Will Smith: It’s ‘painful & embarrassing’ to hear Donald Trump speak

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It’s worth noting that even though the reviews of Suicide Squad were a steaming pile of garbage/poop, Will Smith was mostly spared. Most critics were like “Will Smith does solid work” or “Will Smith does the best he can with a terrible script.” It’s no secret that Warner Bros reworked the film so that it would be more about Will Smith and Margot Robbie as well, since they were seen as the more bankable stars. So it’s no surprise that Will has been sent around the world to promote Suicide Squad, basically. Will was in Dubai to shill for the film a few days ago, and he got some questions about American politics. I don’t even know if Will Smith is supporting Hillary Clinton, but we can know for sure that he’s not supporting Donald Trump. Will’s comments on Trump and Trump’s “Muslim ban” are actually some of the best comments I’ve read thus far.

Will Smith has a lot to be happy about, with a No. 1 movie and all, but the Suicide Squad star is making it clear he’s less than thrilled with comments made by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. While promoting his latest film, Smith made a stop in Dubai, where he addressed Trump’s stance that Muslim immigrants should be temporarily banned from entering U.S.

“As painful as it is to hear Donald Trump talk and as embarrassing as it is as an American to hear him talk, I think it’s good,” said Smith. “We get to know who people are and now we get to cleanse it out of our country.”

Smith added the growing amount of Islamophobia in America is why he believes it’s important to make stops in places like Dubai. “The Middle East can’t allow Fox News to be the arbiter of the imagery,” he said. “So cinema is a huge way to be able to deliver the truth of the soul of a place to a global audience.”

[From EW]

“I think it’s good. We get to know who people are and now we get to cleanse it out of our country.” While I think the word “cleanse” is a loaded word to use here, I sort of agree with the sentiment. Gawker has been running a series of take-no-prisoners pieces about how Donald Trump isn’t an outlier in Republican politics, he’s just saying Republican voters’ core beliefs openly, without shame, and without dog-whistles. Previous presidential candidates believed much of the same things Trump believes, but they knew that they couldn’t get elected if they said them aloud. So, in that sense, I agree with Will Smith – it’s refreshing/terrifying/eye-opening that all of us in America get to see these people (Trump supporters) at their basest, and hear these sentiments said out loud rather than merely alluded to in a dog-whistle-y press release.

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Photos courtesy of WENN.

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61 Responses to “Will Smith: It’s ‘painful & embarrassing’ to hear Donald Trump speak”

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  1. Pinky says:

    A bigot in the hand is less scary than two in the Bushes.

    –TheRealPinky

  2. QueenEllisabet says:

    it’s also painful to hear his son talk

    • Jenns says:

      Oh come on. You can’t even compare the two. Stop it.

    • Naya says:

      Yes, a teenage boy saying hippie talk about quantum mechanics is EXACTLY the same as Donald Trump calling Mexicans rapists. Please. That teenager squares off with the kind of people who back Trump every single time he dresses in girls clothing. Jaden is about redefining masculinity whereas Trump is all about archaic alpha ideals. Jaden lives his life authentically, Trump, a womanizing materialistic bigoted narcisist tries to present himself as a Bible practising Christian for votes. Those two people couldnt be more different.

    • SusanneToo says:

      What is your point and how does it relate to what Will Smith said?

    • Evil Queen says:

      No your not. I was thinking the same thing. Its a gossip site kids. Lighten up.

    • teacakes says:

      That’s a sad attempt at humour, sorry.

    • QQ says:

      QueenEllisabet, Baby, You TRIED It

      His kooky son isn’t running for office by inciting hate and Violence, but thanks for playing, go to the chiropractor so he can attend to that muscle you stretched and ripped reaching!

    • Nicole says:

      Rightttttttttt totally the same thing. Yep.

      Have a seat.

    • I Choose Me says:

      I knew someone would go there. And yep.

      Look at it this way, you have the luxury of ignoring Jaden Smith. Drumpf not so much.

    • Tris says:

      Queen – not sure why everyone is being so snarky to you. I thought the exact same thought when I saw this article – Will Smith is an expert in listening to painful and embarrassing talk. I guess everyone is extra-sensitive because of the heat, and so even Jaden doesn’t seem so insufferable today.

    • EM says:

      And here I thought you meant Trump’s sons…. yes, they are just as painful.

    • Ginger Gal says:

      And if Will Smith’s son was the republican nominee for the President of the United States I would agree with you.

  3. jeanpierre says:

    We need more Will Smith.
    I love him. He is the last movie legend I think.

    • Belb says:

      What about Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington?

      • Naya says:

        Those guys are legends too but I think Jeanpierre is right in that Will Smith has a certain likeability. When he is on a talk show, you can just hear the audience go weak at the knees.

    • FingerBinger says:

      Will Smith isn’t a legend. Sidney Poitier is a legend. Box office receipts doesn’t make anybody a legend. If that’s the criteria then Vin Diesel is a legend.

      • Evil Queen says:

        Thank you

      • jeanpierre says:

        Well, I think he is. You are the one talking about box office receipts, not me. He is a very good actor and part of Hollywood legend, I don’t really see how That can be disputed but hey.

      • FingerBinger says:

        We obviously have different definitions of what a legend is.

      • Evil Queen says:

        If you want to get technical, King Arthur is a legend. I suppose its all in how you look at it. @FingerBinger I am with you. Sidney Portier is a legend. He broke boundaries. He was also a class act and an actor, not a tiresome self absorbed movie star like Will Smith or Tom Cruise. Tom has some real acting chops, but the Scientology stuff really taints all that for me. And while I don’t compare Smith’s kids to the horror fest that is Donald Trump, I do get tired of the Smiths foisting their entitled children on the world. But that is more on them than the kids themselves.

      • FingerBinger says:

        @Evil Queen Some words have lost their meaning. Legend like iconic seems to have taken on new meanings.

  4. HH says:

    I saw the best and scariest quote that said: “You know why people like to go to Trump rallies? It gives them the feeling of a ‘white power’ rally without all the guilt.”

    :::NO LIES DETECTED:::

    • kay says:

      Personally, every time I hear ‘he tells it like it is’, my b.s translator spits out: he leaves me free to hate, and free to express that hatred. That is sad and scary and so regressive. 🙁

    • Ennie says:

      Sadly, not only white people support him. there are people of some minorities who also buy what he is selling. I am sad to say. I am afraid for the USA, and what it would mean to many around the world if this whacko wins.
      First time in a long time that I agree with Will Smith, whatever his (awful) religion is or his (bad) choices in rearing his children are, politically he is on point.

  5. Original kay says:

    It’s really too bad he is a scientologist. I want to like him but no, every word is tainted by the simple fact he practices Scientology

    • Kate says:

      Yeah. I am not at all a Trump supporter and don’t dismiss anything he’s said. However, i find some of what Scientologist say also to be painful and embarrassing for them.

      • Original kay says:

        Yes, you know, with the abuse, and sea org, and not seeing your family if they leave the Order, and all the rest. And there is a lot to the rest 😔
        I loathe a hypocrite. It’s unpopular to try and live without being one, and I am in no way infallible. But come on. His “religion” is absolutely as bad as trump.

      • Kate says:

        Exactly. The things that happen to children inside Scientology are horrifying. I would say this is a case of clean up your own house before you start pointing out the mess in some else’s.

  6. WingKingdom says:

    “So cinema is a huge way to be able to deliver the truth of the soul of a place to a global audience.”

    I hope he’s not suggesting that Suicide Squad is offering any truths about the soul of America.

    • Betsy says:

      Ha! That was my thought as well. Oh, god, no! Do not let our sad excuses for movies be how people frame our country…

  7. tifzlan says:

    Unfortunately, cinema also tends to perpetuate a lot of uninformed stereotypes of the Middle East/Muslims in general. I appreciate Will’s comments, but let’s not pretend as if Hollywood has been SOOO progressive in that respect.

  8. Megan says:

    I agree that it is better to get it out in the open if it leads to action to end the racism, anger, and hate. I worry that won’t be the case and we are in for a whole new era of hate-fueled politics.

  9. Stardust says:

    Yeah, Will. Almost as painful as listening to Jaden Smith and Willow Smith speak. LOL

  10. NGBoston says:

    Yes, about as painful and embarrassing as when his Son Jayden opens his mouth.

  11. teacakes says:

    Side-eyeing everyone here who thinks it’s hilarious and on point to liken Trump’s racism and incitement of violence to the confused and sometimes pretentious ramblings of two teenagers. Black teenagers, no less.

    • Megan says:

      I find Jaden and Willow quite charming. Yes, they have some far out notions, but they are teenagers who aren’t afraid to express themselves. I also like the gentle way in which Jaden challenges gender stereotypes.

      • teacakes says:

        I have a soft corner for them myself – they’re trying to think for themselves, and sometimes those thoughts are not very well-presented, but that’s part of the territory with teenagers.

        I mean, the absolute worst thing you can say about them is that they seem confused or pretentious. How is that even comparable to the awful things Trump says?

    • Sarah says:

      Those comments are very telling, aren’t they?

    • Nicole says:

      Yea its not even comparable but we know why people make those statements. Its the same reason people harp on Malia and Sasha for “short skirts” or smoking when in the same breath defending the Bush twins. Black people have to be more than perfect while white people get the benefit of the doubt 24/7 even when they don’t deserve it

      • Megan says:

        The Bush twins got plenty of flack in the early days of W.’s presidency. They were just lucky their time was largely before social media and smartphones. They were able to shut down the gossip much more quickly.

      • Red says:

        That’s true Malia is on line smoking pot today

      • Annetommy says:

        The media were appalling to Chelsea Clinton when she was a young teenager so I’m not sure I’d agree.

  12. Gugu says:

    I bet the ones comparing Jayden and Willow speaking to Trump speaking are Trump supporters… Don’t mask your racism guys… We can all see it.. SMH

  13. Brit says:

    Agreed. Jaden and willow saying weird things shouldn’t be compared to the racist bs that comes out of trump’s mouth on a daily basis.

  14. The Eternal Side-Eye says:

    “Gawker has been running a series of take-no-prisoners pieces about how Donald Trump isn’t an outlier in Republican politics, he’s just saying Republican voters’ core beliefs openly, without shame, and without dog-whistles. Previous presidential candidates believed much of the same things Trump believes, but they knew that they couldn’t get elected if they said them aloud.”

    THANK YOU.

    God have people not actually been listening to what this political party has been saying for DECADES? Trump didn’t suddenly wrestle the controls away from the conducter and plunge off a cliff this HAS BEEN their party modus operandi for my entire life+.

    The worst thing Trump did was speak slowly in simple easy to understand language.

    • KiddVicious says:

      Exactly.

    • Who ARE these people? says:

      You betcha. The Republicans have appealed to and fostered racism for decades, blocked women’s rights, and used economic policy to feed the greed of the already-wealthy. They also, as evidenced by their legislative failures this past year, do not embrace democracy. They deserve Trump, but the country deserves better than Trump and today’s Republican party.

  15. Asiyah says:

    LOL at the comments about Jayden and Willow, almost the same verbatim. Nice try. As QQ said, you reached and now you must go to the chiropractor.

  16. lile says:

    I LOVE Will Smith AND I agree with him.

  17. serena says:

    I really loved him in Suicide Squad, he was honestly the best part of it. Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn wasn’t really that much.. I expected more crazy and less vapid little girl from her role. Oh anyway, I’m glad their doing a second movie (their chemistry was good) and also I like how he said things.

  18. Red says:

    I think Mr smith should stay in Dubai
    He is a one percent establishment person
    To say that maybe trumps people should leave
    Guess what the rich are about one percent maybe two at the most
    So the way this is going why don’t we cut to the chase
    Why don’t you leave will smith
    And we will stay , matter of fact we can help you
    Now is the time

    • WTF says:

      When you say “we” do you mean Trump supporters? Because I am also embarrassed by the hateful, racist, misogynistic things that Trump has said.
      And I didn’t actually hear Will Smith say anything about Trump leaving. Trump is the one that thinks he can remove people that he doesn’t like. He said cleanse “it” out of the country. By “it” I think he meant this kind of hateful, racist thinking.
      So come election time, you go and vote for what you believe in and so will “we”, and I guess we will see who prevails.
      May the best woman win.

  19. allheavens says:

    @Red is completely off the rails.