The "Mayans M.C." showrunner claims he was thrown under the bus by his new Disney bosses and seen as "dangerous to the wholesome brand," adding, "Clearly I ruffled a few mouse ears."
It's been a tumultuous day for "Mayans M.C." showrunner and creator Kurt Sutter, who was fired by his new corporate bosses at Disney for being an "abrasive dick," as he described it in a letter to cast and crew, and followed it up by trolling Disney relentlessly on social media.
The "Sons of Anarchy" spinoff series is currently airing its second season, during which Sutter explained he had stepped back from day-to-day running of the production to focus on the writing and post-production work. Nevertheless, the network reportedly received "multiple" complaints about his behavior on set, which is nothing new for Sutter.
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View Story"At least being fired for being an abrasive dick is on brand," he wrote in a letter sent to the cast and crew after he was let go, as covered by The Hollywood Reporter.
"I deeply apologize if I've made people feel less than or unsupported. My intention was literally the opposite," Sutter continued. "But clearly I've not been paying attention. My arrogance and chronic distraction has created wreckage."
Throughout his career, Sutter's abrasive and aggressive style has gotten him into hot water. He even told The Hollywood Reporter in 2018 about an incident where he cursed out an executive during his "SOA" days, saying he keeps it as a reminder of how not to behave.
And he insisted in a letter to his "inside circle," as Deadline described it, that he had tempered his behavior while working on "Mayans."
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View StoryIn it he admitted growing frustrated after Disney took control over FX and he started receiving notes from the studio asking for "a level of dumbing-down story and inane PC restraints like I've never experienced before."
He further confirms that he pushed back, but was "much tamer than I ever was on SOA." Nevertheless, he suspects that it was this that ultimately cost him his job.
"I was dealing with personnel who didn't know me. And my level of... passion," Sutter wrote. "Clearly I ruffled a few mouse ears." He then comes right out and says he doesn't believe that he was fired over reported complaints from cast and crew.
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View Story"I'm not saying all of the intel was bulls--t," he continued. "But I know that's not why I was fired. The truth is, the suits wanted me gone. I stepped on toes and bruised egos. And in this Disney regime, I'm dangerous to the wholesome brand. And clearly not worth the trouble."
In the end, he feels that he was thrown under the bus and embarrassed. And yet, he's not letting it dampen his spirits too much, as he has turned that "passion" he wrote about into trolling his bosses at Disney; THR does say his overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV remains in effect.
He dropped a picture from one of Disney's theme parks into his Instagram with the (likely ironic) caption, "The happiest place on earth..." And then on Twitter, he joked about finding his next gig. Check out Sutter's social media reactions below:
Thanks for all the love and support. I've been vocalizing all day. So ready to nail this audition and start my next gig. Hakuna matata, motherfuckers. pic.twitter.com/6P1u3zQdtP
@sutterink
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