Here’s what you missed from the 76th annual Tony Awards Sunday night.
The awards show moved uptown to the United Palace Theater in Washington Heights this year — the third venue change in three years for Broadway’s biggest night. Adding to the major changes, the entire ceremony was unscripted in solidarity with the WGA strike.
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Aside from consistent air conditioning mishaps, unorganized traffic routes inside and outside the theatre, and the event earning the second-lowest ratings in Tony Awards history, Democrats in the Broadway world confirm that they will treat any Republican as Hitler should one disagree with any of their social, gender and political ideologies.
Tony-nominated actress Denee Benton took the opportunity as she approached the stage and compared Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to the KKK ‘The Grand Wizard.’
She mentioned this as she announced an award for theatrical excellence for a Florida high school teacher from the town of Plantation (FYI – the timing couldn’t have been more ironic to be presenting an award to a Florida teacher).
She said: “While I am certain that the current grand wizard, I’m sorry, excuse me, governor of my home state will be changing the name of this following town immediately, we were honored to present this award to the truly incredible and life-changing Jason Zembuch-Young, enhancing the lives of students at South Plantation High School in Plantation, Florida.”
Denée Benton calls Governor Ron DeSantis the "current grand wizard" of Florida at the #TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/O2iEfbOvQO
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 12, 2023
And the crowd roared with applause, clapping like seals.
Nevermind that our current president eulogized Robert Byrd, (a former member of the KKK who formed a new chapter of the Ku Klux Klan in Sophia, West Virginia) at his 2010 memorial service, stating that Byrd “was the fierce — most fierce defender of not only the state, but the way of life — I think the most fierce defender that probably this state has ever known in its history.”
He continued, “He was fiercely devoted, as you’ve all heard, to his principles. Even once he became power, he always spoke truth to power, standing up for the people he proudly was part of, and you’ve heard it many times today, but it bears repeating again, in defense of the Constitution he revered.”
Speaking of Grand Wizard pic.twitter.com/1RzQCGZPV0
— Actual Potato (@actualtater) June 12, 2023
So today, you have a governor who made Florida the most economically prosperous state throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and kept small businesses alive.
The governor is currently using his political power to protect children from sexual exploitation, he’s hunkering down on ensuring that all students have equal opportunity for success based on capability and not their demographic or sexual identity, and is keeping parents, not the government, in charge of their own children’s upbringing.
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