Mike Pence tries to end the 'Hamilton' drama while Trump stokes the flames
The feud between the Broadway musical Hamilton and Vice President-elect Mike Pence is hopefully coming to a close.
According to Fox News Sunday, Pence claims that he was not offended when the cast of Hamilton delivered a statement to him after curtain call at a show he attended on Friday evening. The statement came after Pence was booed by the audience when he went to take his seat.
.@mike_pence: I really enjoyed watching Hamilton. It was a real joy to be there. I heard a few boos. I wasn't offended by what was said.
— FoxNewsSunday (@FoxNewsSunday) November 20, 2016
Tonight, VP-Elect Mike Pence attended #HamiltonBway. After the show, @BrandonVDixon delivered the following statement on behalf of the show. pic.twitter.com/Jsg9Q1pMZs
— Hamilton (@HamiltonMusical) November 19, 2016
Pence does admit to hearing "a few boos" but says that he enjoyed the show and that it was "a real joy to be there."
While there were more than a few boos as Pence entered the room that evening, he is clearly taking the high road compared to President-elect Donald Trump, who tweeted multiple times about the show.
Trump claimed that Pence was harassed at the show.
Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing.This should not happen!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2016
Then demanded an apology from the cast for their statement.
The Theater must always be a safe and special place.The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2016
Trump continued to demand an apology as late as Sunday morning while dishing his own jab by calling the show "highly overrated." Clearly the drama was really bother the President-elect.
The cast and producers of Hamilton, which I hear is highly overrated, should immediately apologize to Mike Pence for their terrible behavior
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 20, 2016
Some people have criticized Trump's initial response for declaring the theater a "safe space" because conservatives have mocked the idea of safe spaces.
Look at these pathetic snowflakes with their demands for safe spaces. https://t.co/X3EXvjS6c3
— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) November 19, 2016
While others are upset that Trump was quick to defend Pence for simply getting booed, but isn't doing enough to dispel the uptick in hate crimes since the election ended.
We have a President-elect who will rush to speak out against a Broadway show but not against thousands of hate crimes. Be outraged.
— Lance Rubin (@lancerubinparty) November 19, 2016
Some claim the whole thing is a distraction from the real news that's going on.
Hamilton feud is a distraction from Trump U fraud case, backgrounds of cabinet picks, conflict of interest concerns https://t.co/bppZlgfjtm
— Monica Rhor (@monicarhor) November 19, 2016
Hamilton is a highly popular Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda that celebrates immigrants and features a multicultural cast as well as several LGBT performers. Currently, its star is Javier Munoz, an openly gay, HIV-positive actor who advocates for both communities.
Pence has been criticized in the past for his stance on LGBT issues which include his support of a bill in 2015 to allow businesses to discriminate against LGBT people and how he handled an HIV outbreak in Indiana during his time as state governor.
Regardless of your views on Pence, at least he's trying to put the feud with Hamilton behind us while Trump continues to stoke the flames.
