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AN INVESTIGATION IS under way after a television programme in the US discovered that Ben Affleck had an ancestor who was a slave-owner – but didn’t air the discovery following a request from the actor.
Affleck has apologised for making the request, saying that he was ‘embarrassed’ by his ancestor, while the network which aired the programme said it is carrying out an internal review.
The programme called Finding Your Roots, which is similar to Who Do You Think You Are, looked at Affleck’s family history.
In a statement, the PBS network said it is investigating whether its editorial stands were observed.
The programme’s host has defended the decision not to include the slave-owner ancestor, saying that he focused on the most interesting aspects of Affleck’s history, including a Revolutionary War ancestor, a great-grandfather who enjoyed the occult, and Affleck’s mother.
Writing on Facebook last night, Affleck said he had asked the programme maker not to include the story of his distant relative when the discovery was made.
“I was embarrassed. The very thought left a bad taste in my mouth,” he wrote.
The Batman star said that he had lobbied the show creator not to include the story “the same way I lobby directors about what takes of mine I think they should use”.
“It’s important to remember that this isn’t a news programme,” Affleck wrote. “Finding Your Roots is a show where you voluntarily provide a great deal of information about your family, making you quite vulnerable.
The assumption is that they [the programme makers] will never be dishonest but they will respect your willingness to participate and not look to include things you think would embarrass your family.
The Oscar-winning director and actor said that he regretted what he had done, and noted the backlash against him for trying to edit his family history.
“We deserve neither credit not blame for our ancestors and the degree of interest in this story suggests that we are, as a nation, still grappling with the terrible legacy of slavery,” he wrote.
How it was leaked
Affleck’s request to the programme makers became public last week when it was published by Wikileaks as part of a trove of emails and internal communications accessed during a massive hack of Sony last year.
The programme’s presenter, Harvard lecturer Henry Louis Gates, had emailed the chief executive of Sony – who was a friend of his – to discuss Affleck’s request.
The Sony executive advised taking out the slave-owner information ‘if no-one knows’, but noted that ‘if it gets out that you are editing the material based on this kind of sensitivity then it gets tricky’.
Gates said that not including the story could ‘compromise our integrity’ but ultimately went ahead with the decision.
After the story initially broke, PBS said Gates and his producers “made an independent editorial judgement to choose the most compelling narrative”.
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It’s not like he owns slaves himself..
I’m sure if you go back long enough everyone has a dodgy ancestor or two.
More than a few viking rapists. Our ancestors did horrible things.
No story really… Would anyone, famous or not broadcast the fact that their ancestors owned slaves? I doubt it
The liberals lap this stuff up so it is big for some people
Some family history isn’t relevant
Affleck was embarrassed that his ancestor owned slaves. Great! What do people want? Him to be proud of the fact? To parade it around?
A guy in that situation can’t win.
He could have handled it better and made a point of showing that he could was using it as a learning experience.Maybe have made a point of meeting the decendants of the slaves.I know he’d probably be accused of playing the situation for TV but to be caught trying to hide it is a damn sight worse.
I’m sorry but what was he meant to learn from this? Not to keep slaves? I’m pretty sure he doesn’t need that lesson.
And meeting the family? Seriously? You cannot be held responsible for the actions of your ancestors.
Was he wrong to try and cover it up, yes. But his reaction was very normal and human.
Why on earth should he apologise, let alone meet the descendants?? It wasn’t him who did this. Not even his father or grandfather.
It’s a voluntary show where you offer information about some of your ancestors. He didn’t have to put forth info about that if he didn’t want to, and why should he? Let alone the fact that many people used to be slave owners.
I didn’t say I would but American TV audiences lap that stuff up.Popular guy coming to terms with a dark family history ect. ect.Im actually surprised the network didn’t suggest it.
He owes more of an apology for Daredevil.
2146:
Bill Affleck apologises for history documentary not mentioning his ancestor destroyed the Batman franchise.
Who is Bill Affleck and who is his ancestor that destroyed the Batman franchise?
Whoosh!
I still don’t understand how he destroyed the batman franchise.
I think they mean Daredevil.Actually the Netflix version ain’t too bad.
2016:
The movie Superman vs Batman is released. Sean and John finally get the joke.
Sorry missed the date above that. Your probably right but I so hope your going to be wrong.
I doi get it now sorry, even though I still have no idea why he’s going to be responsible for destroying the batman franchise.
Its worse that he’s trying to deny his history, Id say a large swathe of the white population form the south have slave owning ancestry, big deal. I wonder how much of Germany’s current populations ancestry got up to a lot worse in ore recent times. If he put his hand up day one and said ‘its embarrassing for me but its who I am’ people would have gotten over it.
I’m not responsible for what any relative of mine living or dead did.
Non story and anyone who thinks so should have a look at their own family I’m sure theirs not one of us who doesn’t have a dodgy ancestor.
A lot of large slave owners were black themselves and I think I remember reading somewhere that the first slave owner in the U.S. was actually black as well !
http://americancivilwar.com/authors/black_slaveowners.htm
They were different times,you shouldn’t be an apologist for something your family did years ago,all you can do is learn from it !
In fairness he seems like a pretty sound guy for a Hollywood superstar. He did not denie his past he just tried to conceal it as most of us would in simular circumstances.
His past is only as old as he is.
This stupid hollyweird collectivist guilt tripping over wrongs that happened hundreds of years ago is laughable and rudiculous.
How bleeding stupid. Does this mean that all grand-children of Nazis and the likes should be shamed?
Not at all…but we should treat with some suspicion the grand kids of red-headed people.
In effect yes , with a healthy dollop of white guilt .
Serves you right, Affleck. History is history, and there are far too many people trying to fudge it or change it utterly. You should rightly be ashamed at your attempt to distort facts.
History is written by the winners
take it easy sheiky baby, who the hell would want to remember an ancestor who owned slaves. Slave ownership also continues to this day lets worry about that.
Relax there. It’s not like he is the first person to be embarrassed by his family. Your reaction is ridiculous really.
And he was ashamed. What else do you expect of him Sheikh?
It does not matter a jot to me that Ben Affleck’s ancestors owned slaves. That has absolutely nothing to do with him. What I am objecting to is his agreeing to have his family featured in a programme examining his ancestry – and attempting to distort the truth. Is that clear enough for you?
Ooooh the delight of watching uber liberals squirming , his head will explode with internal self loathing .
Just wait for this to blow over before the white privilege shite starts flowing again.
Ben’s Afflicte’d by his ancestors
Ben doesn’t like offending people even if it adjusts the truth. He has no issue defending blood thirsty jihadists or muslims that defend them. Its all becoming clear now Ben your living a lie.
Wow, Speaking of distorting the truth…
Me or Ben Dave?
Clearly you.
Ben added “I’ve absolutely nothing against black people, I mean I really think every home should have one”
I’ve seen a lot of this series and many other people were not hiding their embarrassing ancestors. Is it his supposed interest in running for office in the future that led to the cover up? If so it’s not going to bode well for him, poor judgement on his part imho. He’s shown himself to be shallow and image conscious.
It’s understandable that someone would try to hide the fact that their ancestor was a slave owner. But when that someone tries to hide the fact when they have agreed to a documentary ABOUT THEIR ANCESTORS, then that is disgusting.
Disgusting? Really? My guess is he wouldn’t have done the show at all if he had known
The sum of all fears
In 40 or 50 years time maybe people will be trying to hide the fact that they voted no to equality in civil marriage…
Wa€ker
I currently own a number of slaves!
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