For a few years in the 1990s, actor Dean Cain embodied the ideals of the world’s most famous superhero on TV, but now he’s drawing the ire of Superman fans (and at least one comic book writer) by suggesting today’s Superman wouldn’t be able to say “the American way.”
The words come at the end of one of Superman’s most iconic catch-phrase, that he fights for “truth, justice, and the American way.” It’s a phrase that’s been associated with the character for decades, and despite what Cain things, it’s still being used.
Prominent comics writer Tom King quickly took Cain to task for his claim, sharing a photo of a comic he’d written and published in 2020 (“Superman: Up in the Sky”) that uses the iconic phrase. He also used some choice words to get Cain’s attention … and it worked!
“I stand corrected,” Cain conceded, asking what comic King was showing. He then took King to task for calling him a m—–f—–, adding, “but if it makes you feel tough, that’s ok.”
King quickly shot back, saying his usage of the insult was because Cain used his platform “to discourage people from wearing masks, which will cost lives — the opposite of what Superman would do.” He accompanied this with an image of a Cain tweet complaining he couldn’t breathe.
He then addressed the “tough” comment, noting that he was in the military and fought overseas for his country, “and didn’t just wear a cape in front of a camera.”
The former “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” star made his controversial comments during an appearance on “Fox & Friends” Thursday morning where he was asked about a Time magazine piece asking for a re-examination of superheroes in the wake of Black Lives Matter and police brutality.
Cain launched into a condemnation of the movement, saying anti-police rhetoric drives him “insane.” “These people will scream anti-police rhetoric all day long but when their life is threatened and they need a hero, they will dial 9-1-1 and a police officer will show up,” said Cain.
“Now yes, there have been some bad apples,” he continued. “There’s been some bad situations. But 99.9 percent of all police officers are fantastic.”
As protests continue across the nation, the BLM movement has seen the cancellations of reality stars for racist comments, police-based reality shows like “Live PD” and “Cops,” and even the kids show “Paw Patrol” has been criticized.
“This whole cancel culture thing we’re living in right now is crazy, it’s like an early version of George Orwell’s ‘1984,’” said Cain. “Up is down, war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength.”
The current reckoning over centuries of systemic racism in this country has come after the recorded death of George Floyd, a Black man, under the knee of a Minneapolois police officer for more than eight minutes.
Months of protest have led to calls for defunding the police, which is better described as reallocating some of the resources earmarked for police departments to other civic and preventative programs like education and social services.
The movement has gone beyond just police brutality — which indiscriminately targets BIPOC in greater percentages — into a thorough examination of Black representation across all aspects of society, and even a look at racially insensitive institutions, including Confederate statues and discriminatory practices.
It has also become a hot-button political issue in an election year, with conservatives decrying the sometimes violent protests and insisting police brutality is a minor problem, and not one that disproportionately impacts Blacks.
They attempt to counter Black Lives Matter with All Lives Matter — Vice President Mike Pence refuses to say the former, but has said the latter — and even Blue Lives Matter in support of the police.
