Report: Writer Walter Mosley Quits Star Trek: Discovery After “Chastised” For Using N-Word
John F. Trent
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A new report indicates Star Trek: Discovery writer Walter Mosley quit his job after he was “chastised” for using the N-Word by human resources.
Mosley wrote an opinion piece in The New York Times titled Why I Quit the Writers’ Room: The Worst Thing You Can Do to Citizens of a Democracy is Silence Them.
In the piece Mosley details that he received a phone call from Human Resources who told him, “Mr. Mosley, it has been reported that you used the N-word in the writers’ room.” Mosley reveals he responded saying, “I am the N-word in the writers’ room.”
Mosley then detailed:
“He said, very nicely, that I could not use that word except in a script. I could write it but I could not say it. Me. A man whose people in America have been, among other things, slandered by many words. But I could no longer use that particular word to describe the environs of my experience.”
Mosley does admit that he used the word, but notes it was not directed at anybody, but was a story about a cop who explained how he patrolled the streets in Los Angeles. (Related: Is Star Trek Discovery Poised To Retcon the Borg’s Origin?)
He then details that someone snitched on him.
“Someone in the room, I have no idea who, called H.R. and said that my use of the word made them uncomfortable, and the H.R. representative called to inform me that such language was unacceptable to my employers. I couldn’t use that word in common parlance, even to express an experience I lived through.”
Mosley would then go on to declare that he does not believe his employment should be on the line if a word he uses makes an individual uncomfortable.
“How can I exercise these freedoms when my place of employment tells me that my job is on the line if I say a word that makes somebody, an unknown person, uncomfortable?”
He goes on to detail that he chose to resign:
“My answer to H.R. was to resign and move on. I was in a writers’ room trying to be creative while at the same time being surveilled by unknown critics who would snitch on me to a disembodied voice over the phone. My every word would be scrutinized. Sooner or later I’d be fired or worse — silenced.”
He would then conclude that what happened to him was a form of McCarthyism. (Related: Google Trends Charts Hint CBS’ Star Trek: Discovery Might Be A Complete Failure)
“The worst thing you can do to citizens of a democratic nation is to silence them. And the easiest way to silence a woman or a man is to threaten his or her livelihood. Let’s not accept the McCarthyism of secret condemnation. Instead let’s delve a little deeper, limiting the power that can be exerted over our citizens, their attempts to express their hearts and horrors, and their desire to speak their truths. Only this can open the dialogue of change.”
The Hollywood Reporter reveals their sources tell them Mosley quit Star Trek: Discovery. In fact, they report that “typical use of that word was a fireable offense but there was to be no course of action taken against him.”
CBS TV Studios also issued a statement through THR in response to Mosley’s op-ed.
“We have the greatest admiration for Mr. Mosley’s writing talents and were excited to have him join Star Trek: Discovery. While we cannot comment on the specifics of confidential employee matters, we are committed to supporting a workplace where employees feel free to express concerns and where they feel comfortable performing their best work. We wish Mr. Mosley much continued success.”
The Hollywood Reporter also reveals that Mosley “had quit the series without so much as a call to explain what happened.” He reportedly had stopped showing up to the offices in Santa Monica after he had been on staff for three weeks. (Related: Star Trek: Discovery Renewed For A Third Season – Adds New Showrunner Michelle Paradise)
This isn’t the first time Star Trek: Discovery has had personnel issues in the writing room. Showrunners Aaron Harberts and Gretchen Berg were fired just before Season 2 debuted. THR notes their insiders told them they had become “increasingly abusive to the Discovery writing staff.”
What do you make of Mosley’s decision to quit the writers’ room for Star Trek: Discovery? What do you make of CBS’ response? Do you think there might be problems with the people in the writing room at Star Trek: Discovery?
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