In an F-bomb and myth-filled, blistering and at times pretty hilarious introduction to Meryl Streep at the National Board of Review Annual Awards on Tuesday, Robert De Niro made clear that, like the vast majority of his peers — particularly Streep — he hates the “f***ing fool” President of the United States.
De Niro began by congratulating Tom Hanks, whom he noted “has played opposite some of the most iconic figures in American cinema. In ‘Turner and Hooch’ he co-starred with a humongous, slobbering French Mastiff. In ‘Toy Story’ his nemesis was action figure Buzz Lightyear. And who could forget his award-winning performance in ‘Castaway,’ opposite a volleyball named Wilson.”
De Niro then pivoted to Hanks’ co-star in “The Post,” the formerly Harvey Weinstein-loving, permanently Trump-loathing Streep.
“That brings us to ‘The Post,’ and another signature performance from the extraordinary Meryl Streep,” said De Niro. “Meryl is the most generous and giving actor. She not only inhabits her own character, she helps bring out the character of everyone else on the screen. Can a volleyball do that?”
That’s when De Niro worked in his first Trump reference.
“Not even if the volleyball was a stable genius,” he said in reference to Trump’s recent description of himself.
De Niro then made even more obvious what was already obvious to all who have heard anything about Streep’s new film: It’s really about Donald Trump.
“It was fascinating to watch ‘The Post,'” he said. “That story took place nearly 50 years ago, but there are many parallels with today obviously. At the time of the story Donald Trump was suffering with ‘bone spurs.’ Today the world is suffering from the real Donald Trump.”
Then De Niro’s potty mouth got going.
“Come on. You know. What are we talking about?” he said. “This f***ing idiot is the president. It’s The Emperor’s New Clothes — the guy is a f***ing fool.”
Calling the publication of the Pentagon Papers a “proud moment for American Journalism” in defense of the First Amendment, De Niro returned to slamming the “jerkoff-in-chief.”
“Our government today, with the propping [up] of our baby-in-chief — the jerkoff-in-chief I call him — has put the press under siege, trying to discredit it through outrageous attacks and lies,” he said. “And again just like 1971 the press is distinguishing itself with brave, exacting journalism.”
After dropping that unintentionally hilarious line, he dropped a few more disparaging descriptors of Nixon/The Donald.
“The movie gave us glimpses of President Nixon as delusional, narcissistic, petty, vindictive, nasty and bats*** f***ing crazy. Ah the good old days,” he said.
De Niro then started spinning out gender talking points in his praise for Streep’s “courage,” namely the thoroughly debunked 79 cent gender wage gap myth.
“But, astonishingly, today women are still struggling to get their rightful place and their fare share,” he said. “I am still fighting for Meryl to be able to get 79 cents of what a man would get to play Catherine Graham. It’s shameful, I know.” (Full transcript below via Daily Mail, Sopan Deb.)
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Streep has repeatedly condemned Trump, including at the Golden Globes in 2017 where she denounced him from the stage, a move lauded as “brave” by her fellow left-wing Hollywood celebrities. Here is the moment from her speech in which she unloaded on Trump:
There was one performance this year that stunned me. It sank its hooks in my heart. Not because it was good. There was nothing good about it. But it was effective and it did its job. It made its intended audience laugh and show their teeth. It was that moment when the person asking to sit in the most respected seat in our country imitated a disabled reporter, someone he outranked in privilege, power, and the capacity to fight back. It kind of broke my heart when I saw it. I still can’t get it out of my head because it wasn’t in a movie. It was real life.
And this instinct to humiliate, when it’s modeled by someone in the public platform, by someone powerful, it filters down into everybody’s life, because it kind of gives permission for other people to do the same thing. Disrespect invites disrespect. Violence incites violence. And the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose.
Below is the full transcript of De Niro’s remarks (provided by Sopan Deb via Daily Mail):
Thank you. First congratulations to Tom Hanks. Tom Hanks has played opposite some of the most iconic figures in American cinema.
In Turner and Hooch he co-starred with a humongous, slobbering French Mastiff. In Toy Story his nemesis was action figure Buzz Lightyear. And who could forget his award-winning performance in Castaway, opposite a volleyball named Wilson.
That brings us to The Post, and another signature performance from the extraordinary Meryl Streep.
Meryl is the most generous and giving actor. She not only inhabits her own character, she helps bring out the character of everyone else on the screen. Can a volleyball do that?
[Inaudible]
Not even if the volleyball was a stable genius.
It was fascinating to watch The Post.
That story took place nearly 50 years ago, but there are many parallels with today obviously.
At the time of the story Donald Trump was suffering with “bone spurs”. Today the world is suffering from the real Donald Trump. Come on. You know. What are we talking about?
This f***ing idiot is the President. It’s The Emperor’s New Clothes – the guy is a f***ing fool.
The publication of the Pentagon Papers was a proud moment for American journalism. The Times and the Post challenged the government over critical First Amendment issues. And the press prevailed.
Our government today, with the propping [up] of our baby-in-chief – the jerkoff-in-chief I call him – has put the press under siege, trying to discredit it through outrageous attacks and lies.’
And again just like 1971 the press is distinguishing itself with brave, exacting journalism.
The movie gave us glimpses of President Nixon as delusional, narcissistic, petty, vindictive, nasty and bats*** f***ing crazy. Ah the good old days.
The movie and my friend Meryl Streep showed us the evolution of courage – Kate Graham was forced into a man’s world and showed the world and showed all those men something about the qualities of daring and devotion to public service – qualities that were thought of as male. No longer.
But, astonishingly, today women are still struggling to get their rightful place and their fare share.
I am still fighting for Meryl to be able to get 79 cents of what a man would get to play Catherine Graham. It’s shameful, I know.
The good news is that I think we’re at a watershed moment and it’s about time. There are many to thank for that, but tonight is for Meryl Streep.
Meryl, thank you for speaking out on matters of conscience that affect us all. Thank you for being an actress who plays the most interesting characters with full commitment and without judgement.
You show us their heroism as well as their imperfections.
And I know that’s a stretch for you – because Meryl doesn’t seem to have any imperfections. And I say that with the most love for you, Meryl. I love you so much. Ladies and gentlemen, the National Board of Review’s best actress…
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