Jay Leno Cancels Performance at Gun Lobby Trade Show Following Pressure from Newtown Group

[CreekDog]

Update, 7:10 p.m. ET: Late Wednesday, Jay Leno said in a brief phone interview that he had called the National Shooting Sports Foundation to cancel his scheduled performance at the SHOT Show. He also said that he'd spoken with Po Murray of the Newtown Action Alliance to let her know. "I understand it's Newtown, and of course I get it," Leno told Mother Jones. "It's just sometimes, mistakes get made."

On Tuesday, several gun violence-prevention groups called on the comedian to cancel his appearance at January's Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT), an annual event put on by the National Shooting Sports Foundation...Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, which has pushed corporate restaurants and retailers to take a stand against open-carry activists in their stores, has also launched a social media campaign against Leno.

"I'm not sure if Jay Leno has done his research and understands that NSSF is the corporate gun lobby and they spend a significant amount of money to lobby congressional leaders to not pass significant gun reform legislation," says Newtown Action Alliance chairman Po Murray, whose children previously attended Sandy Hook. "It's a disheartening as a Newtown resident to see him make this appearance at the SHOT Show. So we're urging him to cancel his appearance."

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2014/11/jay-leno-newtown-gun-lobby-trade-show

and

"I realize you may still be smarting a bit from our #JokesOnLeno campaign on Twitter, so I wanted to explain why it was so important for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America to ask you not to host an event for an extremist, radicalized gun lobby group—especially one based in Newtown, Connecticut. We're also writing to thank you—loud and clear—for doing the right thing and canceling your participation," the letter reads in part.

It goes on to praise Leno for having spoken out about background checks in the past.

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"Just like many Americans, you did not have a complete understanding of what you were wading into, or the radicalism of the group you were supporting, but Moms Demand Action knew that you had spoken out publicly in favor of background checks. That’s why we took to social media to let you know what was really going on," the letter continues.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jay-leno-praised-by-moms-751171?utm_source=twitter

[spanone]

1. good on mr. leno