Tonys Recap: Speeches and Politics
/As usual, the annual Tony awards was a star-studded night with fancy clothes and big celebrities. But this year, the show got political.
Most significantly—or most viral—was Robert De Niro's "F-bomb" preceding President Trump's name. He received a highly positive reaction from the Hollywood audience, with people cheering and standing. The comment, which De Niro repeated, was censored in the United States, but an Australian feed let it roll, so it's available in full on YouTube.
A highlight of the night was hearing graduating students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, where a shooter recently killed 17 people and left more injured. Students sang "Seasons of Love" from "Rent" and encouraged us to "measure your life in love." A Washington Post article referred to this segment as "the most moving moment" of the night.
Discussion:
- What's your view of De Niro's outburst: inappropriate, inspiring, or something else?
- How would you respond to the same question about the high school students?
- One could argue that De Niro is "just being his authentic self." How would you respond to this perspective?
