A.G. Gancarski
Florida’s Governor wasn’t nominated for a Tony Award Sunday but Ron DeSantis made news anyway.
Actor Denee Benton was presenting the 2023 Excellence in Theater Education Award to Jason Zembuch Young, a teacher from Plantation, when she couldn’t resist getting in a jab at the Florida Governor.
“And while I am certain that the current Grand Wizard, I’m sorry, excuse me, Governor of my home state of Florida will be changing the name of this following town immediately,” Benton, a native of Eustis who has been nominated for a Tony in the past, said to raucous applause.
Benton is a veteran of Broadway shows including “Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812” as well as roles on such TV series as Lifetime’s “Unreal” and HBO’s “The Gilded Age.”
The actor’s “Grand Wizard” reference was, obviously, a pejorative, likening DeSantis to the leader of the Ku Klux Klan, and playing off the meaning of the word “Plantation.” Benton’s jokes landed with the Manhattan crowd.
The Governor has directly taken on Hollywood through his battles with Disney over special tax breaks and perks that the Disney World owner has long enjoyed. DeSantis is also a pariah on Broadway and in Hollywood for championing “Don’t Say Gay” legislation that threatens to reverse decades of hard-won civil rights gains.
Florida Politics has reached out to the Governor’s Office for comment on Benton’s brand of humor and will incorporate a response if and when provided.
The DeSantis-supportive Never Back Down super PAC did offer a comment: “Liberal ‘elites’ can’t stand how effective Ron DeSantis is at defeating their attempts to sexualize and indoctrinate your children.”
Zembuch Young certainly will have a story to tell his students in Plantation. In an article earlier this year discussing his work, he discussed the importance of diverse voices and an “inclusive” theater.
“As a high school theater teacher, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many students from different backgrounds with varying exceptionalities. When we are inclusive in the theatre, everyone is better for it. Everyone deserves to have a voice,” Zembuch Young said. “It is in the theatre that we have an opportunity to give our students a platform to use that voice, regardless of who they are, where they come from or what language they use to communicate.”
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Material from the Hollywood Reporter was used in this post.
38 comments
SteveHC
June 11, 2023 at 10:26 pm
I wouldn’t count on DeSantis having actually watched The Tony Awards…
Impeach Biden
June 12, 2023 at 7:23 am
Did anyone watch the Tony Awards? I bet most people out there have no idea what the Tony Awards are for.
Eduarde Slaveen Worldwide 👍
June 12, 2023 at 7:30 am
You wanna impeach Biden just because Trump got impeached? Why should Biden have to pay for Trump crime spree? What sense does that make? Are you a spokesperson for Mike Lindell or Alex Jones? Which one?
Impeach Biden
June 12, 2023 at 8:34 am
Just on his handling of Afghanistan and the Southern Border alone. Impeach the senile old man.
Todd Craver
June 12, 2023 at 9:22 am
Mike, go back to your bankrupt pillow factory.
Tjb
June 12, 2023 at 10:15 am
Just a reminder that Trump in Feb. 20 gave the control of Afghanistan to the Talibans.
Also, Trump had no immigration policy… his build the wall policy was a Hugh flop.
John
June 15, 2023 at 4:36 pm
His handling of Afghanistan, you mean that deal your orange friend trump made that we couldn’t get out of. If we were to stay in Afghanistan we would have lost a lot more soldiers so why don’t you get your misinformed fox news information correct before you say anything
BrendaC
June 12, 2023 at 10:15 am
C’mon man Biden has much worse on his baggage. Besides Trump did declassify the documents, followed the guidelines and this will not land him in jail like some think.
Biden – 26 shell companies, bribes, crimes against humanity. The man is so corrupt and has been for years. Trump did make many accomplishments during his term in office. Also, his children have turned out to be decent people. Hunter should be going down any time. I can’t wait to see both of them face the consequences of their own making.
Just sit back & see
Tjb
June 12, 2023 at 10:24 am
The best parody comment in this thread.
John S.
June 15, 2023 at 4:56 pm
NO trump DID NOT declassifie most of those papers. What accomplishments are you talking about and his children being good, they are as crooked as their father. Historians already agree that trump is in the top 3 of worst presidents ever. Get your facts straight before you open your mouth and stupid stuff comes out of it, you definitely drank the Kool aid and still are. I’m sure you don’t understand the Kool aid reference so do some research which I know you trump people don’t do is about Jim Jones
Penny
June 12, 2023 at 5:45 pm
Biden received $5 million from a Chinese company in a pay-for-play scheme which the media refuses to report. But Trump is the criminal. Espionage charges? This has got to be a joke.
Dont Say FLA
June 13, 2023 at 8:24 am
Not understanding your theory, “If person A does crime, that is proof that unrelated person B does not do other crime.” Please expound on that for us, Penny. I don’t get it.
Word Salad is her only Salad
June 14, 2023 at 6:07 pm
What’s your main language; it’s not English, that’s certain.
Don’t gossip above your IQ.
Impeach Biden
June 15, 2023 at 1:39 pm
I need money to pay child support this month.
Let me know if you want to buy some pictures of my feet.
Bert Stimson
June 15, 2023 at 4:40 pm
The Trumps have received million$ from the murderous Saudis, not to mention whatever secret arrangements they’ve made with Comrade Vladimir. You are a pawn of Russian misinformation and Leonard Leo’s rightwing propaganda machine.
Tom
June 12, 2023 at 7:38 am
3.86 million people apparently although I doubt many of them live in Florida – we’re not exactly the cultural capital of anything here, especially theatre.
Dont Say FLA
June 12, 2023 at 7:52 am
OMG, IBS replied on topic. Whuuuut? Good job, IBS! Good job! Keep it up.
🌈🌈🌈
June 14, 2023 at 6:05 pm
Bless your heart
Todd Craver
June 12, 2023 at 9:21 am
I wouldn’t count on DeSantis having the ability to spell The Tony Awards………
Don’t Look Up
June 11, 2023 at 11:47 pm
I could be mistaken ….. but didn’t I hear the Disneyworld Nazi’s calling for their Wizard DeSantis today?
Dont Say FLA
June 12, 2023 at 7:53 am
Most of them are STILL walking home. It’s not easy for the poors getting around since DeSantis banned the bus because a person lacking authorization for their existence in spacetime might have ridden the bus.
Senorita Margarita
June 12, 2023 at 6:51 am
Far left comedians are always the funniest!
Dont Say FLA
June 12, 2023 at 7:54 am
Rhonda’s response will be a great indicator for whether or not a President Rhonda would be “man enough” (lol) to have the Press Corp Dinner during their Presidency, unlike madface emoji President Trump.
Bill Cosby
June 12, 2023 at 7:56 am
I love J-E-L-L-O puddin’ pops and Ron DeSantis creepy claims that Disney and drag queens sexualize children.
Dont Say FLA
June 12, 2023 at 8:00 am
Funny, but Rhonda would implode if he heard that. I predict with a GOP President again, there would be no Press Corp Dinners again.
PTL there will never be another GOP President. GOP will never get the Senate back. And, next election, the GOP will lose the House if the Voting Rights Bill remedies are in place.
The GOP just couldn’t do “Never Trump,” no matter what Trump did, so now everybody’s all “Never GOP” and the GOP has no one to blame. But pin it on, you know, Lindsey Graham. Why not. Lindsey loves to take one, even if it’s for the team.
ScienceBLVR
June 12, 2023 at 8:56 am
Heard on the elliptical today.. tip of the hat to the Staples:
“You’re the kind of gentleman,
that want everything your way,
Take the sheet off your face, boy
It’s a brand new day! “
Michael K
June 12, 2023 at 8:57 am
Uh oh – there goes arts education and theater programs in high schools, colleges and universities. Theater has always been a safe haven for creative people – and those who are not jocks – and therefore a likely target for the thin-skinned, anti-intellectual governor. Wonder of the governor ever attends the theater or invites artists to the governor’s mansion?
Theater, in case the governor doesn’t know it, opens doors and minds to the world of imagination and other people’s stories – a tradition that exists in every human culture – and often banned (or attempts to control) by authoritarians and dictators.
Thomas Kaspar
June 12, 2023 at 9:10 am
Tonys , well thats newsworthy to somebody !!!
Thomas Kaspar
June 12, 2023 at 10:02 am
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre commentary might be the most irrelevant political news of this century .
Dont Say FLA
June 12, 2023 at 3:02 pm
If the Tony Awards are so irrelevant, why in heck did Don ReSantis attend them? Was Ron just there trying to get votes from “the blacks?”
Thomas Kaspar
June 12, 2023 at 3:12 pm
Sure lots of them votes and he loves “Shucked” .
It's Complicated
June 12, 2023 at 2:46 pm
The 2023 Tony Awards had a “demo rating” of .8, which means .8% of households with televisions dialed into the show. Hardly a high-impact event.
Thomas Kaspar
June 12, 2023 at 2:57 pm
They crushed Dr Pimple Popper though .
Dont Say FLA
June 12, 2023 at 3:05 pm
And yet, here’s two people internet-commeting about how damn unimportant the Tony’s are. Despite their unimportance, thank you for your time and service letting us all know your opinion about the Tony’s as related to “Demo Rating” and “Dr Pimple Popper,” the two most important television shows.
Thomas Kaspar
June 12, 2023 at 3:15 pm
I heard “Demo Rating” got picked up for second season .
Thomas Kaspar
June 12, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Any comments about Florida politics from “The Curse Of Oak Island” ?
Marie Dolson
June 12, 2023 at 8:04 pm
She’s correct in her comments.
Ed Salfin
June 17, 2023 at 8:40 am
The days of the KKK are or should be over. I didn’t realize DeSantis’ connection. Nothing should allow us to support racist organizations or its spokesmen.. Even Donald Trump would agree.I am surprised that an Italian Catholic would lead the Klan.
Comments are closed.