Fans Rage Over 'Hypocritical' 'King Of The Hill' Tribute To Jonathan Joss, Demand 'Public Apology'

Yahoo

2 days ago

is being fondly remembered by the creators of "King of the Hill." The beloved actor was well known for playing the role of John Redcorn on the hit sitcom before his tragic death.
Joss was gunned down near his San Antonio, Texas, home on June 1, in what is suspected to be a hate crime shooting.
In a touching tribute, the team honored their late cast member, but fans believe it is fake, given that Joss was allegedly mistreated by the crew just two days before his passing.
On the animated series' official Instagram page, a statement was released to mourn Jonathan Joss' loss. Alongside three photo slides, including an image of his on-screen character, the tribute read:
"Rest in peace, Jonathan Joss. Jonathan brought King of the Hill's 'John Redcorn' to life for over a dozen seasons, including in the upcoming revival."
It continued, "His voice will be missed at King of the Hill, and we extend our deepest condolences to Jonathan's friends and family." The statement was signed by Mike Judge, Greg Daniels, and Saladin Patterson, the creators of "King of the Hill."
Joss voiced the character of Redcorn after taking over in the late '90s and was set to feature in the reboot, which will premiere in August, before his life was cut short. In one of his final videos, the late Hollywood star gushed that the "reboot is up and moving," showing anticipation for filming.
Despite Joss' excitement for the reboot, his relationship with the crew didn't seem to be the best. Just two days before he died, he was escorted out of a panel for the series as part of the ATX TV Festival held in Austin, Texas.
While his co-stars Pamela Adlon, Lauren Tom, and Toby Huss, alongside writer Patterson, sat on stage to discuss the revival, the late actor was relegated to being in the audience.
While the panel was still ongoing, Joss, as seen in a fan-recorded clip, grabbed the microphone to express his concerns. "I'm an actor. I see a mic, I use it. I see a wrong, I make it right. I take a breath, I want to breathe," he said to nervous laughs from the audience.
Joss then informed his colleagues that his house had burned down three months prior. According to the deceased actor, the arson was a hate crime "because I'm gay."
While continuing his rant, he was seen walking towards the stage, but not before security approached to escort him out of the panel.
Given the poor treatment the "Parks and Recreation" actor received from his colleagues in his final days, fans were outraged by the tribute post. Many condemned the creators of "King of the Hill" for not listening to Joss' truth about being a victim of a hate crime.
"You people should be ashamed. I love the show, but I won't be watching the revival. Why was he not invited to the panel? Why were his cries for help not taken seriously?" one concerned fan questioned.
"Weren't you all just laughing at him and dismissing his claims of hate when he was standing in front of the cast panel? While not being invited on stage with the rest of the cast?" a second comment read.
An angry fan urged the creators to apologize for their actions, writing, "He came to you all with his testimony, and you dismissed him. He is owed a very public apology."
A fourth similar remark read, "I love the show, but this looks hella hypocritical! We saw the video of the panel, and I just feel so beyond disappointed. May he rest in power!"
As The Blast previously reported, Joss' life was cut short at 59 following an altercation with his neighbor, who has now been identified as Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja.
Police report confirms that the incident occurred around 7 pm. An unnamed witness who drove Joss from Austin to his burned San Antonio property to check his mail recalled seeing the altercation unfold.
While the actor and a second person, presumably his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, were checking the mail, Ceja allegedly pulled up to the scene in a vehicle. The neighbor then got into an altercation with Joss, where he threatened, "he had a gun and would shoot," the witness claims.
Joss was pronounced dead at the scene while authorities rounded up Ceja and seized his weapon. Upon his arrest, he allegedly told the officers, "I shot him [Joss]." He has since been booked for suspicion of murder and is currently being held on a $200,000 bond.
Following the incident, Gonzales broke his silence about his husband's tragic death in a lengthy statement. The heartbroken spouse gave a firsthand account of the altercation, claiming they were targets of homophobia from neighbors.
According to Gonzales, he and Joss were often threatened. On that fateful day, he alleged seeing the skull of one of their dogs with its harness placed in plain view, causing them to scream in distress.
Their cry was what drew Ceja's attention. He was angry about their noise, which fueled the altercation and resulted in Joss's death. An emotional Gonzales confirmed his late husband stepped in front of the gun to save him.
"When the man fired, Jonathan pushed me out of the way. He saved my life," he recalled. "He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other. I was with him when he passed. I told him how much he was loved."