Scott Jennings on Some ‘Les Mis’ Cast Members Planning to Boycott Trump’s Attendance: ‘These People Are Too Fragile to Show Up for Work’

HUNT: “So, Scott Jennings, this seems rich with things that you perhaps, knowing where you stand, would have things to say about. Because, of course, I mean, the president — president of the United States has always had a, you know, a specific formal role with the Kennedy Center, right? It’s been, you know, the stage for supporting arts throughout the country, obviously named for John F. Kennedy. There’s a massive bust of John F. Kennedy in the atrium of the Kennedy Center. President Trump, of course, went early in his second term. There’s pictures of him standing next to this, this bust. I’m just curious what you think. You know, in some ways, it seems like the culture wars that Republicans and Trump in particular capitalized on are pretty on display in what Jamie is reporting here.”

JENNINGS: “Yeah. I mean, these people are too fragile to show up for work. I mean, the Kennedy Center is, like, America’s theater. I mean, president appoints the people who are on the board of the Kennedy Center. We use it for all kinds of big national events, no matter who the president is. And so, it’s kind of sad to me that these folks are choosing to grind personal political axes instead of going to work at the Kennedy Center. I mean, most people in America don’t have the luxury of being able to call in sick from politics, but it sounds like that’s what these people did.”