TLC delays ‘Best Funeral Ever’ pilot after Connecticut shooting

Story by Washington Post

Written by Lisa de Moraes

The one-hour backdoor pilot for the reality series “Best Funeral Ever” profiles a funeral home that specializes in celebratory funerals. On Monday, Discovery-owned TLC network pulled Thursday’s scheduled premiere in the wake of the mass murder in Newtown, Conn. 
 

“American Guns,” which wrapped its 16-episode second season in September, “concluded earlier this year” Discovery said Monday in a statement, adding that it “chose not to renew the series and has no plans to air repeats of the show.”

That appears to be news to fans of the show, who, Fox News reported, flooded “American Guns’s” Facebook page to demand its cancellation.

On the other hand, we found an "American Guns" facebook page on which people were unhappy to learn it had been canceled. “Keep the show on the air you guttless [sic] Discovery channel dweeb executives,” said one such fan.

Discovery is just the latest TV company that is scrambling to stay on the right side of public opinion since the mass shooting.

Fox yanked last Sunday’s episodes of “Family Guy” and “American Dad,” citing content concerns.

On Friday, Syfy opted not to air a new "Haven" episode that included violence at a high school. NBC’s cold opening of "Saturday Night Live" featured a choir of schoolchildren singing “Silent Night” — and Samuel L. Jackson making one of his endearing potty-mouth appearances.

CBS late-night host Craig Ferguson edited his traditional “It’s a great day for America!” opening out of Friday’s pre-taped episode.

And Sunday’s episode of Showtime’s serial-killer drama, “Dexter,” began with a disclaimer that “in light of the tragedy that has occurred in Connecticut, the following program contains images that may be disturbing.”