The 2017 Tony Awards became an avenue for both sly and straightforward criticism of the ever-so-popular President Donald Trump as celebrities delivered witty messages to slam the American leader in their own special way.
Stephen Colbert, Kevin Spacey, Cynthia Nixon, and several others who stood at the 71st Tony Awards stage caught the world’s attention as they delivered messages incorporated with Trump-hate.
According to Deadline, Colbert made it a point to trash Donald Trump even when presenting the Tony Award for the Best Revival of a Musical at the event held on Sunday at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
As he started his speech at the 2017 Tony Awards, Colbert emphasized how it has been a “great year for revivals in general – especially that one they’re reviving in Washington D.C.,” and continued to deliver more underlined criticism to the 45th President of the United States.
“It started way off Broadway, in the 80s, on 5th Avenue. Huge production values. Couple problems: the main character is totally unbelievable. And hair and makeup – jeesh! No!”
Those who have been watching the news on everything related to Donald Trump would immediately understand the pun in Colbert’s words as he likens his presidency as the “worst musical ever.”
In fact, even those who just know Trump’s image would immediately grasp the idea being delivered by the 53-year-old comedian and television host during the 2017 Tony Awards.
Calling Trump’s presidency, the “D.C. Production,” Colbert then revealed that it “is supposed to have a four-year run, but reviews have not been kind. Could close early.”
Joining Colbert in the ranks of those who bashed Trump at the annual event is Kevin Spacey, who mocked up the American president using a James Earl Jones-like CNN tagline voice, saying: “This is CNN: The most trusted name in Fake News.”
News Week also reported about other notable jabs at the current U.S. administration during the 2017 Tony Awards, including one from Cynthia Nixon who accepted her Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play in Little Foxes .
“It is a privilege to appear in Lillian Hellman’s eerily prescient play at this specific moment in history. Eighty years ago she wrote: ‘There are people who eat the earth and eat all the people on it, and other people who just stand around and watch them do it,’” she said after accepting her Tony Award.
“My love, my gratitude and my undying respect go out to all the people in 2017 who are refusing to just stand and watch them do it.”
Sally Field also took a moment to recall the founding story of the entity that created the Tony Awards—the American Theatre Wing, ending with a subtle anti-Donald Trump message.
“Through grants and programs and outreach, the Wing continues to help artists find new ways to tell the American story, a story that reminds us of our strength in diversity, our common bonds and our enduring national spirit that has always guided us through adversity,” she told the 2017 Tony Awards audience.
“Born in perilous times, the Wing in its next century will do what it’s always done: Illuminate the darkness with the blazing truth of art.”
Meanwhile, Kevin Kline thanked specific bodies for giving him the chance to be awarded at the event, specifically the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), both of which are currently at risk of getting abolished based on Donald Trump’s 2017 budget proposal.
Bette Midler was also able to stab a stake at the heart of the matter relating to the current American leadership as she ended her acceptance speech for winning the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her role in Hello, Dolly!
Describing the musical, she said: “Its optimism, its democracy, its color, its love of life, its hilarity. This is a classic, come and see it. This thing has the ability to lift your spirits in these terrible, terrible times.”
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[Featured Image by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions]