NY actors get political on Emmys red carpet with John Leguizamo leading way, calling on Mark Burnett to be a ‘patriot’ and release alleged Trump tapes – By Nancy Dillion (nydailynews.com) / Sept 18 2018
New York actors didn’t shy away from politics on the Emmys red carpet.
Actor John Leguizamo, nominated for his role as an FBI agent in “Waco,” voiced support for Tom Arnold Monday after the fellow comedian got in a dust-up with “Apprentice” producer Mark Burnett Sunday night.
Arnold confronted Burnett over claims the super-producer is harboring secret “Apprentice” tapes of President Trump using racist language.
“I’m so glad that Tom Arnold decided to take politics into his own hands, literally,” Leguizamo joked to the Daily News.
“Mark Burnett needs to step up and turn over the evidence that he has and save our democracy. That’s what a patriot would do,” he said.
Leguizamo also praised Stephen Colbert’s public calls for “accountability” after multiple women stepped forward to accuse his former CBS boss Les Moonves of sexual misconduct.
“It’s a testament to Stephen Colbert that he would threaten his own livelihood speaking up against his own boss,”Leguizamo said.
“I think #MeToo is a beautiful movement,” he continued. “It’s a beautiful time. Respect is a beautiful thing to give to people.”
New York actresses Joanna Adler and Adina Porter, meanwhile, voiced their support for Christine Blasey Ford, the California woman who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were both in high school.
Adler, a star of “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” said it was commendable that actress Julia Louis Dreyfus signed an open letter supporting Ford.
“I would sign something (similar), most assuredly. And I’d use a Sharpie because it’s permanent,” she told The News on the red carpet.
“If someone speaks up, listen to them, always. No matter the race, no matter the gender, no matter how far in the past it has happened. Listen, listen, listen,” Adler said.
Porter, nominated for best supporting actress in a limited series for her role in “American Horror Story: Cult,” praised Ford for having the “courage” to step forward.
“If we don’t support her, it won’t stop,” Porter told The News. “If you don’t speak up and remove the shame, it will continue to happen.”
Kavanaugh has denied mistreating Ford.
