The Hollywood adaptation of the Tony Award-winning, “In the Heights” cast in happier times … all of 6 days ago. That is, of course, until the Twitter mob/cancel culture/offended-by-all crowd claimed the cast wasn’t “brown” enough. Did we expect something different? I sure didn’t.
When we go looking for offense, we will never be dissappointed.
The story of “In The Heights” and it’s evolution from campus play to Broadway to Hollywood is an interesting one. It began at Wesleyan University with attendee, Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda, after attending the prestigious Wesleyan and being awarded the McArthur “genius grant” went on the create and star in Hamilton. Hamilton went on to win a Pulitzer Prize and gross close to a billion dollars. Miranda’s current net worth is somewhere around $80 million. He was and is, of course, oppressed.
This message was never made more clear than when Vice President-elect, Mike Pence had the audacity to want to attend Hamilton. He was booed by the crowd and then verbally called-out in a blatant attempt to shame and embarrass Pence while with his family. From stage, actor Brandon Dixon proclaimed,
“We, sir, are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents or defend us and uphold are inalienable rights, sir. But, we truly hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us. All of us.”
They were beautiful words because that is what writers and actors do best. I often wish more politicians were as eloquent in stating their cases … they are often not. So, we get caught up in the beauty in the words and often don’t question whether what is being said is crap.
It was crap.
We allowed, condoned and even applauded how the crowd and the Hamilton cast behaved towards the Vice President. Yet, the same people complain to this day about a disrespectful and toxic political climate. They are hypocrites in the deepest form and deeper than that … bullies. They take zero responsibility for their role in the divide. Is that a strong accusation? Yep. But, what proves it is just as the schoolyard bully that gets away with rude behavior will ALWAYS then increase the intensity and find new targets; that is now what has occurred with “In The Heights“.
Nothing will EVER be good enough for those seeking to be angry and offended by everything. Ever. If they don’t have a current target, they will eat their own if necessary to fill the “cancel” void. And, it’s very difficult to muster up an ounce of sympathy for those that criticized to now be attacked by those that they felt were solidly “on their side” (whatever that is).
One of the most basic laws of the Universe is that what goes around, comes around. So, I will simply watch it and shrug.
Pretty Political 