The ForceCast has been shut down.  This came suddenly, and the Internet has been buzzing with speculation and (sadly) hatred about what may or may not have been happening behind the scenes.

What was or wasn’t going on behind the scenes is normally something that doesn’t really need to be public.  However, The ForceCast is a big part of Star Wars fandom’s recent history, and the bashing needs to stop.  Against my better judgment, and with great trepidation, I grabbed Lou, put him in a Skype call with me, and I put all the cards on the table for a live chat room of listeners (and for you, the podcast listeners).  With a universe of butterflies in my stomach, I explained the basic history of the ForceCast for the newcomers, and I gave some insights as to what’s been going on behind the scenes over the past few years, including the real story of the past week.

Why?  Because the truth, as painful as it may be, should eliminate this speculation that’s been going on.  And while it will never completely eradicate the hatred and bashing, it will mitigate it and eliminate the confusion we’re seeing.  I’m perfectly willing to fall on my sword and publicly point out my own failings if it will help bring the Star Wars fan community away from the bickering and back to a sense of true community.  And for those who have been a part of the ForceCast’s history for all these years (listeners, I’m talking to you!), hopefully it will bring some closure.


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**UPDATE**

I was sent the following, and for the sake of making sure accurate information is out there, I’m posting this at Dave’s request. For those who don’t know, Dave is Kyle’s co-host from the final episode of The ForceCast.

The ONLY thing that I want to make clear were three points about Bailey’s post, because

1) It was not Bailey’s post. It was my post. With her permission, I used her name in the signature because when we’re being attacked and accused of not being diverse, it seems appropriate to have the response be coming from the upcoming female host. She has literally done nothing wrong, and does not deserve to have her name dragged through the mud. Bailey is perhaps my greatest friend, and to see my poor decision affect her like this hurts me to no end.

2) Regarding the posts insinuating that nothing on the ForceCast was getting done, or that I was discrediting the work that had been done, that was not at all my intention by any means. At no point was I attempting to “call people out” for not getting things done-this is a group of volunteers, who have lives. I simply meant it as “Some shows have fallen far behind in releases and we’re getting everything back on track and going to provide consistency”. I was in no way trying to start any kind of “twitter war” or anything of the sort, in fact, I praised the previous hosts and offered to direct people to them in their endeavors.

3) I fully acknowledge that some of the things I said were worded incorrectly and came off as harsh. When we’ve got our hearts and souls into a show and have put so much work into, it’s hard to see many on twitter react so poorly, which is why I can understand why some of the prior hosts may have been upset at my choice of words. Again, this was not my intention. Many things were said defensively and without context. I was not in the main meeting discussing the future of the ForceCast and was simply going on what I had gotten from one or two people, but we needed to address some of the rumors that were spreading like wildfire, as Erik has kindly put to rest.

I 100% admit that some of the things I said were harsh, such as “If you decide to leave, we’ll be saddened that you’re leaving, but we won’t miss you”. That was absolutely uncalled for. Literally years of work has been put into this network, and some fans have remained dedicated to The ForceCast for many years and to suddenly brush off people who disagreed with the new direction was completely beyond any kind of acceptable response. Erik did eventually make a post on facebook regarding this message clearing a few things up, and after seeing that what I had said had come off much harsher than I intended, I reworded many things and added a bit more clarification. But unfortunately, the controversy lies in my original posting, which is what seems to be spreading, and not the appropriate changes that were made clarifying some things.

I know this may not change much, but I want you all to know that the message was made out of response of frustration and I fully admit that some of the things I said where either poorly worded or shouldn’t have said at all. I just want you all to know that it was meant to be a message of “We’re addressing the terrible rumors, and here is where the new show is headed”. At no point did I ever mean to hurt anyone or result in the network’s cancellation, and for that, I can’t even express how sorry I am. I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive the choices that were made, and realize that mistakes happen. Thank you all for your patience and understanding, and may the force truly be with you all.

-David