Following complaints from Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav's representatives, GQ magazine has retracted an article criticizing his leadership. The article, penned by freelance writer Jason Bailey, was initially published online but underwent significant edits before being removed entirely.
The original version of the piece, as reported by The Washington Post, contained strong criticisms of Zaslav's decisions, including layoffs at Turner Classic Movies and the shelving of completed projects like "Batgirl." Bailey also drew comparisons between Zaslav and the fictional character Logan Roy from the HBO series "Succession," and labeled him "perhaps the most hated man in Hollywood."
After a complaint from Zaslav's team, GQ made substantial alterations to the article, softening its tone and removing several critical passages. The comparison to Logan Roy, the "most hated man in Hollywood" label, and references to reality shows Zaslav oversaw as "reality slop" were all excised.
Dissatisfied with the edits, Bailey requested that his byline be removed. GQ subsequently decided to pull the article altogether.
Bailey confirmed the sequence of events on Twitter and in a statement to The Washington Post, explaining that he stood by his original piece but declined to rewrite it as requested. He accepted the removal of the article after the edits were made without his consent.
A Warner Bros. Discovery spokesperson stated that the complaint was lodged because Bailey hadn't sought comment from the company before publication, a standard journalistic practice. They asserted that they requested corrections for "numerous inaccuracies" in the article. Bailey confirmed that he hadn't contacted the company for comment but disputed the claim of factual errors.
GQ has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter.
