Showrunner Tim Doyle Censured After WGA West Panel Finds Him Guilty of Posting Racist Image on Facebook

Veteran showrunner Tim Doyle has been publicly censured by the Writers Guild of America West after a guild panel found him guilty of posting a racist image on Facebook last year.

“The Writers Guild of America West (“WGAW”) initiated charges against member Tim Doyle under Article X of the Constitution and Bylaws of the WGAW (“Constitution”),” guild leaders wrote in a message to members sent Thursday. “The charges alleged that on August 9, 2023 Mr. Doyle posted, on a Facebook group for WGAW members, an image that members perceived as a racist and offensive depiction of a lynching. Mr. Doyle was charged with engaging in conduct prejudicial to the welfare of the Guild and unfair dealing with other members in violation of Article X.A., Section 1 of the Constitution.”

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Doyle could not immediately be reached for comment. The WGA West’s email stating the censure for Doyle sparked a range of reactions among writers and others on social media.

Doyle’s post caused a stir in August 2023, when thousands of TV and film writers had been on strike for more than three months. He apologized in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, saying he was “very sorry” and asserting that his intention with his “silly joke” was misconstrued.

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