A bodybuilding sponsor has dropped Arnold Schwarzenegger as a spokesperson after an outburst that the former governor had directed at anti-maskers. The sponsor, REDCON1, said they chose to end their partnership with the former governor of California because of his anti-American comments, The Hill reported.
In an interview on CNN earlier in August, Schwarzenegger said that people who still are in denial about the COVID-19 pandemic need a reality check, calling people who are anti-masks "schmucks."
"You have the freedom to wear no mask — but you know something? You're a schmuck for not wearing a mask. Because you are supposed to protect your fellow Americans around you," he said in the interview.
REDCON1, a sports supplement company, announced last week they were pulling out from sponsoring next month's Arnold Classic bodybuilding competition over Schwarzenegger's "dangerous" and "anti-American" comments, USA Today reported.
"It's with a heavy heart and some genuine sadness, that REDCON1 has decided to discontinue any and all support for the Arnold Classic and the other Arnold related events around the world," REDCON1 founder Aaron Singerman wrote on Instagram.
Singerman posted on Instagram that as a "patriotic pro-freedom brand" they "can't support his opinion with our dollars."
Although Singerman said REDCON1 has been a sponsor of the Arnold Classic for nearly a decade, the founder said his company is a "patriotic pro-freedom brand" that supports "freedom of choice."
"Anyone who says 'screw your freedoms' is un-American, Singerman said.
"We've spent hundreds of thousands of dollars being a top sponsor of the event, and this year the exclusive sponsor of the webcast, but we can't in good conscience continue to support & be involved with someone who has such diametrically opposed beliefs," Singerman added.
"To be clear we did not pull out of the event because of a mask issue. We understand the importance of public safety as well as the responsibilities of all event organizers. These are unprecedented times, and we're aligned with public safety for all," a spokesman for REDCON1 told The Hill.
While some may consider what Schwarzenneger said to be a freedom of speech issue, celebrities have to walk a tightrope in a time of cancel culture and increased sensitivities.
And there are other famous people besides Schwarzenegger who have also reccently lost endorsement deals because of remarks they have made.
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