Actress' Awards Show Shot at DeSantis Sends Crowd of Elites into Hysterics
One of the most common insults hurled by the left at conservatives is that they are all, regardless of skin color or race, “white supremacists.”
That trend continued at the 2023 Tony Awards, when Broadway actress Denée Benton used a presentation speech to take a completely unprovoked — and unoriginal — shot at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Benton made the remarks on Sunday at the United Palace in New York City, which is where the Tony Awards historically occur.
You can watch the verbal shot below:
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
Benton was in the midst of presenting a special Tony to a Florida teacher when she jumped into a bizarre attack on DeSantis.
Naturally, it was a bizarre attack that the audience ate up.
“Earlier tonight, [Carnegie Mellon University] and the Tony Awards presented the 2023 Excellence in Theater Education Award,” Benton said.
According to the NY Daily News, the award was being presented to a teacher from Florida.
Benton continued: “And while I am certain that the current ‘grand wizard’— I’m sorry. Excuse me — governor of my home state of Florida …”
It’s at this point that Benton is drowned out by raucous applause from the New York crowd.
“I’m sure he will be changing the name of this following town immediately,” Benton added.
The teacher is reportedly from Plantation, Florida.
“Grand Wizard” is a not-so-subtle reference to the Ku Klux Klan. “Grand Wizard” was a term used to denote KKK leadership until the original version of it ended in 1872.
When the second iteration of the Klan took foot in America again in 1915, the title “Grand Wizard” was eventually changed to “Imperial Wizard.”
It’s all silly nonsense from an even sillier ideology, but it’s the kind of boogeyman or specter that the left seems unwilling to ever let go, even if it doesn’t make a ton of sense.
Benton implies that DeSantis would change the name of Plantation, a name which has obvious racial connotations.
Wouldn’t a Grand Wizard want more places called “Plantation,” in that case? Or want more “plantations” in general?
To be clear, DeSantis has not exhibited a single instance of racial animus during his time as Florida governor or as he prepares for what will be a bloody and bruising GOP primary.
And while DeSantis is still very much a distant second to former President Donald Trump in a crowded GOP primary field, it’s clear the left still views him as a “grand” threat.
Look no further than the cheap and completely unprovoked shot against DeSantis at the 2023 Tony Awards.
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