So Fox News columnist Roger Friedman reviewed the “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” leaked , stolen and unfinished workprint earlier this week and even though it was a positive review (of course), and the Internet freaked out, right? And with good reason, any blog would have done some such a dubious move and 20th Century Fox, would have freaked, no?
Well, Nikki Finke is reporting that Friedman has been shitcanned for the move according to her sources. Positive review or not (which many saw as transparent damage control), Fox apparently is viewing it as promoting piracy and he got the axe.
“Fox News, deleted the offending post after he was contacted by 20th Century Fox, and then fired Friedman as a freelance Fox News entertainment writer. I hear the move was done with the full support of News Corp. ‘He promoted piracy. He basically suggested that viewing a stolen film is OK, which is absolutely intolerable. So we fired him,’ a source told me Saturday. ‘Fox News acted promptly on all fronts.’ “
He’s been writing his column for over a decade now, but his gossipy, controversial pieces, which have always pissed off many, including reader, journos and studios alike, and it appears as if they have finally caught up with him. “He has been both condemned and praised for years. Still, he must have known how his writings Friday would have hit a nerve with his employers,” Finke’s sources say. And it was a wantonly brazen and audacious move and a lot of people aren’t going to have any sympathy for the guy. Fox Corp already condemned Friedman’s review on Friday, so this seems like this is the logical move (though with Fox, nothing ever seems logical; see Bill O’Reilly getting away with his 2004 sexual harassment fiasco by swiftly settling the matter before it could finish off his career).