James Woods Celebrates BuzzFeed, HuffPost Layoffs: 'Victories for Real Journalism'

Getty Images

James Woods took to Twitter on Thursday morning to celebrate layoffs at BuzzFeed and HuffPost earlier this week, calling the news a “victory for real journalism.”

“Well, layoffs at #Buzzfeed and #HuffPo are victories for real journalism. The less #FakeNews, the better,” the actor wrote on Twitter. In his post, Woods included a screenshot of a tweet by Mother Jones editor in chief Clara Jeffrey, urging her followers to support news organizations.

“I would hope the people cheering layoffs of journalists can find whatever emotional support they so clearly need in their lives. As many smart people have written in recent days, lord knows that support will not be found on Twitter,” a rep for BuzzFeed told TheWrap.

Also Read: James Woods Warns Kevin Hart About Apologizing to 'the Rage Mob': 'Don't Climb Onto the Cross'

Reps for HuffPost did not immediately respond to request for comment from TheWrap.

The media layoffs this week suggest the broad industry contraction over the last several years will continue apace in 2019. On Wednesday evening, news broke that BuzzFeed would cut 15 percent of its staff.

“Over the past few months, we’ve done extensive work examining the trends in our business and the evolving economics of the digital platforms,” BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti explained to staff in an email. “We’ve developed a good understanding of where we can consolidate our teams, focus in on the content that is working, and achieve the right cost structure to support our multi-revenue model. We are confident the changes we are making will put us on a firm foundation and allow us to invest and grow sustainably for years to come.

Cuts at Verizon Media have also resulted in layoffs at HuffPost, with of the news coming to staffers Thursday afternoon.

Woods, an Emmy and Golden Globe-winner, is best known for his roles in “Casino,” “Once Upon a Time in America” and “Salvador.” In recent years, Woods has become known for his conservative positions. He is also one of President Trump’s biggest supporters online and even earning a shoutout from the president earlier this month.

Well, layoffs at #Buzzfeed and #HuffPo are victories for real journalism. The less #FakeNews, the better… pic.twitter.com/CHcSZR7r0C

— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) January 24, 2019

11 Media Losers of 2018, From Les Moonves to Michael Avenatti (Photos)

2018 was hard for a lot of media folks, but particularly so for this rogues' gallery. For some, it was MeToo. For others, industry headwinds were too much. And for more still, disgrace and ignominy came after just saying the wrong thing.
Wrap
Les Moonves: Once celebrated for his leadership at CBS, Moonves faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct for which he was ultimately fired. CBS said in December that it would seek to deny him a roughly $120-million severance package.
Getty
Laura Ingraham: Long a divisive figure (even on the right), the Fox News host might have avoided the losers' column were it not for a sponsor boycott launched against her by Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg in March. Months later, advertisers are still wary of appearing on the program.

Also Read: Laura Ingraham Compares Confederate Statue Protesters to ISIS
Getty
Michael Ferro/Tronc: The leadership of Michael Ferro has now made Tronc synonymous with mismanagement. In addition to leaving the top job with a #MeToo scandal over his head, Ferro is now facing accusations of making anti-semitic remarks and paying off an LA Times editor who reportedly had the comments on tape.
YouTube
Media Publishers: From Mic.com on the left to The Weekly Standard on the right, publishers came in for a beating, with some closing up entirely. With few exceptions, legacy shops saw print sales decline, while digital-first properties continue to face the crushing economics of turning pageviews into profits.
YouTube
Breitbart: It's a name you probably haven't heard for a while. Once a key part of the engine which powered Trump's improbable election, the website had long fallen off most radars. A sustained pressure campaign against advertisers on the site by Sleeping Giants has also taken a bite out of revenue.

Also Read: Breitbart and Drudge Hit by Google Cloud Issue, Go Offline
YouTube
Marc Lamont Hill: Once a CNN regular, Hill lost his job as a contributor on the network after making remarks about Israel and Palestine at the UN that many called anti-semitic. A chummy photo with Louis Farrakhan -- who has compared Jews to termites -- didn't help matters for him either. He remains a tenured professor at Temple University.

Also Read: CNN Fires Contributor Marc Lamont Hill Over Israel Remarks (Video)
YouTube
CBS and "60 Minutes": Both the network and its marquee news program took a beating this year. "60 Minutes" executive producer Jeff Fager was forced out in a MeToo scandal, while details of an investigation launched by the network generally hit the press before reaching top management.
CBS
Michael Avenatti: Just months ago, the lawyer representing Stormy Daniels in her legal fight with Donald Trump was considered a serious presidential contender. But his reputation took a hit after taking on a questionable MeToo claim against Brett Kavanaugh, and he disappeared for good after being booked on felony domestic violence charges in November (though he was not charged).

Also Read: Michael Avenatti Says He Won’t Run for President in 2020 After All
Getty
Andy Lack: The MSNBC/NBC News chief had a rough 2018. His network's decision to pass on Ronan Farrow's historic MeToo reporting continues to reverberate. His big bet on Megyn Kelly also flopped and became a multi-million dollar ulcer which still remains far from resolved.
Getty
Gavin McInnes: Always on the fringes, McInnes had nevertheless carved a niche for himself as an online provocateur, a host on CRTV and as the head of his own (occasionally violent/racist) fraternal organization, The Proud Boys. By the end of 2018, he was banned from Twitter, dropped by CRTV and had resigned from The Proud Boys.
YouTube
Univision: Univision spent $135 million on Gawker Media back in 2016 and has spent most of the time since mismanaging the former properties and being called out by its own writers. Amid buyouts to editorial and broad layoffs elsewhere, Univision revealed it is looking to cut its losses and unload the websites once and for all.

Also Read: Univision Unveils New Strategy to Drive Millennials From Their Phones to the TV (Exclusive)
YouTube

1 of 12

2018 was a rough year for media, and for this rogues’ gallery, the damage was particularly catastrophic

2018 was hard for a lot of media folks, but particularly so for this rogues' gallery. For some, it was MeToo. For others, industry headwinds were too much. And for more still, disgrace and ignominy came after just saying the wrong thing.

View In Gallery

11 Media Losers of 2018, From Les Moonves to Michael Avenatti (Photos)

Related Content

James Woods Warns Kevin Hart About Apologizing to ‘the Rage Mob': ‘Don’t Climb Onto the Cross’

James Woods Helps Alyssa Milano, Holly Marie Combs With Horse Rescues During Southern California Fires

James Woods Calls Clintons Bomb Threat ‘Obvious Political Stunt’

James Woods Wants the ‘Licensed Hunting of Poachers’ After Blake Fischer Hunting Outrage

7DAYFREETRIAL

7
DAY
FREE
TRIAL