Whitney Cummings' Trump Joke Cut From Netflix Kennedy Center Telecast
Deadline • • entertainment
Key Points:
- At the Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Prize ceremony honoring Bill Maher, comedian Whitney Cummings made a controversial joke referencing Donald Trump’s alleged involvement in sex trafficking, which was later cut from the televised broadcast.
- Netflix, which holds the rights to the ceremony, stated that while they prefer not to cut jokes, the Kennedy Center has contractual authority to make edits, and the show is routinely trimmed for time constraints.
- Cummings revealed that the joke was removed due to legal concerns over potential lawsuits from Trump, despite her willingness to defend it, emphasizing the importance of free speech at the Mark Twain Prize event.
- The ceremony highlighted Maher as a champion of free expression, with humor targeting both political sides, while Trump, who was not present, had recently consolidated control over the Kennedy Center by replacing board members and becoming its chairman.
