Actor Cole Escola has spoken out about the controversy that was sparked when they made a silly, innocent political joke at the Tonys on Sunday.
Escola, the genius behind the Broadway hit Oh, Mary!, made history Sunday when they became the first nonbinary actor to win the award for Leading Actor in a Play.
While speaking in the press room, it was announced that Nicole Scherzinger had just won a Tony for her headlining performance in Sunset Boulevard, and Escola, ever the quick wit, quipped, "Wow, four more years."
It was a silly reference to presidential elections that made light of the Tonys as if they were a weightier matter than they are, and got quite a laugh from the press room.
But because we live in such politically volatile times, many immediately jumped to conclusions and assumed Escola was dragging Scherzinger for her political views following an earlier incident online that many construed as her supporting Donald Trump.
But in a social media video, Escola confirmed that their joke was not a jab at Scherzinger or anyone else's politics, and that everyone should lighten up.
Escola explained the joke in the video:
“When I made that joke ... when I said, ‘Four more years, four more years,’ I meant it like, ‘Well, she won, she’s who we’ve got for the next four years,’ as if I think winning Best Lead Actress in a Musical is the same as winning a presidential election."
They went on to say:
"But you know, people just want to pit us Broadway gals against each other, and I think it’s sad. I really think it’s sad.”
On social media, people had lots to say about Escola's response—and especially people's inability to take a joke these days.
The controversy seems to be related to one last fall in which Scherzinger seemed to comment in support of a bizarre post by far-right conspiracy theorist and comedian Russell Brand in which he wore a MAGA-style hat reading "Make Jesus First Again."
People quickly jumped to the frankly obvious conclusion that Scherzinger was coming out as a Trump supporter, an assumption she was quick to clarify had not occurred to her and did not reflect who she is.
She wrote at the time:
“Many presumptions are being drawn, which do not reflect who I am, what I stand for, or who I voted for."
"Many of the marginalized communities feeling hurt and concerned by the results of the presidential election are people I care about most."
"I stand with them, as I always have, throughout my life and career. If you know me, you know that.”
She and Escola were also photographed together at the TonyS, indicating no bad blood between these "Broadway gals."
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