Pro-Trump CNN commentator Scott Jennings raged against the actors who plan to boycott the "Les Misérables" production at the Kennedy Center when President Donald Trump shows up to attend the performance.
This comes as Trump attempts to reshape the iconic performing arts center in his own image, with the result that ticket sales have crashed and big productions are pulling out. The Kennedy Center's finances have declined so much that Trump allies are even discussing requiring Paramount to divert a portion of any potential settlement payout from Trump's lawsuit against CBS News to support it.
"Of course, the performance is about the French Revolution. It's — it's really fraught with symbolism," anchor Kasie Hunt told reporter Jamie Gangel on her panel.
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"Yes," she said. "I've never quite been sure whether he completely understood the meaning and context of that song, or whether he did, and he embraced it as his message."
Hunt then turned to Jennings for his thoughts.
"So Scott Jennings, this seems rich with things that you, perhaps knowing where you stand, would have things to say about because of course, I mean, the president, the president of the United States has always had a, you know, a specific formal role with the Kennedy Center, right?" said Hunt. "It's been, you know, the stage for supporting arts throughout our country, obviously named for John F. Kennedy. There is a massive bust of John F. Kennedy in the atrium of the Kennedy Center. President Trump, of course, went early in his second term. There's pictures of him standing next to this, this bust. I'm just curious what you think. You know, in some ways, it seems like the culture wars that Republicans and Trump in particular capitalized on are pretty on display."
"Yeah, I mean, these people are too fragile to show up for work," retorted Jennings, a longtime GOP strategist who has become one of Trump's main defenders on CNN. "I mean, the Kennedy Center is like America's theater. I mean, the president appoints the people who are on the board of the Kennedy Center. We use it for all kinds of big national events, no matter who the president is. And so it's kind of sad to me that these folks are choosing to grind personal political axes instead of going to work at the Kennedy Center."
"I mean, most people in America don't have the luxury of being able to call in sick from politics, but it sounds like that's what these people did," he added.
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