Trump demands apology from "Hamilton " staff

The Nature Boy · November 21, 2016

I'll ask you the same question: Would this be okay if President Obama was attending a play with his wife and daughters for a member of the cast to call him out publicly in front of everyone for his policies?

You know the answer to that.

bcking · November 21, 2016

Honestly the more I think about it I have a bigger problem with the way the audience treated him. As people said, he deserves to have a night out with his children. Being in a large theatre surrounded by boo's would be, to me, closer to harassment (or mobbing) than one man on stage saying he is afraid and hopes things will turn out okay.

Teddy B · November 21, 2016

I already expressed my opinion on this: If the play was about American History and focused on a policiy that is now topical in today's world and Obama has previously publicly stood up against it (Say gun control, and Obama had explicitly said in the past that he wanted to "take away the guns" and the play was about say some event 200 years ago where people tried to take away our guns), I don't think it would be inappropriate for the cast to direct a message to the President as long as it is as polite as possible.

Again I thought the "speech" was pretty darn polite. The cast wasn't booing or heckling. It was one guy reading a 30 second blurb about love and acceptance. If someone read a similar blurb about love and acceptance and the right to bear arms while President Obama was in the audience I think it would be fine. I also can almost guarantee the President wouldn't complain about it later (Nor is Pence really complaining).

I personally don't care what the topic of the play is, I don't believe this is morally acceptable in any leisurely setting. I believe that the cast of the play crossed a moral line. We obviously disagree on where the moral line is drawn and that's fine. But my questions to you would be where and how do we draw the line of what topics are acceptable and what are not in a leisurely setting and who gets to make that decision?

Teddy B · November 21, 2016

You know the answer to that.

I just believe that when the work day is done, barring any emergencies, that politicians should be able to have a social life without being singled out the way Pence was.

bcking · November 21, 2016

I personally don't care what the topic of the play is, I don't believe this is morally acceptable in any leisurely setting. I believe that the cast of the play crossed a moral line. We obviously disagree on where the moral line is drawn and that's fine. But my questions to you would be where and how do we draw the line of what topics are acceptable and what are not in a leisurely setting and who gets to make that decision?

So I guess to that I would say any topic is acceptable as long as it falls within our laws of free speech. All of the comedy news TV shows have an audience when they are filming and they discuss far worse than what was discussed there. I understand that you think he was "blindsided" in a way because you feel it was unexpected at a play. My point was I just felt it wasn't all that unexpected given the topic of the play. I've seen plays that are far more topical than Hamiltion, and get far more politically involved. Some work it into the actual production (alter the lines to fit current events). Some people enjoy it, some people don't.

Bottom line the production company can decide what they feel comfortable doing, and then the audience can decide if they do or don't mind. If people are that offended by Hamilton they can stop buying tickets. You don't have to go to that particular play. There are plenty of other plays that likely wouldn't do a similar thing.

They didn't refuse to perform for him.

They didn't harass him (you could argue that the audience did, but the cast did not).

They decided to use likely the only time they will be in the same room as him, and their "power" as performers to promote something they believe strongly in. He can choose to withhold his business in the future as everyone else can if they are offended.

The Nature Boy · November 21, 2016

So I guess to that I would say any topic is acceptable as long as it falls within our laws of free speech. All of the comedy news TV shows have an audience when they are filming and they discuss far worse than what was discussed there. I understand that you think he was "blindsided" in a way because you feel it was unexpected at a play. My point was I just felt it wasn't all that unexpected given the topic of the play. I've seen plays that are far more topical than Hamiltion, and get far more politically involved. Some work it into the actual production (alter the lines to fit current events). Some people enjoy it, some people don't.

Bottom line the production company can decide what they feel comfortable doing, and then the audience can decide if they do or don't mind. If people are that offended by Hamilton they can stop buying tickets. You don't have to go to that particular play. There are plenty of other plays that likely wouldn't do a similar thing.

They didn't refuse to perform for him.

They didn't harass him (you could argue that the audience did, but the cast did not).

They decided to use likely the only time they will be in the same room as him, and their "power" as performers to promote something they believe strongly in. He can choose to withhold his business in the future as everyone else can if they are offended.

So long it is projected as free speech ?

So the mayor of some Hicksville town that had to step down because she said Chelly resembles and ape or words to that effect.

Then you think she should not have had to step down obviously!

russandraquel · November 21, 2016

Boohoo

Mike Pence's family suffers some jeers while his policies and efforts rip families apart and create a lower class of citizenry.

russandraquel · November 21, 2016

So long it is projected as free speech ?

So the mayor of some Hicksville town that had to step down because she said Chelly resembles and ape or words to that effect.

Then you think she should not have had to step down obviously!

Nice straw man.

Teddy B · November 21, 2016

So I guess to that I would say any topic is acceptable as long as it falls within our laws of free speech. All of the comedy news TV shows have an audience when they are filming and they discuss far worse than what was discussed there. I understand that you think he was "blindsided" in a way because you feel it was unexpected at a play. My point was I just felt it wasn't all that unexpected given the topic of the play. I've seen plays that are far more topical than Hamiltion, and get far more politically involved. Some work it into the actual production (alter the lines to fit current events). Some people enjoy it, some people don't.

Bottom line the production company can decide what they feel comfortable doing, and then the audience can decide if they do or don't mind. If people are that offended by Hamilton they can stop buying tickets. You don't have to go to that particular play. There are plenty of other plays that likely wouldn't do a similar thing.

They didn't refuse to perform for him.

They didn't harass him (you could argue that the audience did, but the cast did not).

They decided to use likely the only time they will be in the same room as him, and their "power" as performers to promote something they believe strongly in. He can choose to withhold his business in the future as everyone else can if they are offended.

I have a feeling there would be many fights and riots incited if people performing in a show were to feel free to talk about their political beliefs. What if it were the Ice Capades or the Circus where many children were present. Would it be okay for an anti-abortion performer to go into a rant about killing babies?

I'm not saying that anyone was offended by the cast of Hamilton, I certainly wasn't and neither was Mike Pence. My issue is with the morality of it.

Rob L · November 21, 2016

I'll ask you the same question: Would this be okay if President Obama was attending a play with his wife and daughters for a member of the cast to call him out publicly in front of everyone for his policies?

so if we acquiesce to the claim that they audience should feels like they are in a sanctuary and safe place, can we revisit what Donald Trump has said about folks outside of the theater?

Chuck Todd

MODERATOR, “MEET THE PRESS”

“Sleepy eyes”

“a man with so little touch for politics”

“totally one-sided interview”

“totally biased against me”

“totally biased”

“sleepy eyes”

“no ratings”

“so dishonest in his reporting”

“was going off the air until I came along”

“very dishonest”