Now that Netflix has officially cut ties with Kevin Spacey in the wake of the growing number of sexual abuse allegations against him, the streaming giant is reportedly considering other options for the upcoming season of âHouse Of Cards.â
Although itâs likely Spaceyâs Frank Underwood character will be killed off early in the showâs final season â something that happened in the British version â some fans of the show are suggesting producers simply replace Spacey with another actor also named Kevin.
A Change.org petition posted four days ago is asking that âKevin Can Waitâ star Kevin James take over the Underwood role originated by Spacey.
The petition, started by a man in the Netherlands named Robbie Pyma, makes the case for why the former âKing of Queensâ star is a natural choice to play a ruthless character who works his way to the office of president of the United States.
Pyma states his reasoning in a short, but eloquent statement to Netflix founder Reed Hastings:
âLosing a great show is hard, no matter the circumstances. However with hardship come[s] the opportunity for a great show to become one of the greatest television shows of all time. I think Kevin James can elevate âHouse of Cardsâ to a globally adored franchise like âGame of Thronesâ and make the entire world focus on one of the most important Netf[l]ix Original series there is.â
Though James tends to stick to comedic roles, he has played politicians before, most notably the POTUS in the 2015 Adam Sandler comedy âPixels.â
So far, Pymaâs offbeat casting suggestion is winning lots of support. As of Monday afternoon, nearly 18,000 people signed the petition, making it more likely to reach its goal of 25,000.
Some of the sample comments include the following:
âKevin James is a national treasure. Kevin Spacey is a rapist. Both are named Kevin. Seems like a smart business decision to me.â
âIf youâve ever seen Paul Blart mall cop, then you know that actors of Kevin Jamesâ caliber only come around once in a life time.â
âKevin James is a master thespian who would not only bring the same gravitas as his predecessor, but also elevate the House of Cards to be the Citizen Kane of our generation.â
None of the petitioners have thus far suggested showrunners also kill off Robin Wrightâs character, Claire, so that her role can be taken over by Leah Remini.
HuffPost reached out to James for a comment, but he did not immediately respond.