With the midterm elections heavy on everyone’s mind, Jason Blum was booed offstage at the Israel Film Festival, where he was being honored, for making anti-Trump remarks during his speech.
Blum was booed from the start, when he referenced the election results that were rolling in at the same time as the event.
“A lot is on the line, the last two years have been hard for all of us who cherish the freedom as citizens of this country,” Blum said.
“The great thing about this country is that you can like Trump, but I don’t have to, and I can say what I feel about it — and I don’t like it!” he continued. At that, a few people began walking out of the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills.
The booing and shouting continued to increase in volume while Blum, who was receiving with the group’s Achievement in Film & Television Award, tried to talk over it.
“As you can see from this auditorium, it’s the end of civil discourse,” Blum continued. “We have a president who calls the press the enemy of the people. Thanks to our president, anti-semitism is on the rise”.
A man, identified as Yossi Dina, an Israeli pawnbroker who appeared on “Beverly Hills Pawn,” stepped on stage and attempted to pull Blum offstage, while the crowd cheered and clapped.
A woman called security to the stage over the P.A. system, and the man backed off.
“Enjoy the movie, and I love and respect all of you,” Blum said. “Now I’m being physically removed, which is why Trump is not the right guy.”
Blum tweeted about the episode, writing that the night “went kinda haywire.” He also retweeted several messages of support, adding to one, “That was not what I expected.”
He later posted his entire speech, which called upon those in entertainment to tell stories “that make us think harder about where we are and where we are going” and to promote the work of diverse voices.
“The truth is, hate speech breeds violence,” he wrote. “It dehumanizes. It demonizes. And ultimately, it targets. What we saw in Pittsburgh was a horrific example.”
To read the full text of Blum’s speech click here.
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