-year run of Allen playing the character. At the time, the Home Improvement star seemed unfazed over losing the role to Evans, as Allen did not think Lightyear was an actual Toy Story movie.
Despite Tim Allen taking the loss of his most famous role rather well, the actor’s fans and supporters turned their ire upon Disney. The inclusion of a same-sex kiss in Lightyear further incensed right-wing fans, leading to boycotts of the film. The Santa Clauses series currently streaming on Disney+ can be seen as a way for Disney and Allen to mend fences and make things right, but as always, it is impossible to please everyone.
