We may be witnessing a desperate attempt to save a Tony Award. Nicole Scherzinger didn’t realize what was on the line when she identified with Trump supporters, and now she is trying to put out the fire.
The former Pussycat Doll was killing it with her performance on Broadway in Sunset Boulevard up until she decided to go wild on social media. It all started with a comment that can be chalked up to a case of wishful thinking. Scherzinger commented on an Instagram photo from Russell Brand where he is holding a MAGA lookalike hat bearing the phrase “Make Jesus First Again.” The comment? “Where can I get this hat!!!?” Obviously, the comment sparked assumptions, and screenshots of the comment spread. Scherzinger quickly deleted the comment and went all-in on saving face.
It can’t be that Nicole wasn’t expecting assumptions from fans, right? Brand posted that photo after the Trump win. What was she thinking? Well, Scherzinger provided an explanation. She posted an Instagram story, writing, “I deeply apologize for the hurt caused by my recent engagement with some social media posts. When I commented on these posts, I made the mistake of not realizing that they could easily be interpreted as being politically related and I apologize to anyone who understandably reached that conclusion.” Hear that? She is sorry for fans jumping to conclusions. Commenting and relating to conservative propaganda was not the mistake. Not realizing that people would catch up was the mistake.
The apology continues, “Many presumptions are being drawn, which do not reflect who I am, what I stand for, or who I voted for.” Yes, Scherzinger cares a lot about the “marginalized communities” that are worried about the “results of the presidential election.” Do we buy her apology? Fans found records of Scherzinger contradicting herself. In a buried 2016 interview, she stated that she was hesitant about playing a character who undergoes an abortion in Dirty Dancing. She also liked an RFK Jr. Instagram post where he endorsed Trump. So, does this look like someone who understands people who are worried about Trump back in power? Wasn’t abortion rights a huge issue this election?
Here’s the strategy. Scherzinger defends her actions by calling up on her religion. “For me Christ embodies peace, compassion, hope, and — above all — unconditional love.” We can’t really be mad at someone who believes in love, right? We can disagree with religious views, but scolding for those views can be a bit oppressing. We may have found an explanation for this apology, however. Scherzinger’s performance in Sunset Boulevard made her a frontrunner for the Tony Award. Critics from major media outlets all had positive things to say about her performance.
Despite her lack of awareness, Scherzinger knows that without an apology, all those positive reviews mean nothing when it comes to winning the reward. We have to be careful how strict we are in situations like this. But we can’t accept to ignore lies like this just because Scherzinger wants us to believe in her ignorance. We respect religious beliefs; she must have known that the comment was going to influence some of her fans.