DC star Zachary Levi has finally become a household name after going on the record to back Donald Trump’s bid for president. His endorsement has struck a nerve with many, including the one and only Whoopi Goldberg, but not for the obvious reasons.
Goldberg has long been a vocal critic of Trump and his policies, but her umbrage this time around was directed not at the endorsement itself, but at the victim mentality Levi has touted throughout his declaration.
Levi initially backed Robert F Kennedy Jr. for president, but now that the bear-eating menace has been promised a role in the Trump administration, he’s pivoting to the Trump train in order to save a country hijacked by people who “want to take this place way off the cliff.” Naturally Levi couldn’t make it through his endorsement without complaining about how it likely meant he would lose his job. On the Oct. 1 episode of The View, Goldberg responded to Levi, first playing clips of the Chuck actor whining that “Hollywood is a very, very liberal town” and that backing Trump was “career suicide.”
Goldberg, who has been active in Hollywood since crashing onto the scene with 1992’s Sister Act, was more than a little exasperated by the declaration. “From the beginning of Hollywood, it’s always been a very right-leaning town, but I know you don’t know much about Hollywood’s history, so let me school you,” she said patiently. According to her, Hollywood is just like the rest of America ⏤ “a mixed bunch.” “The Truth of the matter is very few people seem to bite it because they’re Republican,” she said.
Goldberg listed Jon Voight and Dennis Quaid as examples of high-profile Republican actors still working despite the “career suicide” of taking a political stance. And there are plenty more where that came from. Kelsey Grammar, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Adam Sandler, Melissa Joan Hart, and Tim Allen are just a few high-profile Republicans still thriving in the industry, and that’s not even counting the likes of Roseanne Barr, Gina Carrano, and James Woods, who are still finding work even as public opinion around them tanks.
To Goldberg, the thought that endorsing a Republican candidate could be career suicide is “more B.S. and it’s unnecessary.” But her grounded take doesn’t mean that she’s unfeeling toward the plight of famous youths. She went on to explain that it can be difficult for young famous people to grapple with their place in the public eye, especially where politics are concerned. The nearly 70-year-old then gave some solid advice for such people, regardless of their professions. “I’m going to simply say, you don’t have to say what you want to do. If you decide that you want to speak up, speak up because you’re proud to say this is where I am.”
As for Levi, it’s unlikely that this incident will be the one to push him out of public favor given that he’s been flirting with disaster for years. From anti-vax sentiments to disagreeing with striking unions, the guy’s had his fair share of terrible hot takes. That said, there’s always the chance that making such a controversial endorsement while still being attached to a character like Shazam won’t win him further favor with Warner Bros. After the overwhelmingly negative reception to Shazam! Fury of the Gods and the DCEU’s transition to the DCU, there’s virtually no chance of Levi ever donning the muscle-stuffed red suit again. But hey, at least he has the perfect excuse for why Warner Bros. never darkens his door again – that darn woke mob and the liberal Hollywood elites!