Emmy Winners Bash Donald Trump Backstage: ‘A Dangerous Monster’
You’ve heard the Emmy winners’ official acceptance speeches, but backstage was their chance to cut loose and perhaps weigh in on their heart’s desire. And apparently, it was time to get political, specifically, anti-Donald Trump. Check out what the winners said about the Republican nominee below.
Jill Soloway, who had won for her comedy directing on “Transparent,” was the first to take the opportunity to speak out against Trump, whom she called, “a dangerous monster. Every chance I get to call Trump out as an inheritor to Hitler, I will.”
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“He’s Otherizing people,” she said. “He calls women pigs if they don’t look like beauty pageant contestants. He blames Muslims and Mexicans for our problems. He makes fun of disabled people. This is Otherizing with a capital ‘O.’ He needs to be called out.”
Similarly horrified by Trump was “Veep” EP David Mandel, who declined to even give a name to the Republican presidential nominee and only referred to him as “that madman threatening Hillary Clinton.” Mandel added that “the discourse in this campaign is horrific” and urged everyone to vote and not to choose a third party in order to “avoid some white supremacists.”
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John Oliver, who won for Outstanding Variety Talk Series for “Last Week Tonight,” was also to the point. When a reporter prompted him, “Donald Trump. Go,” Oliver replied, “Donald Trump, go? Sure, I’ll agree with that.” Later, when asked if he felt his coverage was responsible for Trump’s rise, Oliver said, “No, no of course I fucking don’t.”
Less demonizing was Mark Burnett, who had won for Reality Competition Program for “The Voice.” Earlier in the night, Emmys host Jimmy Kimmel had blamed Burnett, who also produced “The Apprentice,” for Trump’s ascendancy into American politics. Burnett didn’t mind the jab. “It’s easy to be a good sport. It’s comedy,” he said and added that “I’m sure Donald is thrilled and will thank you so much for the free publicity. How much free media can any one person get? It’s the changing face of how everything works.”
“Game of Thrones,” a show known for its power struggles and polarizing leaders, also had to weigh in, but in an unusual way. When a reporter asked how Trump would fare on the show, Conleth Hill, who plays Varys, replied,”We have more taste than to cast him.”
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