Parler CEO Defends Kanye as Cancellation ‘Victim’ Before Suggesting Rapper’s Anti-Semitism is ‘Up for Conversation’

Zachary LeemanOct 17th, 2022, 10:05 am
 

Kanye West could soon be acquiring Parler, an alternative social media app geared towards conservatives frustrated with the more mainstream platforms. News of West’s potential acquisition of Parler came Monday amid West’s most recent scandal, which has gotten him suspended from Twitter.

Parler CEO George Farmer confirmed the West deal to Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo on Monday. As for the controversial tweet that got West in so much trouble with other platforms, Farmer claimed the rapper was a “victim” of cancellation, but was also hesitant to actually defend the message, which has been roundly condemned as anti-Semitic.

“I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE The funny thing is I actually can’t be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda,” West wrote in his original tweet.

Speaking with Bartiromo, Farmer admitted the tweet was “worded very badly,” but stressed that West has admitted he made a mistake.

“The tweet that he put out last week, as far as I could understand it, was an incorrect reference to defcon, obviously worded very badly and I think that was, as he said yesterday, a mistake. He’s obviously willing to have conversations that plenty of people want to have and I think that he’s trying to engage in the free speech environment,” Farmer said.

The CEO stopped short of condemning the rapper’s post, but did admit the message of his bizarre tweet is “up for conversation.”

“Specific comments about his personal opinions, obviously I can’t comment because I’m not him, but I would like to say that he’s now in a place where he’s fallen victim to the cancellation narrative. Whether or not what he said offended some people, of course, is up for conversation,” he said.

What Farmer and West ultimately agree on is that “more ideas” are the cure for “wrong ideas.”

“Censorship in any format is never a good thing and this is what he and we agee on,” he said.

Announcing the potential deal with West on Monday, Parler released a statement claiming the rapper will “never have to fear being removed from social media again.”

“In a world where conservative opinions are considered to be controversial we have to make sure we have the right to freely express ourselves,” West said in his own statement.

Watch above via Fox Business

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Zachary Leeman

Zachary Leeman covered pop culture and politics at outlets such as Breitbart, LifeZette, BizPac Review, HollywoodinToto, and others. He is the author of the novel Nigh. He joined Mediaite in 2022.