Robert De Niro Gets Standing Ovation After Profanity-Laced Tirade Against President Trump
By Randy DeSoto
Published June 11, 2018 at 11:41am
Actor Robert De Niro received a standing ovation at the Tony Awards in New York City Sunday night after launching into a profanity laced tirade against President Donald Trump.
Before introducing a performance by rocker Bruce Springsteen, De Niro veered off script proclaiming, "I'm gonna say one thing: F— Trump!" as he clenched his two fists in the air, which brought roars of approval from the Tony crowd.
"It's no longer 'Down with Trump,' it's 'F— Trump!'" De Niro said.
Fox News reported censors were able to catch the Academy Award winner's profane comments in time, so those watching on television simply heard silence.
Actor Robert De Niro has received a standing ovation at the Tony awards in New York after yelling 'F*** Trump' during his speech pic.twitter.com/arUPYxNoBl
— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 11, 2018
When De Niro did get around to introducing Springsteen, he took another apparent jab at Trump.
"Bruce, you can rock the house like nobody else," said the veteran actor. "Even more important in these perilous times, you rock the vote. Always fighting for, in your own words, truth, transparency, integrity in government. Boy, do we need that now."
Was Robert DeNiro out of line for his comment about the president?
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Backstage, playwright Tony Kushner praised De Niro's comments.
"Good for him. I mean, it's Robert De Niro. Who's gonna argue with him?" said Kushner, who is best known for his work co-writing the screenplays for "Munich" (2005) and "Lincoln" (2012).
Kushner denounced Trump's presidency as "the Hitler mistake" that put a "borderline psychotic narcissist in the White House."
"Star Wars" actor Mark Hamill was also pleased with what De Niro had to say, tweeting, the actor "is always a crowd pleaser!!!"
How to get a STANDING OVATION at The Tonys? Give the people what they want…always a crowd pleaser!!! #SpeakingTruthToPower #TuckFrump. https://t.co/EkTwqppMxK
— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) June 11, 2018
British journalist and former "Celebrity Apprentice" contestant Piers Morgan was not impressed, tweeting, "De Niro screams 'F*** TRUMP! (Bill) Maher demands a recession. (Samantha) Bee calls Ivanka a 'c**t'. Hollywood's hypocrites are out of control."
*NEW:
De Niro screams 'F*CK TRUMP!'
Maher demands a recession.
Bee calls Ivanka a 'c**t'.
Hollywood's hypocrites are out of control. My column: https://t.co/yYsctLWjn6 pic.twitter.com/Mouh4cji4O
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 11, 2018
RELATED: Support for Trump Rises Among Republicans After Controversial Tweets
Actor Kevin Sorbo specifically took on Kushner's notion that people would not argue with De Niro, stating in fact "tens of millions would."
"Just because he plays tough guys, doesn't make him one," Sorbo said of DeNiro.
Ah, the tolerant Left. The article has a quote from some Broadway guy saying "Who's gonna argue with De Niro?" Ah, tens of millions, maybe. Just because he plays tough guys, doesn't make him one. So all the Socialist, Communist, Leftie supporters… https://t.co/SStOmuD2gE
— Kevin Sorbo (@ksorbs) June 11, 2018
Meanwhile, evangelist Franklin Graham, tweeted, "@POTUS is making history in Singapore by meeting w/the leader of NK, & Robert De Niro has the audacity to curse him on stage at @TheTonyAwards last night."
Graham continued, "Those in the audience should have walked out — but instead, he got a standing ovation."
On a similar note, radio talk show host Larry Elder, wrote, "Robert De Niro Gets Rapturous Standing Ovation at Tony's After Declaring 'F*** Trump!'"
He then illustrated Hollywood's double standard.
"Imagine the reaction had ANY actor — unhappy with the Iran Deal or the Iraq bug out or the lies told to sell Obamacare — said this about President Obama," Elder wrote.
As CNN noted, Sunday was not the first time De Niro went into an f-bomb-laced rant about Trump.
In a January speech at the National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala in New York, the actor said, "This f—g idiot is the President. It's 'The Emperor's New Clothes' — the guy is a f—g fool … our baby-in-chief — the 'Jack— -in-chief' I call him."
Randy DeSoto
Randy DeSoto has written more than 1,000 articles for The Western Journal since he joined the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."
@RandyDeSoto
Randy DeSoto is the senior staff writer for The Western Journal. He wrote and was the assistant producer of the documentary film "I Want Your Money" about the perils of Big Government, comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Randy is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths," which addresses how leaders have appealed to beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence at defining moments in our nation's history. He has been published in several political sites and newspapers.
Randy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in political science and Regent University School of Law with a juris doctorate.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean's list from West Point
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
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