John Lithgow Says Donald Trump’s Second Term Is ‘Pure Disaster’ for Arts: ‘First There Was Coronavirus, Now There’s This’

https://variety.com/2025/theater/global/john-lithgow-donald-pure-disaster-arts-1236361733/

40 comments

  1. > “Our administration has done some shocking, destructive things, but the one that grieves me most is taking over the Kennedy Center,” he said. “Deborah Rutter was fired from her position as president – even though she’d already resigned and had [several] months to go. She’s a very good friend of mine. We co-chaired a commission on the arts and spent three years finding out the state of the arts in America [was] in crisis. Well, it’s really in crisis now. First there was coronavirus, now there’s this.”

    > Lithgow asserted that the current state of arts in the U.S. was a “pure disaster — really disheartening,” but added some note of optimism.

    > “It gives us all something to fight for and I think the arts are animated by that. Right now, everybody is in shock,” he said, adding that once the shock had gone “bad times create good art.”

  2. All I know is I certainly would not want to be scolded by this man

  3. It feels like we collectively cannot catch a break and I’m legitimately starting to worry that at 32 years old, my best years are already behind me due to an upcoming financial collapse and potential political collapse.

  4. Trump is a disaster for everyone except the oligarchs that own him.

  5. Isn’t this the guy who said he wants to spend the rest of his career making a TERF even more money?

  6. I like him and all but no one cares about art at the moment when they’re losing their savings. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

  7. I now forgive him for putting Rita in the bathtub in Dexter.

  8. God bless artists and celebrities who have a voice and access to media for speaking up. The fable about “The Emperor that had no clothes” is the perfect metaphor for today’s political situation. Only instead of no clothes, it’s no ethics, scruples, or respect for democracy and the rule of law. It’s going to take a lot of brave souls like Lithgow speaking up and putting themselves in harm’s way. It is equally as important for those of us in the ‘peanut gallery’ to applaud and support the risks they take by speaking out. Bravo John Lithgow!

  12. i wish they would make a sequel to harry and the hendersons. i wonder what harry is up to.

  14. I don’t get it. I read the article. The only reasons he gave was that his friend was fired by the Trump administration, and that ‘everyone is in shock’ whatever that means. Thats it..? And then bizarrely he went on to say that he saw the arts industry being in crisis for the past 3 years which was the Biden administration.

  15. Donald Trump is the death of all good things. The only thing he positively impacts… are negatives.

  16. “Trump is the Corona Virus of Presidents.” – John Lithgow

  17. Trump vs COVID: One is a stupid, low-level, unthinking organism that exists just to make copies of itself and kill its host, and the other is a Corona virus.

  18. This is the darkest time in my 50 years I have seen in America. What makes it even darker is that many don’t even realize the light is fading fast.

  19. I hope more artists have the courage to speak up .

  20. Trump’s second term administration is the financial coronavirus.

  21. He has a book out about trump. It’s quite entertaining.

  23. He’s a treasure.

    I’ll be waiting on the “no talent John LithCOW,” tweet from Trump…

  26. I always run out to seek political and economic advice from entertainers

  27. It is the job now of true artists and dissidents to go underground, rediscover and nourish their roots, to use and create new platforms outside the mainstream to bring art to the world that does not conform to the capitalist paradigm. 

  29. That’s rich coming from someone who’s working for that abyssal hag

  31. Where’s the dark avenger when you need him? I know of a mass murderer who got away with a million deaths on their hands.

  32. It’s going to be wild when bands and festivals stop coming here because it’s too dangerous.

  33. Yeah, but coronavirus happened at the last year of his 1st term. Joe Biden pretty much chose the quarantine in the U.S.

  35. I love Lithgow. He should have won the Oscar for Garp.

  37. Trump’s second term has been a pure disaster for *everything*. Worst president ever and it’s not even close.

  38. Yeah but this is completely unnecessary and totally self inflicted.

  40. He should know. He’s been making observations about this planet for three decades!

Comments are closed.