Tim Allen addressed the elephant in the room during the Television Critics Association press tour Thursday, revealing whether or not his “Last Man Standing” character does, in fact, support President Donald Trump. And his answer is kinda a yes and kinda . no, and was informed by “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston’s opinions on POTUS.
“Calm down, it’s a legitimate question,” the lead said to his co-stars and the show’s creators, when a reporter posed the query to the new Fox (former ABC) sitcom’s panel.
“I think the guy is kind of a centrist,” Allen said of Mike Baxter. “I think the best line I heard was actually from Cranston from ‘Breaking Bad,’ whatever discipline he is. The dude is flying the plane right now, there is really no reason to get him out of the pilot seat until we land. So this guy is a practical guy, I think. He owns a big business and as a help to his business he’s probably pro-Trump. He probably doesn’t defend him. I don’t know that it’s going to be, I think he’s going to be more of a centrist. Whatever’s good for his business and is good for the state of Colorado any policies he does, he’s going to go with.”
“I don’t think we’re going to comment specifically on Trump,” showrunner Kevin Abbott added, of the comedy’s upcoming first season on its new network/
“Oh, yes we will,” Allen said. “He wants us to!”
“I think we’re not going to comment specifically on Trump,” Abbott clarified. “I think that Mike Baxter is a conservative Republican. He holds those ideals. but the character himself I don’t think we’re going to address it one way or the other.”
When asked if he felt his own personal political beliefs may have had an affect on ABC’s decision to cancel “Last Man Standing,” (a move that happened pre-“Roseanne” reboot, and pre-“Roseanne” reboot cancellation) Allen said he didn’t think it was a politically-motivated move.
“I’ve said before, I’m not the character I play,” Allen said. “You want to know what I really believe, come see me at The Mirage in Las Vegas. You’ll be a little startled with what the comedian… who I am. The character I play, you know, Keanu Reeves didn’t murder 120 people in ‘John Wick.’ He’s not actually a killer. He may in fact be. I don’t know him personally,” he joked.
“What’s interesting to me, is that I like personally pissing people off,” Allen said, a statement about himself his fellow panelists emphatically confirmed to be true.
“But I don’t think ABC — I’ve worked for ABC for years,” Allen continued. “I know these people, and if it was a political motivation to move that show, they certainly wouldn’t be dim enough to admit it or ever show that side of themselves. I don’t really believe that was — I think it was a financial decision on ABC’s part. I think it was too early… and we’re here because of it.”
ABC canceled Allen’s “Last Man Standing” in May 2017. A year later, Fox revived the Friday night sitcom. In June, ABC ordered a Barr-less version of “Roseanne,” which it is calling “The Conners.” That spinoff (of sorts) will debut this fall in the old “Roseanne” time slot, Tuesdays at 8/7c.
You can read what Allen had to say about ABC firing Roseanne Barr and cancelling “Roseanne” over her bad Twitter behavior here.