The move follows allegations of abuse from an ex-girlfriend.
June 16, 2018
One day after Chloe Dykstra penned a scathing account of her abusive relationship with Chris Hardwick, AMC has announced that it will no longer be airing Talking with Chris Hardwick - at least for the time being.
The decision comes just one day before the pop culture talk show was scheduled to debut its second season, and puts Hardwick's entire working relationship with the cable network in jeopardy. His planned appearances at next month's Comic-Con convention have also been cancelled.
In a statement released earlier today, AMC said, "We have had a positive working relationship with Chris Hardwick for many years. We take the troubling allegations that surfaced yesterday very seriously. While we assess the situation, Talking with Chris Hardwick will not air on AMC, and Chris has decided to step aside from moderating planned AMC and BBC America panels at Comic-Con International in San Diego next month."
Dykstra's allegations originally came to light in the early hours of Friday morning, when word spread that the actress had written a lengthy, unlisted post on website Medium, detailing her troubled, three-year relationship with an unnamed male who was quickly revealed to be Hardwick.
Later in the day, Hardwick responded to the claims, denying any occurrence of abuse or assault, writing, "I'm devastated to read that she is now accusing me of conduct that did not occur. I was blindsided by her post and always wanted the best for her. As a husband, a son, and future father, I do not condone any kind of mistreatment of women."
For now, Talking with Chris Hardwick has been taken off of AMC's schedule. Depending on the results of their investigation, Hardwick's entire relationship with the network could also be over, leaving the future of Talking Dead, the aftershow that follows episodes of both The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead, up in the air.
Wow
06/18/18 at 04:24pm
Also---you know when it became something he could get fired for? When he used his position to try and sabotage her career. I don't care if you're some guy who works for the post office, or a Hollywood producer. That's a no-no. Had he just left it to a personal, supposedly private thing, he'd still be an abuser. But he brought their personal drama into his job. He played himself.
Wow
06/18/18 at 03:18pm
I love that the same people who insist "innocent until proven guilty" are quick to attack anyone whose beliefs don't fit with their own. An abuser is okay. A serial rapist, that's okay. It's always the woman's fault. She's damaged. He's misunderstood. Meanwhile, just _one_ of the things Hardwick did would be a red flag in any relationship. As for her being "broken?" Have you ever seen people in an abusive relationship? That's exactly right. That's what abusers seek out. People with seriously low self-esteem. Doesn't change anything he did, and doesn't make me feel one iota of sadness for him.
I'd be nihilistic if it mattered
06/18/18 at 11:05am
I've ALWAYS disliked Hardwick.. never found him funny, amusing or remotely interesting. That being said, after reading the Dykstra post.. well yeah.. he sounds like an asshole.. but she sounds like a broken little girl with no self-esteem. You can't blame him for the things you agree to put up with. I mean come on.. after the first set of "rules", she chose to stay -- and some of those "rules" seem perfectly legitimate for a celebrity and alcoholic. So she's being a "drama queen" here. I don't mean to dismiss her feelings, but to blame Hardwick for any of it seems like nothing more then reflection rather than looking inward at ones self. Maybe he wasn't the best boyfriend/partner, but that doesn't mean he's worthy of career-ruining, public, thinly-veiled, attacks. Dykstra needs to come to terms with how pitiful and clearly reliant she is on a man. It's not Hardwick's fault she's clearly better at blaming others than she is at taking stock of herself. Again, I dislike Hardwick... he comes across as an ass on tv and has since the G4 days where he got his start.. even in his 80s comedy duo Hard & Firm, he was the ass... but he doesn't deserve some crazy ex ruining his career because she's upset over a beak-up. The entire "MeToo" movement is being used to take vengeance, deserving or not, without any repercussions for the women. This story reminds me of the Aziz Ansari issue... a NOTHING story except a broken woman... but it's being conflated with rapists and molesters unfairly.
Penny For Your Thoughts
06/18/18 at 09:52am
Wow. So.......ok. I haven't had my coffee yet obviously. I meant "innocent until proven guilty." Ugh. Wish they'd let you edit your comments before you come off like a total dip. Sorry about that!
Penny For Your Thoughts
06/18/18 at 09:50am
Although "innocent until proven guilty" ONLY applies to a court of law, I still do believe that investigations must be done before we just automatically fire people. I'm a firm believer in the Me Too movement, but we can't just jump the gun. Like it or not, false allegations do exist. I could understand them putting him on leave while the investigation is ongoing (something that happens in the general workforce usually) before an automatic termination.....unless there is a pattern of behavior. Of course, as I stated, that is for the general workforce and typically is something that happens when the alleged incident is between 2 co-workers, which obviously doesn't apply here. I don't know. It's tricky. I just think in *most* situations, investigations should conclude before either parties life and careers are ruined.
Sara
06/18/18 at 07:41am
I love Talking Dead and I won't watch The Walking Dead anymore if TD is off. That show helped me understand what the heck was going on with TWD!!! I am sick to death of these stupid women coming forward years later. Let's see, CH is successful and probably has a lot of money coming in. Never heard of this Chloe wench. Do the math!!! I had bad relationships, too. I'm sorry but if the stupid wench couldn't report the incident at the time, then that's on her. I get it, being in a bad relationship is hard but hello she could've left. She wanted to ride his coat tails. I'm sick of the guilty till proven innocent and all this firing before anything is proven crap. And it won't matter if he's proven innocent -- the damage is done. SO OVER IT. Men won't be able to even look at a woman anymore with the threat of suing. Enough already!!!
Chris
06/17/18 at 11:43pm
She said he blacklisted he but I think it is more likely that after they broke up he was no longer using he stardom to further her career it may have felt like he blacklisted her but she just was no longer getting helping this is not the same thing and this is why see came out with this story true or made up to get back at what she thought was being black listed and this all to me seems like what happened to Aziz Ansari and his bad date me too complaint a few months ago but a bad relationship is not a crime it is not a reason for someone to loose there job being asked not to drink around a alcoholic as part of dating is not a crime and telling someone its you or them don't have male friends is not a crime and she said he made her have sex or he would break up with her I am sorry is not rape I don't think its even assault but I do understand that is the gray area but it comes down to he said she said and can't be proven and the no male friends thing is not a reason for someone to loose there job even if it is true and asked not to drinking around a alcoholic your dating is definitely not a crime it common sense sorry but this is guilty till proven innocent Not Innocent till proven guilty
mike dobey
06/17/18 at 09:03pm
So we don't know for sure. We don't have any other proof. If he was abusive and there is real evidence then you pull the show. But we see this over and over. Garrison keeler touched a woman's back in the 90's so all his radio shows are pulled? DId he do it to others? Was he a real lech? This may be true , but should not they find out first?
Ed Gordon
06/17/18 at 11:43am
Theres a term for what she did. Its called "Dry snitching." That pretty much means that you arent exactly coming right out and directly telling on someone, but youve done or said something anonymously that you know FULL WELL will lead right back to your intended target resulting in him/her being outed.
Ed Gordon
06/17/18 at 11:29am
This "Me To" stuff is this generation's McCarthyism.
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