Robert De Niro’s unhinged ‘F- Trump’ rant gets standing ovation, Tony Kushner calls Trump Hitler, ‘borderline psychotic narcissist’
On Sunday, at the Tony Awards, to honor excellence in theater, actor Robert De Niro brought political theater to the event, getting the audience to their feet with the insightful “I’m gonna say one thing: “F*** Trump.”
De Niro raised his fists in the age-old tradition of a winning fighter, as the crowd screamed its approval and rose to their feet to deliver a standing ovation.
De Niro called out, “It’s no longer ‘Down with Trump,” it’s “F*** Trump!” That triggered another surge of cheering.
The CBS television audience heard dead silence instead before he raised his arms — twice — and earned a sustained standing ovation.
The legendary actor urged the audience to vote in November and lauded Bruce Springsteen for his own political commitment before the singer sat at a piano for a moving performance based on his “Springsteen on Broadway” show that had him singing his classic hit, “My Hometown.”
The anti-Trump sentiment swept backstage as playwright Tony Kushner and others from “Angels in America” spoke to reporters about its three big wins: best play revival and acting trophies for Andrew Garfield and Nathan Lane.
Piers Morgan took aim at De Niro: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a human being more pleased with himself in that moment than Robert De Niro.
“He’d done what he came to do – hijacked yet another awards show with his anti-Trump vitriol, certain in the knowledge it would earn him more airtime and positive media coverage than any of his dismal movies in the last 20 years.”
“I agree,” Kushner said when asked about the De Niro moment, dropping an F-bomb of his own in relation to the president.
“I can’t believe De Niro did that,” Kushner said. “Good for him. I mean, it’s Robert De Niro. Who’s gonna argue with him?”
Kushner went even further, calling Trump’s presidency “the Hitler mistake” that put a “borderline psychotic narcissist in the White House.”
Politics is everywhere is seems.
On The View, Meghan McCain said it wasn’t helpful to the anti-Trump cause at all, it helps him.
“I don’t care for the choice of language… I thought it was a bit crass.”
Sunny Hostin added, “People are feeling strongly about politics today, you know? And I think rightfully so. And if that is the way de Niro chose to express that and that is the way the crowd chose to receive it, I mean, this is still America.”
McCain said de Niro’s comments were “gross”: “When you’re talking about how Trump is degrading our national discourse with his language, this is not the way to combat Trump, it only helps him.
“It’s like a siren song,” McCain said, “for the right. Turn on Fox News right now. I’m sure this is just on repeat. I’m telling you, it gets very tribal and this is not the way to combat it. If he had something to say about Trump, he’s an eloquent, well-known actor. I’m sure he could say a lot of things about democracy and freedom… that would’ve been a lot more effective.”
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill asked his millions of followers, “How to get a STANDING OVATION at the Tonys?” answering with, “Give the people what they want … always a crowd pleaser!!! #speakingTruthToPower #TuckFump”
[…] First Amendment has been in the news a lot lately. Most recently, actor Robert De Niro caused a stir at the Tony Awards by making a political statement against President Donald Trump using language […]
“Good for him. I mean, it’s Robert De Niro. Who’s gonna argue with him?”
I will. Crass slander is within everybody’s grasp. I am disappointed with the childish behaviour of an actor I used to like. Not anymore.