CNN commentator blasts 'Les Mis' cast who will sit out Trump show: 'Shut up and sing'

USA Today

08-05-2025

CNN commentator blasts 'Les Mis' cast who will sit out Trump show: 'Shut up and sing'
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Conan O'Brien, Will Ferrell take aim at President Trump
Comedians, like Conan O'Brien and Will Ferrell, took aim at President Donald Trump as they gathered to honor Conan O'Brien at the Kennedy Center.
A CNN commentator is blasting performers at the Kennedy Center after the outlet exclusively reported that several 'Les Misérables' cast members planned to boycott an upcoming show President Donald Trump is slated to attend.
"It's your job to perform, shut up and sing," Joe Borelli, the Former Republican leader of the New York City Council, said during a May 8 broadcast of "NewsNight With Abby Phillip."
"This is what you're paid to do, stop being so self-absorbed," Borelli continued, taking aim at the 10 to 12 cast members who will reportedly sit out a performance of the musical based on one of the bloody uprisings ahead of the French Revolution.
They feel like they're doing something as heroic and revolutionary as the rebels portrayed in the play, Borelli argued, while in reality they're just being: "self-absorbed, jerk actors," he claimed.
CNN first broke the news May 7 that performers had been given the option to bow out of a June 11 show, which Trump, who has recently taken over the Kennedy Center, will attend. The cadre who raised their hands to opt out includes both principal cast and ensemble members, the outlet reports.
The subtle but notable act of resistance comes just months after Trump cleaned house at the Kennedy Center, installing himself as chairman and close ally Richard Grenell as interim president.
Amid Kennedy Center shakeup, a musician shares tense exchange with interim president
The reason for the changes, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, was the center's decision to host drag show performances.
"Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP," he wrote. "The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation."
In response to all the upheaval, multiple stars and artists cut ties with the center, with several high-profile board members stepping down and others canceling future performances. An interview with Issa Rae and several performances of the Broadway hit "Hamilton" were among the events canceled.
'I never liked 'Hamilton' very much,' President Trump says in visit to Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center, which opened in 1971 in honor of the late 35th president of the United States, serves as the nation's arts and cultural center, offering concerts, plays and other live acts. Trump declined to attend the annual Kennedy Center Honors performances during his first term.
Contributing: Savannah Kuchar, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Joey Garrison, USA TODAY