Throughout the Producers Guild of America Awards tonight, various presenters expressed their ire toward the new U.S. President Donald Trump, especially in the wake of his recent restrictions on immigration. None, were louder or named Trump tonight more bluntly than multi-Grammy and Oscar winner John Legend who is also an EP on this year’s mega Oscar contender and PGA winner La La Land.
Legend exclaimed, “This is a film about love, about dreams and about this lovely city we call home, Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles is the home of so many immigrants, so many creative people, so many dreamers. We are the voice, we are the face, of America. Our America is big, it is free, and it is open to dreamers of all races, all countries, all religions. Our vision of America is directly antithetical to that of President Trump. I want to specifically tonight reject his vision and affirm that America has to be better than that.”
He added, “My wife and I were conflicted about being here tonight, but we wanted to put our money where our mouth is, and we donated to the ACLU and other organizations who are committed to fighting for freedom in the land of the free. Let’s all continue to stand up together for what is right.”
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Other Trump-ian protests tonight included Elizabeth and Nora Rothman who appeared onstage wearing pink “pussy hats” while presenting their father Tom Rothman with his Milestone Award. The duo received a standing ovation.
20th Century Women producer Megan Ellison, upon receiving the Visionary award, said to the room, “The scariest thing we can do now, or ever, is to shut up” about the current socio-political climate in America.
Meanwhile, Celebrity Apprentice producer Mark Burnett in receiving the PGA award for competition television received soft boos from the Beverly Hilton ballroom. During the Emmys when host Jimmy Kimmel joked about Burnett’s previous history with Trump, the TV creator dodged questions when asked how he felt about the former reality show host’s inflammatory rhetoric during the election.
