Denée Benton calls Ron DeSantis a 'Grand Wizard' on the Tonys
The 2023 Tony Awards on CBS were without writers due to the current WGA strike, but presenters and winners still made memorable moments up on stage.
The biggest gasps of the night came when actress Denée Benton took the stage to present what seemingly would be a very non-controversial Excellence in Theatre Education Award from Carnegie Mellon University. But Benton — known on Broadway for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Hamilton and Into the Woods, and on TV for UnReal and The Gilded Age took a shot at Florida Governor and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, comparing him to a Ku Klux Klan leader.
"Hi, I'm Denée Benton, actor and proud CMU alum," she began from the United Palace stage in New York City. "Earlier tonight, CMU and the Tony Awards presented the 2023 Excellence in Theatre Education Award. And while I am certain that the current Grand Wizard… I'm sorry, excuse me, governor of my home state of Florida will be changing…. I am sure that he will changing the name of this following town immediately. We were honored to present this award to the truly incredible and life-changing Jason Zembuch Young, enhancing the lives at students at South Plantation High School in Plantation, Florida."
The audience responded with mouths agape and cheering. DeSantis did not immediately respond on social media to Benton's on-air slam.
Prior to Benton's slip, Parade director Michael Arden was on the receiving end of raucous applause after winning the Best Director of a Musical award and noting that, "Growing up, I was called the f-word more times than I can count," he said. "But now, I'm a f– with a Tony."
For more Tonys coverage, check out EW's list of the best and worst moments from the broadcast.
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