Actor and comedian Jay Johnston has been dropped from the cast of the Fox animated show “Bob’s Burgers” over claims that he participated in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots based on photos taken from the attack, according to The Daily Beast.
The Beast reports Fox has “banned” Johnston from playing Jimmy Pesto, the business rival to Bob Belcher, who runs a pizzeria across the street from Bob’s burger grill. Jimmy last appeared on a “Bob’s Burgers” episode that aired on May 12 but hasn’t appeared during the show’s current 12th season.
Fox Television declined to comment when TheWrap reached out. Reps for Johnston could not be reached for comment because of the holiday.
Johnston, whose credits include “Mr. Show” and “Arrested Development,” has spoken his support for Donald Trump. And, in 2015, Johnston appeared on a podcast hosted by Gavin McInnes, founder of the far-right extremist group Proud Boys, which had several dozen of its members participate in the Jan. 6 attacks.
Back in March, two actors who worked with Johnston on the podcast “Harmontown” identified Johnston as an individual in a green jacket listed as wanted by federal authorities in an FBI tweet.
“I’m no detective, but I do know Jay,” tweeted “Harmontown” actress Cassandra Church. “He said he was there. And that’s him in the picture. So…”
Actor Tim Heidecker, who has guest-starred on “Bob’s Burgers,” also identified Johnston as the man in the FBI post, but later deleted his tweet. Comedian Kathy Griffin also ID’d him in a tweet that has not been taken down.
The Beast reports that the “Bob’s Burgers” team and Fox are trying to not make “a big deal” out of Johnston’s ousting from the show.
So far, over 50 people involved in the Capitol riots have been sentenced on various charges, with over 100 more awaiting sentencing after entering guilty pleas. This past week, Florida resident and Trump supporter Robert Palmer was sentenced to 63 months in prison for assaulting police officers with multiple items, including a fire extinguisher.
