Tag Archives: Rob Reiner

Trump the Cruel

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When I wrote about the tragic murder of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, I noted the tremendous outpouring of sentiment saluting them not only for their contributions to the entertainment industry but also for their role in the community and their humanitarian work. I did mention that there was one notable dissent, and said I’d talk about it in the future.

I did not want to spoil the moment then and in truth I do not want to do so now. The problem is that, as the world is painfully aware, the dissent came from Donald Trump and he, by virtue of the position he holds, cannot be ignored. I resent that he dominates the news. I resent that he takes all the oxygen out of the room. I resent that he is the worst example of a human being I have ever seen. But he can’t be ignored. He must be called out. Rob Reiner would have wanted it that way.

Within hours of the time the news about the Reiners’ killing broke, Trump had put a post on his captive social media platform that was probably the most vicious thing I have ever seen. I asked one of my AI assistants what was the most common adjective being used to describe it and the response was, “cruel,” followed by “inappropriate,” “disrespectful,” “distasteful,” “callous,” “vile,” “incendiary.” and “depraved.” With my apologies, just in case you haven’t seen it yourself, read it and judge for yourself.

Trump’s post itself described Reiner as having a “mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME” and called him a “deranged person”. 

Trump’s problem with Reiner is that the actor and director was also a progressive activist,  a supporter of Democratic candidates, and an outspoken critic of Trump .  A few hours after the post, Trump told a reporter that Reiner was “a deranged person” who “was very bad for our country.”

In the decade since he announced his presidential campaign by branding immigrants as criminals and rapists, the accepted wisdom about Donald Trump has become that no matter how outrageous are the things he says, he feels no consequences. This time was a little, just a little, different.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) labeled the discourse “inappropriate and disrespectful,” challenging his GOP colleagues to defend it. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) a former staunch ally, she rebuked the president, stating the deaths were a “family tragedy” that should be met with “empathy,” not politics. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.), both condemned the remarks as “wrong,” urging for “sympathy and compassion” instead of political attacks. And conservative commentators including Jenna Ellis (Trump’s former lawyer) and David Urban (former senior adviser) called the remarks “indefensible” and a “horrible example”. 

We are tempted to just throw up our hands and ignore the monster. But Trump didn’t stop with one vile act. Having already turned the Oval Office into a cheap looking gold filigreed imitation of The Palace of Versailles, he added giant ornate gold letters labeling the rooms of the White House, like the signs one sees in the memory section of an assisted living facility, and created a “Presidential Walk of Fame” featuring pictures of past leaders with grossly unflattering images for men he doesn’t like;

Trump has now added to the rogues gallery plaques which offer partisan comments on the past presidents, reflecting his personal perspective. Joe Biden‘s plaque repeats a false claim that the 46th president, a Democrat, took office “as a result of the most corrupt election ever,” when, in fact, he defeated Mr. Trump in 2020 in both the popular vote and the Electoral College. Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black president, is labeled “one of the most divisive political figures in American history.”

Trump also demanded, and was granted, free television time on December 17. Instead of a holiday address, or an announcement of a major event, Trump used 18 minutes for one of his regular rants basically saying everything has been great since he returned to office and anything that isn’t great is the Democrats’ fault. His delivery was so frenetic he had many wondering if he was under the influence of some form of medication.

But Trump’s pièce de résistance for this holiday season has to be the rebranding of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. At the beginning of the year, Trump fired members of the Center’s board, appointed loyal lackeys in their place, and had them “elect” him chairman. He subsequently approved all the performers named winners of the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors, ordered a redesign of award medal which was originally created in 1978 and used ever since, and named himself as host of the award ceremony.

Then came the announcement, from the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt rather than from Trump’s hand-picked board, that the center will now be known as “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” The vice president of public relations at the Kennedy Center later confirmed the announcement. The center’s web site carried a new logo within hours. The next day, workers were installing new signs on the exterior of the building. Trump said he was honored and surprised by the gesture. That is just more Trump BS. He had been referring to the center as “Trump-Kennedy” for months.

Not that it matters to Trump, but this renaming appears to be illegal. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was established by the John F. Kennedy Center Act, 20 U.S.C. §§ 76h–76s, which outlines its purpose, governance, and operational framework. The law specifies the name, makes the center the only living memorial for President Kennedy within the District of Columbia, and precludes other names, plaques, or other citations. This is just one more example of Trump satisfying his ego by sticking his name where it does not belong. And doing so in defiance of the law.

This is one more item that will find its way into the courts. Or be reversed if and when the people in power are changed by the voters. Hint, hint. Or we can let Kerry Kennedy, niece of John F. Kennedy, and daughter of Robert F. Kennedy (the senior one), take care of it.

A footnote…. The TV ratings for the Kennedy Center Honors program Trump hosted were down 35% compared to last year’s ratings. That is the program’s lowest rating ever.

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Rob Reiner

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How do you explain the inexplicable?

It had already been a horrific weekend. On December 13 a mass shooting at Brown University’s Barus & Holley Engineering Building in Providence, Rhode Island left two students dead and nine others injured. The gunman remains at large, and a multi-agency manhunt is ongoing.

The next day a terrorist mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia left at least 15 people dead and around 40 injured. The attack targeted a Jewish Hanukkah celebration and was carried out by a father-son duo inspired by Islamic State ideology. It followed an increase in antisemitic attacks in the country including one in July where an arsonist set fire to a synagogue in Melbourne while worshipers were inside.

Then came word from the trendy Brentwood section of Los Angeles. Hollywood and the rest of the world were stunned when acclaimed filmmaker Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife, photographer Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their home in what police described as a homicide. Authorities have since arrested their son, Nick Reiner, 32, and charged him with murder.

What do you say about the human condition when faced with that sequence of events?

The shocked reaction to the Reiners’ murder was overwhelming itself. Rob Reiner was praised not only as a great talent on both sides of the camera but also as a mentor and friend who shared that talent with a generosity rare in the cutthroat entertainment business. There was one exception which I will write about at some other time.

Earlier this year I wrote about the passing of Diane Keaton and Robert Redford and noted they appear many times on my list of favorite films. The passing of Rob Reiner leaves a similar hole in my heart.

Rob Reiner was born in the Bronx, New York in 1947. He spent his childhood in New Rochelle, where his father Carl would place his fictional family of Rob and Laura Petrie on “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”  They moved to California in the early 1960s. Like his father, Rob got his start as an actor before stepping behind the camera. His breakthrough role was Mike Stivic on “All in the Family” in 1970. Mike was the outspoken liberal son-in-law of Carroll O’Connor‘s conservative bigoted Archie Bunker. These are my first memories of Rob Reiner. Mike’s battles with Archie, written by the great Norman Lear, brought into America’s living room topics roiling the nation but up until then considered too controversial for television.

Now the list of films begins. And I will only note some my favorites. Reiner’s first feature was 1980’s “Spinal Tap,” a groundbreaking “mockumentary” that was a breakout hit. His next movie was “The Sure Thing,” a coming of age romantic comedy, followed by “Stand By Me,” based on a Stephen King story. King was also the source for “Misery,” which would be one Reiner’s biggest theatrical hits. 

My list of films also includes “The Princess Bride.” Also “A Few Good Men” and “The American President,” both written by Aaron Sorkin. “When Harry Met Sally,” my favorite rom-com, “Rumor Has It…,” and “The Bucket List.” The number is films in which Reiner acted, usually in a supporting role, are too numerous to list here.

The list of testimonials has been astonishing. I am just going to cite one, an Instagram post from Meg Ryan, who starred along with Billy Crystal in “When Harry Met Sally.”

Now I’m going to watch some movies.

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