Richard Grenell, the former director of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, remarked that a report from CNN regarding the cast of Les Misérables and their planned boycott of opening night because of President Donald Trump’s attendance was misconstrued. There seems to be confusion about what was actually reported.
According to an unnamed source cited by CNN, the report mentioned that around 10 to 12 performers from the production would consider not performing on the night Trump would be present. Both key cast and ensemble members were said to have the option to skip the show that evening.
Grenell quickly reacted to these claims after the news broke, expressing his views in Entertainment Weekly: “Artists who cannot perform for audiences from diverse backgrounds, regardless of politics, should not be part of the show.”
He further stated, “We believe in encouraging a more tolerant atmosphere and want to discourage hiring those who lack that openness.”
Minutes before the show commenced on Wednesday, Grenell dismissed the anticipation of a boycott while conversing with reporters at a venue in Washington, D.C.
The performance had a packed audience that included President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. V., U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and others close to Trump and the Kennedy Center.
While CNN’s article suggested a possible boycott, other news outlets also mentioned this but no such protests were observed.
“Recently, CNN cited multiple anonymous sources claiming that the cast of Les Misérables would definitely boycott the opening at the Kennedy Center and even halt the show.”
“Almost every news organization in the country echoed these unverified claims. Yet, CNN didn’t report the original story accurately. It got repeated numerous times as if it were fact. I recognized it as fake news.”
He said, “Do you really think CNN will issue an apology or correct their records? Honestly, no, they care more about grabbing attention than being accurate.”
“It’s disturbing, manipulative, and just wrong.”
CNN maintained their initial report regarding the performance in an article that was published the following morning. They stated: “It remains uncertain how many cast members adhered to the purported plans.”
Trump mentioned to reporters at the event, that he was unfazed by any talk of a boycott. “Honestly, I couldn’t care less; I’m just here to manage the country,” he said.
Olivia Rondeau is a political reporter for Breitbart News, based in Washington, DC. Find her X/Twitter and Instagram.
