President Donald Trump trumps LGBTQ rights when it comes to prime-time on ABC. The network announced that because House Speaker Paul Ryan has invited the president to deliver his first address to Congress on February 28th, it will shift its scheduled miniseries, “When We Rise,” so it can instead televise the speech that will be seen on every other network.
The miniseries, depicting the decades-long struggle by a group of LGBTQ Americans for equality, debuts on Monday, February 27 at 9 p.m. EST, 8 p.m. Central. Instead of presenting the second night of “When We Rise” on Tuesday, ABC will interrupt its lineup to join CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, MSNBC, C-SPAN, the Spanish language networks and countless radio stations and webstreams to bring Trump’s address live to its viewers.
Related: WATCH: Heart-Wrenching First Look At LGBTQ Rights Miniseries ‘When We Rise’
“When We Rise” was created by Oscar winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, and stars Guy Pearce, Mary-Louise Parker, Rachel Griffiths, Michael K. Williams, Rosie O’Donnell, Whoopi Goldberg and trans actresses Alexandra Grey and Ivory Aquino.
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Prior to ABC’s scheduling change, Black said during a press event that he thinks Trump might find his series worth watching.
Related: Dustin Lance Black says ‘When We Rise’ under attack from alt-right but even Trump will like it
“If Donald Trump actually watches the show, he might like the show,” Black said, adding that Trump voters may get a lot out of it, too. And as Variety reported, thanks to ABC, now they won’t have to miss any of it.
“I don’t see this show as trying to speak to only half of the country — I didn’t write the show for half the country.” Black said he wrote it with his own kind in mind: a Christian, Southern, military family.
Watch the trailer for “When We Rise” below:
https://youtu.be/UwvgMNE9ozg
Mack
Well I won’t be watching Trump. I don’t think he’s intelligent enough to say anything of any importance.
Terrycloth
I won’t even say his name .whenever he comes on the channel I’m watching I change it…didn’t watch inauguration either.I had over a year of him suckin the air out of every room he speaks too. I thought somebody was gonna get him during his wave & walk with the wife after he was sworn in. ..I hope for all of our sakes he gets impeached within a year …
Kieran
“President Donald Trump trumps LGBTQ rights when it comes to prime-time on ABC.”
Or maybe ABC just wants as many people as possible to watch the program.
sfbeast
In the long list of problems with Trump, this is not one of them. It’s not even discriminatory. ‘When We Rise’ will have a larger viewing audience if it isn’t competing with Trump’s speech.
Jack Meoff
It just makes sense not to minimise their potential audience by going up against an event that many people will watch. Networks do this all the time to avoid scheduling conflicts.
VampDC
Thank you ABC. I may be gay but id rather watch our president than a bunch of snowflakes I’m embarrassed to call my “community” complain.
seaguy
If you’re so embarrassed go back in the damn closet then.
Horse Lips
Hey look, another chicken for Colonel Sanders.
Brian
Why show his speeches live? Time and again, fact-checkers have demonstrated that most of Donald’s statements are untrue. Most, the majority. He actually lies more than he tells the truth. The networks should gather footage and review it before airing. Live telecasts just allow him to lie to millions of people without any filter or footnote. That’s abhorrent.
Xzamilloh
I agree wholeheartedly with you…. except, time and time again, it has been apparent that a lot of Trump followers simply don’t care if what he’s saying is true or not. They see any refutation of his statements as more “fake news” and he buys into that shit. Like, now, he’s trying to open a probe into voter fraud, and it’s been discovered his son in law, daughter Tiffany Trump, Sessions and some other pick for his cabinet were registered to vote in two different states. You think he’ll address that?
Jack Meoff
@Xzamilloh – Is it that they don’t care that he lies or is it that they have to keep telling themselves (and others) that they made the right choice by supporting and voting for him even in the face of his lies. Are they deluded or are they just trying to save face?
Xzamilloh
I’d say deluded… because they really believe that he is going to be the (sick irony) hope and change that is needed. But most of us knew he was talking out his ass just like any other politicians, the two key differences being he is not a politician… he’s a shady business owner, which is pretty much the same thing with a Congress that is in bed with corporations and big banks.
Xzamilloh
When We Rise is not a sustainable concept… I’ll just leave it at that.
seaguy
As a broadcast network ABC may be legally required to air the presidential address to congress, because of the fact that the broadcast networks use public airwaves to transmit their signals they have some required programming they must air, like educations children’s shows on weekends.
Cable networks are not under those same requirements.
seaguy
In a typical East Room address, the president takes questions from the press corps on a particular topic the administration would like to address. In each case, networks and their news companies decide whether the issue being addressed is newsworthy, and can broadcast or report on it at their discretion. However, in cases where the president would like to speak to the nation directly, the White House will specifically ask networks to set aside time for the address, usually in the evening when more people are watching television.
It’s generally considered good form to agree to a president’s official request, but this is where the issue gets murky for whether or not networks must consent. Part of the deal that local broadcast stations make with the Federal Communications Commission is they must prove they are performing some public service in order to continue operating. This includes showing a minimum amount of children’s educational programming, as well as agreeing to disseminate information that contributes to public wellbeing, including presidential addresses. When broadcasters fail to uphold their end of the bargain, the FCC can subject them to fines or revoke their licenses.
Shannon1981
I don’t know how I feel about this. Om the one hand, when the president speaks, everyone watches. I’d rahther the LGBTQ special not compete with that. On the other hand, this president is a pathological liar who is spreading propaganda to the masses. If the media erre responsible, they’d filter his lies before airing them.
1EqualityUSA
I want to hear him stammer his way through lame excuses for lifting sanctions on Russia.
Neonegro
So the network should ignore the first address to congress by the president of the most powerful country on earth and instead put on a show about a miniscule sexual minority??????
An event of interest to the entire country and the world versus a show of interest only to gay Americans.
Yes, the presidential address should win the day.