A&E Re-instates Phil Robertson on 'Duck Dynasty'

Credit: Parade

After suspending their Duck Dynasty reality star Phil Robertson for controversial and bigoted statements about homosexuals, A&E has reversed their decision.

To explain the move, A&E released the following tl;dr statement.

And in case you don't have the patience to read it, A&E is sorry but claims that as a whole the Robertson family and their show promotes unity, tolerance and forgiveness so they will keep filming the program with the family patriarch.

Also everyone involved (but totally not A&E who don't share such opinions) is super sorry and they plan to continue to apologize with promos about acceptance to air on the network.

Or as the statement reads in its own word:

As a global media content company, A+E Networks’ core values are centered around creativity, inclusion and mutual respect. We believe it is a privilege for our brands to be invited into people’s home and we operate with a strong sense of integrity and deep commitment to these principals.

That is why we reacted so quickly and strongly to a recent interview with Phil Robertson. While Phil’s comments made in the interview reflect his personal views based on his own beliefs, and his own personal journey, he and his family have publicly stated they regret the “coarse language” he used and the mis-interpretation of his core beliefs based only on the article. He also made it clear he would “never incite or encourage hate.” We at A+E Networks expressed our disappointment with his statements in the article, and reiterate that they are not views we hold.

But Duck Dynasty is not a show about one man’s views. It resonates with a large audience because it is a show about family… a family that America has come to love. As you might have seen in many episodes, they come together to reflect and pray for unity, tolerance and forgiveness. These are three values that we at A+E Networks also feel strongly about.

So after discussions with the Robertson family, as well as consulting with numerous advocacy groups, A&E has decided to resume filming Duck Dynasty later this spring with the entire Robertson family.

We will also use this moment to launch a national public service campaign (PSA) promoting unity, tolerance and acceptance among all people, a message that supports our core values as a company, and the values found in Duck Dynasty. These PSAs will air across our entire portfolio.

We bet Paula Deen is super pissed right about now.