Latest news with #Offerman
Indianapolis Star
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
How Nick Offerman responded to a homophobic meme of his 'Parks and Rec' character
Ron Swanson once had some harsh words for frozen yogurt, calling it the "celery of desserts." But actor Nick Offerman had even harsher words for Michael Flynn Jr. The son of former national security advisor Michael Flynn adapted a "Parks and Recreation" meme of Offerman's character to diss Pride Month. A popular animated GIF of Offerman on the show, set in the fictional Pawnee, Indiana, shows his character throwing his computer in a dumpster. The version Flynn Jr. posted to X has a rainbow flag over the computer. Offerman wasn't having it. "Ron was best man at a gay wedding you dumb f---. #HappyPride," Offerman wrote in response to Flynn's post. Offerman has a long history of calling out homophobia. A decade ago, after then-Gov. Mike Pence signed the Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law, he and his wife, Megan Mullaly, canceled an Indiana stop on their tour. Offerman also had a solo show scheduled at Indiana University, and he kept that date, donating his proceeds to the Human Rights Campaign. Advocates were concerned that Indiana's RFRA law would allow discrimination against LGBTQ+ people under the guise of protecting the right to practice religion. In 2023, the "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning" actor starred in an acclaimed episode of "The Last of Us" as Bill, a gruff survivalist who falls in love with Frank, played by Murray Bartlett. Speaking with i News, Offerman shared that he received "a lot of homophobic hate" about the episode via social media, despite critics hailing it as a highlight of the season. When Offerman won a Film Independent Spirit Award for the role in 2024, he called out this homophobic hate in his speech. "When homophobic hate comes my way and says, 'Why did you have to make it a gay story?' we say, 'Because you ask questions like that,'" he said, adding, "It's not a gay story, it's a love story." RFRA a decade later: The inside story on how a Pence-era bill created a crisis in Indiana In Season 4, Episode 9 of "Parks and Recreation," Ron is confused about personalized ads showing up on his computer. Horrified to learn that the computer knows who he is, and that his home appears on Google Maps, Ron takes his computer outside and throws it in the dumpster. Indiana on TV: Return to Hawkins with 'Stranger Things' Season 5 release this fall. When it's on
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nick Offerman blasts Michael Flynn's son for using Parks and Rec clip in homophobic post
Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman eviscerated Michael Flynn Jr., the son of Donald Trump's former National Security Advisor, over a recent homophobic post on X. On Monday, the first day of Pride Month, Flynn Jr. shared an edited clip from Parks and Recreation of Offerman's curmudgeonly Ron Swanson angrily chucking an old computer monitor into the garbage — except the monitor had been replaced with a rainbow Pride flag. 'Good morning and Happy Sunday! No quotes today. Just wanted to post how I feel about 'pride' month,' Flynn Jr. wrote. 'Ron was best man at a gay wedding you dumb f***. #HappyPride,' Offerman, 54, replied, referencing the series finale, in which Ron served as the best man at the wedding between his hairdresser Typhoon (Rodney To) and Pawnee Parks staffer Craig (Billy Eichner). His response came as the cast of Parks and Recreation responded to the death of their co-star Jonathan Joss, who was killed outside his burned-down home Sunday after an alleged campaign of homophobic harassment against him and his new husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales. 'The cast has been texting together about it all day and we're just heartbroken,' Offerman told People in a statement. 'Jonathan was such a sweet guy and we loved having him as our Chief Ken Hotate. A terrible tragedy.' Throughout the seven-season sitcom, Ron was known for his allyship to the LGBTQ+ community. Offerman, who later starred as a gay man in a standalone 2023 episode of The Last of Us, previously denounced the homophobia that his storyline generated. 'Thanks to HBO for having the guts to participate in this storytelling tradition that is truly independent,' the actor said in his 2024 Independent Spirit Awards acceptance speech for best supporting performance in a new scripted series. 'Stories with guts that when homophobic hate comes my way and says, 'Why did you have to make it a gay story?' We say, 'Because you ask questions like that. It's not a gay story it's a love story, you asshole!' Flynn Jr. is known for making controversial declarations on X. In 2017, he slammed the Women's March in Washington, writing: 'What victory? Women already have equal rights, and YES equal pay in this country. What MORE do you want? Free mani/pedis?' The previous year, he and his father, retired U.S. Army lieutenant general Michael Flynn Sr., made headlines for spreading fake news numerous times. Many of their X posts involved conspiracy theories about Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and their allies. Flynn Sr. served as Trump's National Security Advisor for 22 days during his first term as president. However, he swiftly resigned after it was revealed that he misled former Vice President Mike Pence and other top White House officials about his conversations with Russia's ambassador to the United States.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Nick Offerman Tears Into Michael Flynn's Son
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Actor Nick Offerman clapped back at Michael Flynn Jr. after the son of retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn shared an edited Parks and Recreation clip that made it seem like Ron Swanson, Offerman's character on show, was throwing a pride flag into the garbage. In response to a request for comment for this article, Flynn sent three laughing emoji. Newsweek has contacted a representative for Offerman for comment via email outside regular working hours. Why It Matters Pride Month is celebrated in June—coinciding with the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, a series of protests for gay liberation. This year's Pride Month comes at a critical time for LGBTQIA+ people as Republican lawmakers in several states move to end same-sex marriage and the Trump administration has taken multiple steps to unravel protections for transgender Americans. The State Department has also enacted a "one flag policy," banning U.S. Embassies and overseas missions from flying pride flags. A composite image showing a "Love is Love" flag at Bangkok's pride parade on June 1 and Nick Offerman at the U.S. premiere of "Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning" at Lincoln Center Plaza in New York... A composite image showing a "Love is Love" flag at Bangkok's pride parade on June 1 and Nick Offerman at the U.S. premiere of "Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning" at Lincoln Center Plaza in New York on May 18. More/for Paramount Pictures What To Know Flynn, whose father served as U.S. national security adviser for 22 days before resigning from the first Trump administration, posted the clip on X, formerly Twitter, on June 1. He wrote in the caption, "Just wanted to post how I feel about 'pride' month." The clip, from the fourth season of Parks and Recreation, originally showed Swanson furiously throwing his computer into the trash after learning about online invasions into his privacy. The edited clip includes a rainbow flag in place of the computer. Offerman wrote in response to Flynn's post, "Ron was best man at a gay wedding you dumb f--k. #HappyPride." In "One Last Ride," the series finale, Swanson serves as the best man in a wedding between two of the show's smaller roles: Typhoon (Rodney To), who is Swanson's hairdresser, and Craig (Billy Eichner). Swanson, a committed libertarian, is known for his grumpiness and biting one-liners. However, the character, like the actor, is supportive of the queer community. Offerman's comment was met with a mixed response online, with some social media users applauding his quick comeback, while others criticized him. What People Are Saying X user @OzymandiasEsq, responding to Offerman in a post viewed 54,000 times as of press time, wrote: "I always love when a creator/writer/actor slams someone for misusing their character." User @RidgeburyCap, responding to Offerman in a post viewed 37,000 times, wrote: "No one cares what the actor thinks lol." What Happens Next Cities across the U.S. have organized events and celebrations for Pride Month, with the annual WorldPride set to take place in Washington, D.C., this year. Pride marches and parades are also expected in cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nick Offerman reveals ‘Parks and Recreation' cast ‘has been texting' about co-star Jonathan Joss' murder ‘all day'
The cast members of 'Parks and Recreation' are remembering co-star Jonathan Joss after his shocking shooting death over the weekend. Nick Offerman said that he and his 'Parks and Recreation' family have been 'texting together about it all day' and that they are all 'heartbroken' over Joss' sudden passing. 'The cast has been texting together about it all day and we're just heartbroken,' Offerman, 54, said in a statement to People on Monday. 'Jonathan was such a sweet guy and we loved having him as our Chief Ken Hotate,' Offerman added. 'A terrible tragedy.' Chris Pratt, who starred in 'Parks and Recreation' alongside Offerman and Joss, also paid tribute to his late co-star following the news of the actor's death. 'Damn. RIP Jonathan,' Pratt, 45, wrote on social media. 'Always such a kind dude.' 'He played Ken Hotate in Parks and was also in [The Magnificent Seven],' Pratt added. 'Sad to see. Prayers up. Hug your loved ones.' Joss starred in 'Parks and Recreation' for five years from 2011 through 2015. He appeared in a recurring role as Chief Ken Hotate, the leader of the Native American Wamapoke Tribe. Besides Offerman and Pratt, Joss also starred alongside Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Aubrey Plaza and Adam Scott on the beloved sitcom. Offerman and Pratt's remarks came one day after Joss, 59, was shot and killed at his property in San Antonio, Texas, following an alleged dispute with his neighbor. The 'King of the Hill' voice actor's suspected killer was identified as Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, and he was taken into custody on Sunday at approximately 7:05 p.m., The Post confirmed. Ceja was charged with felony first-degree murder, and his bond was set at $200K. His court date is scheduled for August. Joss' husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, alleged in a lengthy Facebook post on Monday that the actor's murder was a homophobic hate crime. 'He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other,' Joss' husband wrote. However, the San Antonio Police Department denied those claims. 'Currently the investigation has found no evidence to indicate that Mr. Joss's murder was related to his sexual orientation,' the department tweeted after de Gonzales' claims. It was also revealed that Joss, who voiced John Redcorn in 'King of the Hill,' was reportedly escorted out of a panel for the Fox animated series just two days before he was fatally shot. The alleged incident unfolded at the ATX TV Festival in Austin, Texas, on Friday, May 30. Witnesses claimed that Joss walked up to a microphone and began to speak before it was time for the audience to interact with those on the 'King of the Hill' panel, including the show's co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels. 'I'm an actor,' Joss said in a clip of the incident before revealing how his home had burned down earlier this year. 'I see a mic, I use it. I see a wrong, I make it right. I take a breath, I want to breathe.' An eyewitness claimed that security approached Joss and escorted him out of the venue after he began walking toward the stage where the panel was taking place. 'As Joss moved away from the mic to go back to his seat, that's when security told him he had to leave, and he exited the theater calmly and cooperatively,' the onlooker claimed. Joss was fatally shot and killed two days after the ATX TV Festival. Neighbors claimed that Joss returned to his burned-down home to collect a victim's fire fund check, which was when the suspected dispute with his suspected killer began.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
'Parks and Rec' cast was 'texting' about Jonathan Joss' murder
The cast members of 'Parks and Recreation' are remembering co-star Jonathan Joss after his shocking shooting death over the weekend. Nick Offerman said that he and his 'Parks and Recreation' family have been 'texting together about it all day' and that they are all 'heartbroken' over Joss' sudden passing. 'The cast has been texting together about it all day and we're just heartbroken,' Offerman, 54, said in a statement to People on Monday. 8 Nick Offerman paid tribute to his 'Parks and Recreation' co-star Jonathan Joss on Monday. AFP via Getty Images 8 Joss starred as Chief Ken Hotate, the leader of the Native American Wamapoke Tribe, on 'Parks and Recreation' from 2011 to 2015. NBC 'Jonathan was such a sweet guy and we loved having him as our Chief Ken Hotate,' Offerman added. 'A terrible tragedy.' Chris Pratt, who starred in 'Parks and Recreation' alongside Offerman and Joss, also paid tribute to his late co-star following the news of the actor's death. 'Damn. RIP Jonathan,' Pratt, 45, wrote on social media. 'Always such a kind dude.' 8 Chris Pratt also paid tribute to Joss after he was fatally shot in Texas on Sunday, June 1. Facebook/Jonathan Joss 'He played Ken Hotate in Parks and was also in [The Magnificent Seven],' Pratt added. 'Sad to see. Prayers up. Hug your loved ones.' Joss starred in 'Parks and Recreation' for five years from 2011 through 2015. He appeared in a recurring role as Chief Ken Hotate, the leader of the Native American Wamapoke Tribe. Besides Offerman and Pratt, Joss also starred alongside Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Aubrey Plaza and Adam Scott on the beloved sitcom. 8 'Jonathan was such a sweet guy and we loved having him as our Chief Ken Hotate,' Offerman said of Joss. Mitchell Haaseth/NBC Offerman and Pratt's remarks came one day after Joss, 59, was shot and killed at his property in San Antonio, Texas, following an alleged dispute with his neighbor. The 'King of the Hill' voice actor's suspected killer was identified as Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, and he was taken into custody on Sunday at approximately 7:05 p.m., The Post confirmed. Ceja was charged with felony first-degree murder, and his bond was set at $200K. His court date is scheduled for August. 8 Joss' suspected shooter has been identified as Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja. Facebook/Tristan Kern de Gonzales Joss' husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, alleged in a lengthy Facebook post on Monday that the actor's murder was a homophobic hate crime. 'He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other,' Joss' husband wrote. However, the San Antonio Police Department denied those claims. 8 Joss and his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales. Facebook/Tristan Kern de Gonzales 'Currently the investigation has found no evidence to indicate that Mr. Joss's murder was related to his sexual orientation,' the department tweeted after de Gonzales' claims. It was also revealed that Joss, who voiced John Redcorn in 'King of the Hill,' was reportedly escorted out of a panel for the Fox animated series just two days before he was fatally shot. The alleged incident unfolded at the ATX TV Festival in Austin, Texas, on Friday, May 30. 8 Joss also voiced John Redcorn in 'King of the Hill.' Facebook/Dale Bracey Witnesses claimed that Joss walked up to a microphone and began to speak before it was time for the audience to interact with those on the 'King of the Hill' panel, including the show's co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels. 'I'm an actor,' Joss said in a clip of the incident before revealing how his home had burned down earlier this year. 'I see a mic, I use it. I see a wrong, I make it right. I take a breath, I want to breathe.' An eyewitness claimed that security approached Joss and escorted him out of the venue after he began walking toward the stage where the panel was taking place. 8 Joss as Chief Ken Hotate and Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope in 'Parks and Recreation.' NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection 'As Joss moved away from the mic to go back to his seat, that's when security told him he had to leave, and he exited the theater calmly and cooperatively,' the onlooker claimed. Joss was fatally shot and killed two days after the ATX TV Festival. Neighbors claimed that Joss returned to his burned-down home to collect a victim's fire fund check, which was when the suspected dispute with his suspected killer began.
