Tony Awards Presenter Denée Benton Calls DeSantis 'Grand Wizard' Of Florida In Fiery Onstage Speech

Actress and singer Denée Benton, in a scathing onstage critique at the Tony Awards on Sunday, called Governor Ron DeSantis the “Grand Wizard” of Florida. 

What Happened: Florida resident Benton — popularly known for her performances in “Hamilton” and “Into the Woods” — garnered massive applause from the audience at the Tony Awards in Manhattan as she drew a striking parallel between DeSantis and a leader of the Ku Klux Klan.

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“And while I am certain that the current Grand Wizard, I’m sorry, excuse me, governor of my home state of Florida…,” said Benton, criticizing the GOP presidential candidate for the 2024 U.S. presidential election. 

Benton’s remarks came as she honored Jason Zembuch Young, a teacher at South Plantation High School in Florida, who was recognized as the recipient of the prestigious Excellence in Theatre Education award at the 2023 Tony Awards ceremony.

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Why It Matters: The American actress and singer’s critique seemed to be directed at the governor for his attempts to curtail discussions about race and LGBTQ+ individuals in schools. Benton also subtly referenced the outdated name of the Florida city where these restrictions were taking place.

Since 2019, DeSantis has served as the leader of the Sunshine State. Last month, in a glitchy Twitter announcement, he launched his bid for the 2024 presidential campaign. Recent polls indicate that DeSantis is currently running in a distant second place to former President Donald Trump in the Republican primaries.

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