Patti LuPone has been heard and understood.
The Broadway legend has been venerated for her wall-rattling belt and criticized for her often unintelligible diction. But there was no mistaking what she said on the Tony Awards red carpet Sunday, when she didn’t hold back about her feelings for President Trump.
The Tony-winning star of “Sweeney Todd” and “Evita,” who is currently appearing in “War Paint,” was being interviewed by a TV reporter for Variety. He asked, “Why should President Trump come see your show?”
“Well, I hope he doesn’t, because I won’t perform if he does,” she said.
“Really,” the reporter replied.
“Really,” she said, stabbing the air with her chin emphatically.
“Why’s that?” the reporter asked.
“Because I hate the motherf–er, how’s that?” she said, with two chin stabs.
Twitter approved of this.
“Because I hate the Motherfucker, how’s that?”
Patti LuPone has no chill when talking about Trump and I love it!!! pic.twitter.com/PzR1EciN6l
— Naomi (@NotADayGoesBy_) June 14, 2017
Really? I can’t believe he’d have the attention span to sit through a musical.
— kg ❄ ✊?✌? (@KathyGr22824450) June 15, 2017
Other Tony nominees expressed quieter disapproval. The Variety reporter also queried Denée Benton, nominated for “Natasha, Pierre and the Comet of 1812” (an adaptation of “War & Peace”) why Trump should see her show. “Because maybe it would give him a little bit of a soul,” she replied.
Patti Lupone, @leslieodomjr, and more stars on why Trump should (or shouldn’t) see their shows. https://t.co/5Yd20inAdD #TonyAwards2017 pic.twitter.com/tzjWl0rC5i
— Variety (@Variety) June 13, 2017
In a June 7 interview with the Hollywood Reporter, LuPone was a bit more muted in her criticism of Trump: “I would not perform, and they know that. I cannot stand him. Melania, I’ve got a little bit more respect for. And Melania, if you can hear me, divorce his ass!”
Broadway has traditionally been a demilitarized zone, but the Trump presidency has changed that. Last November, when Vice President Mike Pence was spotted in the audience of “Hamilton,” the cast delivered a message about diversity directly to him at the end of the show.
Pence later said he wasn’t offended. Trump, true to form, tweeted that his vice president had been “harassed” and demanded an apology.
So far, the president has not ventured a response to LuPone.
