Broadway director Michael Arden’s acceptance speech got bleeped last night for the F-word…
In the live telecast, after he won for Best Direction of a Musical at the Tonys Sunday night. He was attempting to reclaim an anti-gay slur when his remarks were censored.
Arden won for his direction of the revival Parade, a 1998 musical about the lynching of a Jewish man by an antisemitic mob.
Growing up, I was called the F-word more times than I can count.
But now, I’m a faggot with a Tony.”
The audience ate it up with many standing to cheer him on. He had also talked about the need to support those in the queer community and stand against transphobia and homophobia.
We must come together, we must battle this.
Otherwise, we are doomed to repeat the horrors of our history. And to our beautiful trans, non-binary, queer youth, know that your queerness is what makes you beautiful and powerful.
Everyone in this room sees you and needs you and will fight alongside you and we will win.”
Watch.
The director of ‘Parade,’ Michael Arden, speaks to the queer community during his #TonyAwards acceptance speech pic.twitter.com/1KpiWxlqEf
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 12, 2023
(via The Daily Beast)
