Theater

Broadway Actor Calls DeSantis ‘Grand Wizard’ of Florida at Tony Awards

‘EXCUSE ME’

Denée Benton was onstage to salute a Florida high school teacher for excellence in theater education.

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Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters

Actor Denée Benton took aim at Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) during Sunday’s Tony Awards ceremony, jokingly referring to him as a “grand wizard” in a speech onstage. Benton, known for her work in musicals like Hamilton, appeared on the telecast to hand out an an award for excellence in theater education to a Florida high school teacher. Quipping that DeSantis would be looking to change the name of the teacher’s town—Plantation, Florida—Benton referred to the would-be Republican presidential nominee as “the current grand wizard” before stopping to correct herself: “I’m sorry, excuse me, governor of my home state of Florida.” She paused, laughing, as the audience roared in response.

Read it at Variety