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PBS Fires Fred Willard After Lewd Bust

XXX conduct 'didn't happen,' he tells TMZ

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 20, 2012 12:31 AM CDT | Updated Jul 20, 2012 4:00 AM CDT

(Newser) – PBS has given Fred Willard the boot from Market Warriors after the actor was busted for allegedly playing with himself in a Hollywood porn cinema. "Given the unfortunate news," Willard is off the show with immediate effect, and will be replaced as narrator by Antiques Roadshow host Mark Walberg, a PBS spokesman tells ABC. Willard, 76, still has a starring role in ABC's Trust Us With Your Life, and also appears in upcoming movie The Yank.

The actor says the arrest at the Tiki Theater was a "big misunderstanding" and the alleged lewd conduct "didn't happen," reports TMZ. He says a "strange situation" led him to the X-rated venue, but "it's all being straightened out." The theater manager says he'd never seen Willard in the place before, and he doesn't believe he did anything wrong. "Police officers arrested him suspiciously," the manager tells E! Online. "I did not see anything."

Better keep those hands where we can see them.
Better keep those hands where we can see them.   (Getty Images)
Actor Fred Willard attends the premiere of Youth In Revolt in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010.
Actor Fred Willard attends the premiere of "Youth In Revolt" in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010.   (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)
Fred Willard arrives at the Spike TV Guys Choice awards in Culver City, Calif., on Saturday, May 30, 2009.
Fred Willard arrives at the Spike TV "Guys Choice" awards in Culver City, Calif., on Saturday, May 30, 2009.   (AP Photo/Katy Winn)
Actor Fred Willard attends the official launch party of BritWeek at a private residence in Hancock Park 2012 on April 24, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.
Actor Fred Willard attends the official launch party of BritWeek at a private residence in Hancock Park 2012 on April 24, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 32 comments
HarryBeaver
Jul 21, 2012 8:42 AM CDT
PBS sucks.  He hasn't even been to court and the manager of the theater says nothing happened. Besides the dude is 76 years old--talk about an Antiques Roadshow!!
right2dave
Jul 21, 2012 7:50 AM CDT
Hope he stays on Jay Leno.
dnorcal
Jul 21, 2012 3:18 AM CDT
American100?  You a little off the story line?  People who don't smoke or don't want to be around smoke have a choice to do JUST that!!  Are you saying that because he rubbed one out in a porn theater, he was also subjected to second hand smoke in the same porno theater?  If in fact this 'supposed" smoke found it's way into the theater, you AGAIN have the option to disassociate yourself to the porno or the smoke.  Maybe you should go to nonsmoker.com and wield away at the keys...again I fail to see the correlation to the subject matter
 

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