Robert De Niro lashed out at Donald J. Trump, calling the Republican presidential candidate “insane” from the podium of the Hollywood Film Awards on Sunday night.
De Niro compared Trump to off-kilter movie characters in front of a supportive crowd at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The Trump comparisons included the “totally insane” General Jack D. Ripper, who pushed the world to “nuclear Armageddon” in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove. De Niro said the Ripper character was not a stretch from the “totally insane” Trump.
“I know we’re here to celebrate movies in Hollywood. But it’s two days before a frightening election and the shadow of politics is hanging over us whether we like it or not. And it’s hard for me to think about anything else,” said De Niro.
Robert De Niro accepting prize at the Hollywood Film Awards (Photo: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
“So let me lay it out right here. We have the opportunity to prevent comedy from turning into a tragedy,” De Niro added. He advocated voting for Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, bringing a cheer from the crowd.
De Niro, who received the Hollywood Comedy Award for his role in The Comedian, has gone after Trump before. In October, the Oscar-winner took Trump to task, calling him “a punk, a dog, pig, a con (and) a (BS) artist” in a video that went viral.
“He’s a mutt who doesn’t do his homework, doesn’t care, thinks he’s gaming society, doesn’t pay his taxes,” De Niro said in the video.
In August, De Niro called Trump “totally nuts” during a film festival discussion.
Source: http://www.usatoday.com/
