(UPDATED with Blum speech tweets) EXCLUSIVE: The midterm elections and Donald Trump helped turn a standard Hollywood award ceremony for Halloween producer Jason Blum into an on-stage battle of wills and ideology tonight that saw security being called.
Set to be honored at the 32nd Israel Film Festival on Tuesday, Blum found himself booed and threatened with being tossed off stage after he took a verbal swing at the former Celebrity Apprentice host. Or as Blum himself has since said on social media:
Well, this night went kinda haywire. https://t.co/NMb37yQAUn
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) November 7, 2018
“The good thing about this country is that you get to like Trump but I don’t have to and I don’t like him,” the Blumhouse boss told the crowd at the Steve Tisch Cinema Center, Saban Theater as he accepted the 2019 IFF Achievement in Film and Television Award.
Needless to say, that didn’t go over well at all on this night of election in front of a heavily partisan crowd. BlacKkKlansman EP Blum was booed and heckled over and over as he tried to continue speaking with many members of the audience walking out as others yelled “get off the stage!” and “We like Donald!”
“We have a President who calls the press the enemy of the people,” Blum continued as election results came in across the country. “Thanks to our president, anti-semitism is in the rise.”
Despite the murders from the shootings at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh on October 27 and other attacks still so fresh in the minds of many, that last remark seemed to be too much for the organizers. As Blum kept speaking, one of those organizers ran out on stage calling out for security and a member of the audience seemed to try to pull him down. At the same time, the producer exclaimed his right to free speech and that “you are going to have to drag me off the stage.”
With that actually looking like something that might happen, Blum soon left the stage at the Beverly Hills venue on his own as IFF staff hovered nearby.
The IFF did not respond to Deadline’s request for comment on the situation.
On the other hand, Blum posted the entire speech he planned to give at IFF. Take a look:
I was honored by the Israel film festival tonight and, unfortunately was not allowed to finish the speech I was trying to give. Here is the message…
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) November 7, 2018
Thank you, Lin, for those kind remarks and for your friendship. I am thrilled you could be here tonight. And thank you to Meir Fenigstein everyone at the Israel Film Festival for this tribute.
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) November 7, 2018
I am honored to be recognized by a group dedicated to showcasing Israel’s thriving film and television industry. I’m especially honored to share the stage with Avi Nesher whose work I have admired for many, many years. Avi has never been afraid to tackle serious social issues…
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) November 7, 2018
…and his films are beloved by audiences and critics around the world. He’s played a pivotal role in the growing prominence of Israeli cinema. I am also a huge fan of Israeli television. As an avowed binge-watcher, I have spent way too many hours with Fauda and Hostages.
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) November 7, 2018
Not to mention Homeland, which would not exist if not for Hatufim. So, tonight we have much to celebrate as we open the 32nd Israel Film Festival. At the same time, today, Americans went to the polls to exercise our right to vote on what kind of future we want for our children.
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) November 7, 2018
Those election results are pouring in as I speak. And so much is on the line. The past two years have been hard for all of us who cherish the freedoms we enjoy as citizens of this country. The sense of community that has bound us together for generations is all but gone.
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) November 7, 2018
We have seen the end of civil discourse. We have a President who calls the Press the enemy of the people. Nationalism is surging. Dog whistle politics are rampant and anti-Semitism is on the rise in ways my generation never thought imaginable.
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) November 7, 2018
The Internet has become a place where people can vent their rage and spew hate anonymously. It is helping bigotry thrive. The truth is, hate speech breeds violence. It dehumanizes. It demonizes. And ultimately, it targets. What we saw in Pittsburgh was a horrific example.
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) November 7, 2018
These are NOT isolated incidents. They are NOT happening somewhere else. They are happening HERE in our communities and we must step up and speak up. We cannot allow anti-Semitism or bigotry of any form to become mainstream. Those of us who work in film and television…
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) November 7, 2018
…have a vital role to play in telling stories that portray all kinds of people from all corners of the world. Stories that entertain, but also make us think more and harder about who we are and where we are going.
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) November 7, 2018
It’s time for us to be vigilant in bringing new voices to the cinema. To nurturing diverse filmmakers from all walks of life who can offer unique perspectives on the world. When you have a chance to walk in the shoes of others who are not like you, it is harder to hate.
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) November 7, 2018
Most of all, this is a time for all of us to examine our values and decide what we are willing to tolerate. It is time to be accountable. It’s time to speak out loudly when we see examples of bigotry. Don’t allow it from your friends, your co-workers or your family members.
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) November 7, 2018
If we are not accountable, we may wake up one day in a country we don’t even recognize. Let us all hope that today’s election starts to chart a different course – not just for the U.S., but for the world – one that reaffirms the values that we all cherish. Thank you.
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) November 7, 2018
