David Schwimmer has some strong opinions about Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Wireless Festival, which was canceled Tuesday (April 7) after the controversial rapper was booked as this year’s headliner.
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In a lengthy letter posted to Instagram on Monday (April 6), the Friends star, who is Jewish, praised Pepsi, PayPal and Diageo for pulling out as sponsors of Wireless 2026 before the entire event was canceled. “It’s great to see companies with moral clarity,” Schwimmer began. “Unlike Wireless and [promoter] Festival Republic, they decided not to platform an artist who became one of the most recognizable hate-mongering bigots in the world.”
The actor went on to slam the festival for booking Ye in the first place, even after the hip-hop star spent years championing hateful anti-Jewish rhetoric before taking out a full-page Wall Street Journal ad in January apologizing for his actions and blaming his behavior on a brain injury. As Schwimmer pointed out, “Ye’s apologized before, only to retract that apology and double down on his virulent hatred of Jewish people.”
“An apology letter is just that: Words on paper,” he continued, writing that Wireless had “disgraced itself” by inviting Ye to perform. “An advertisement, generating publicity before a concert tour. It does not erase years of abuse. I believe in forgiveness, but it takes much more than this. Then again, I do not profit from his appearing at Wireless.”
The Hollywood star also name-checked Lauryn Hill and Travis Scott, who appeared on stage at Ye’s show at SoFi Stadium, as well as CeeLo Green and Don Toliver, who are featured on Ye’s new album, Bully. Calling them “artists who seem to shrug off [Ye’s] history of rabid antisemitism,” Schwimmer went on to question why other brands such as Budweiser, Beat Box Beverages, Drip Water and Big Green Coach hadn’t pulled out of Wireless upon finding out about the 2026 headliner.
“It’s fine for his famous pals to pat him on the back and say, ‘It’s all good,’” Schwimmer wrote of Ye. “But the community he has harmed most has no reason to trust his apology is authentic. If he was sincere, he would take action to repair the damage he caused.”
The actor added, “Until Ye demonstrates a commitment to building back trust — not only with the Jewish community, but with ALL the fans he left heartbroken and disappointed by his hateful rhetoric the last several years — he should not be granted a platform to perform.”
Billboard has reached out to reps for Ye and Wireless for comment.
Since the time of Schwimmer’s post, Wireless has been canceled due to the United Kingdom announcing Tuesday (April 7) that Ye is no longer allowed to enter the country. With the rapper now unable to travel to London, the annual site of the hip-hop festival, Festival Republic confirmed to Billboard that the event had been scrapped and asserted that refunds would soon be issued to all ticketholders.
“As with every Wireless Festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking Ye and no concerns were highlighted at the time,” the promoter continued in a statement. “Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognize the real and personal impact these issues have had.”
For his part, Ye also issued a statement before the cancelation of Wireless addressing concerns over his involvement. “My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace and love through my music,” he wrote Tuesday. “I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the U.K. in person, to listen. I know words aren’t enough – I’ll have to show change through my actions.”
