Tony Awards Presenter Calls DeSantis “Grand Wizard”

Variety reports:

Actor Denée Benton took aim at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during Sunday’s Tony Awards telecast, referring to the Republican presidential hopeful as a “Grand Wizard” as she presented an award for theater education.

On CBS’ live telecast, Benton saluted the 2023 recipient of the excellence in theater education award, Jason Zembuch Young of South Plantation High School in Plantation, Florida. Benton noted that she is a Florida native and she made reference to DeSantis’ many controversial moves on civil rights in the state by connecting him to the Klu Klux Klan white supremacist organization.

“I’m certain that the current grand wizard — I’m sorry, excuse me, governor of my home state of Florida,” Benton said, to a roar of applause from the crowd at the historic United Palace Theater in Washington Heights.

Read the full article. As you can see below, in addition to Benton’s jab, it was a very LGBTQ night at the Tonys.

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

Alex Newell of “Shucked” and J. Harrison Ghee of “Some Like It Hot” become the first openly nonbinary performers to win acting #Tonys. https://t.co/PbJicNvSCO pic.twitter.com/KxLAhSQsRj

— The Associated Press (@AP) June 12, 2023

“For every trans, nonbinary, gender-nonconforming human, whoever was told you couldn’t be, you couldn’t be seen, this is for you,” said J. Harrison Ghee, who won the award for lead actor in a musical for “Some Like It Hot.”

More from #TonyAwards2023: https://t.co/qVPSChkCvH pic.twitter.com/IyvsocZDK2

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) June 12, 2023

.@SeanHayes has won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for @GoodnightOscar!https://t.co/6ZH9fmQyFv

— BroadwayWorld (@BroadwayWorld) June 12, 2023

Michael Arden’s bleeped-out Tony Award speech is instantly iconic:

“Growing up, I was called the F-word more times than I could remember. And all I can say now is I’m a faggot with a Tony!”#TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/pJYzfgIJoh

— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) June 12, 2023