Actor David Schwimmer took to social media on Monday to thank several corporate sponsors who have withdrawn support from Britain’s Wireless Festival, where ex-Kanye West’s Ye is scheduled to headline three nights in June. He claims the hip-hop superstar has yet to issue a convincing apology for years of anti-Semitic comments and is calling on his remaining sponsors to do the same.
“It’s great to see companies making their ethics clear,” Schwimmer wrote of Pepsi, PayPal and Diageo, the three sponsors that moved to sever ties with Wireless over Ye’s appointment. (He did not specifically mention a fourth sponsor, Rockstar Energy Drinks, which also split from the festival on Monday.) “Unlike Wireless and Festival Republic, they have decided not to platform an artist who has become one of the most famous hate-mongering bigots in the world…”
Schwimmer noted that Yeh, who released a song called “Heil Hitler,” sold swastika T-shirts and confessed as recently as last year that he was a Nazi, was welcomed at an upcoming festival in London and two star-studded sold-out shows at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium last week.
“About two months ago,[Yeh]publicly apologized for all of that in a paid ad in the Wall Street Journal, probably part of a PR plan to reassure people just before his long-planned return to the stage. Remember, Yeh apologized before, but he retracted that apology, only to double down on his virulent hatred of Jews.”
“This time,” Schwimmer continued, “he explained that his health condition had led him to specifically target Jews with hate speech and threats of violence. So he began a comeback, recently performing at California’s SoFi Stadium (did the Kroenkes know?) with Lauryn Hill, T. He played with the support of Lavis Scott, CeeLo Green and Don Toliver. They seem to be ignoring his history of rabid anti-Semitism. Or are they supporting him? None of them have ever publicly condemned his past statements. ”
Schwimmer expressed skepticism about the Wall Street Journal ad, which contained confessions that West had not expressed in live interviews or other public appearances. “An apology is just words written on a piece of paper,” the actor wrote. “A publicity-boosting ad before a concert tour. Years of abuse won’t go away. … It doesn’t matter that his famous friends pat him on the back and say, ‘It’s okay.'” But the communities he hurt the most have no reason to believe his apology is genuine. ”
Schwimmer summed up his more than 500-word statement by writing, “I believe in forgiveness, but it takes more than that. Until Yeh shows a commitment to rebuilding trust not only with the Jewish community, but with all the fans who have been hurt and disappointed by the hateful rhetoric of the past few years, she should not be allowed to perform. In doing so, she is implicitly complicit in what these companies know to be wrong, unethical, and wrong.” Immoral. “I hope Budweiser, Beatbox Beverages, Drip Water, and Big Green Coach come to the same conclusion,” he added, naming several wireless sponsors that have apparently not changed their tune.
In a follow-up email to Variety, Mr. Schwimmer emphasized his focus on the lack of visible follow-through after the Wall Street Journal ad and after Mr. Yeh apologized following anti-Semitic comments from the past few years.
“I call on him to take real steps for the Jewish community to begin taking his professed rehabilitation seriously,” Schwimmer wrote in an email. “It’s not me that’s the story here. It’s Mr. Ye’s lack of credibility, his long history of erratic and malicious behavior, and the lack of any concrete steps taken to prove his claims are sincere.”
Wireless Festival is selling tickets for Ye’s three nights of headlining gigs this week, but is adamantly resisting pressure on the rapper to cancel from sponsors as well as British government officials, including the Prime Minister.
Melvin Benn, managing director of Wireless’ UK promoter Festival Republic, issued a statement to Variety on Monday defending Ye, drawing on his own experience working with people suffering from mental health issues. “I have witnessed many despicable acts that I have had to forgive and recover from,” he wrote. “I have become a person who has forgiveness and hope in all areas of my life, including work, even if I didn’t before.”
He called Mr. Ye’s previous comments about Jews and Hitler “abhorrent” but said they “do not give him a platform to celebrate opinions of any nature” and are only meant to perform songs “that are enjoyed by millions of people.” “Forgiveness and giving people second chances are becoming lost virtues in this increasingly divisive world,” he said, “and I would ask people to think back to the moment when they felt disgusted (like me) at the prospect of him appearing, and give him some forgiveness and hope, as I have decided to do.”
Festival Republic, which describes itself as ‘the UK’s leading festival and event promoter’, is part of the Live Nation Entertainment Group.
Ms. Ye’s appearance as the festival’s headliner has been controversial since it was announced last week, and was denied by London’s mayor, but the controversy escalated on Sunday when Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned her appearance in a statement to The Sun newspaper. “It is deeply disturbing that Kanye West was booked to appear on Wireless despite his past anti-Semitic statements and praise of Nazism,” he said. “Anti-Semitism in all its forms is abhorrent and must be firmly opposed wherever it appears. We all have a responsibility to ensure Britain is a safe place for Jews.”
Mr. Schwimmer has a history of trying to hold Mr. Ye to public accountability.
In February 2025, days after Ye posted a series of anti-Semitic tweets on X (including “I’m a Nazi” and “I love Hitler” and a proclamation that “I’ve never apologized for my Jewish comments”), the “Friends” actor took to his Instagram account to publicly demand that Elon Musk be banned from the app. “You can’t stop a crazed bigot from spewing hateful, ignorant bile,” Schwimmer wrote, “but you can stop giving him a megaphone, Mr. Musk. Kanye West has 32.7 million followers on your Platform
In his latest message, Schwimmer asks Ye to “officially take down the song ‘Heil Hitler’ and explicitly, directly and publicly disavow it.” In fact, after the rapper first released the song last May, he replaced it with a different version called “Hallelujah” and tried to remove it from circulation, but later that year he issued a copyright notice to fans who were still distributing it after he reportedly met with a rabbi. The song caused controversy again in January when Nick Fuentes, Andrew Tate and other far-right influencers sang along to it at a Miami Beach nightclub.
Schwimmer’s full statement posted on Instagram is below.
Thank you Pepsi, PayPal and Diageo.
It’s great to see a company with clear morals.
These brands have withdrawn their sponsorship of Wireless Festival, and recently shamed themselves by slated Ye (formerly Kanye West) as the headliner.
Unlike Wireless and Festival Republic, they have decided not to platform an artist who has become one of the most famous hate-mongering bigots in the world, while other organizations are solely focused on profiting from one organization.
For years, Mr. Ye used his prominence to promote hatred and violence against Jews, spreading anti-Semitic lies and stereotypes to his 33 million followers, more than twice the number of Jews currently alive.
Less than a year ago, Ye released a song called “Heil Hitler” (which was understandably banned from all major streaming platforms), sold swastika T-shirts on his website, claimed to be a Nazi, and threatened to kill Jews.
But about two months ago, he publicly apologized for all of that in a paid ad in the Wall Street Journal. This was probably part of a PR plan to reassure people just before his long-planned return to the stage.
Please remember. You have apologized before, but by retracting that apology you have only redoubled your virulent hatred of Jews.
This time, he explained that he specifically targeted Jews with hate speech and threats of violence because of his health condition.
So he’s embarked on a comeback, recently playing at California’s SoFi Stadium (did you know the Kroenkes?) with support from artists such as Lauryn Hill, Travis Scott, Cee-Lo Green and Don Toliver, who seem to ignore his history of fervent anti-Semitism. Or do you support it? It’s hard to say because no one has publicly criticized him for his past statements.
The problem is that Ye’s words and actions over the past few years have caused immeasurable and irreparable damage. He has incited hatred around the world, inciting violence against Jews everywhere, and his erratic behavior has repeatedly shown that he cannot be trusted. I don’t mind his famous friends patting him on the back and telling him it’s okay. But the communities he hurt the most have no reason to believe his apology is genuine.
If he is honest, he will take action to repair the damage he has caused.
He was able to officially remove the song “Heil Hitler” and explicitly, directly and publicly disavow it.
He was able to meet with Jewish leaders and artists, publicly discuss his rehabilitation, and make amends.
He may propose donating some of the huge profits he makes from his wireless business to British Jewish charities. In the UK, attacks on Jews, synagogues and Jewish businesses are at an all-time high.
An apology letter is just words written on a piece of paper. An advertisement to raise awareness before a concert tour. Years of abuse will not go away.
I believe in forgiveness, but it takes more than that. Again, I don’t profit from his appearance on Wireless.
Ye should not be allowed to perform until she shows a determination to regain trust, not just with the Jewish community, but with all of her fans who have been hurt and disappointed by her hateful comments over the past few years.
By doing so, you are implicitly complicit in what these companies know to be wrong, unethical, and immoral.
I hope Budweiser, Beatbox Beverage, Drip Water, and Big Green Coach come to the same conclusion.
