Billy Bob Thornton’s remarks dismissing celebrity political lectures sparked a debate on The View, where Joy Behar and Sunny Hostin criticized his stance while Alyssa Farah Griffin and Sara Haines defended his right to stay apolitical.
Thornton, known for his role in Landman, discussed the issue on the “Howie Mandel Does Stuff” podcast while explaining why he avoids political commentary. Referencing Ricky Gervais’ Golden Globes monologue, he said, “Get your little award and f— off.”
Thornton added, “I don’t know anything about politics. I have no idea. And the stuff that I do believe, I don’t want to force it down somebody else’s throat because I’m not an expert on that.”
Reaction on The View
Whoopi Goldberg appeared largely unbothered and offered little pushback.
Behar responded critically, saying, “Imagine bragging about how uninformed you are.” She later argued that citizens should remain informed about politics.
Hostin took a stronger stance, saying, “We are at a crisis point in this country. I think democracy is participatory… silence is complicity. We need every single ally to speak out.”
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Griffin defended Thornton, noting, “Billy Bob Thornton is one of my favorite actors… but a lot of this table criticized George Clooney when he wrote his Biden op-ed.” She argued that free speech includes both speaking out and remaining silent.
Haines agreed, saying celebrity political statements often “preach to the choir” and alienate people who disagree.
George Clooney comparison
Griffin reminded her co-hosts that some criticized Clooney after he published a New York Times op-ed urging former President Joe Biden to step aside from the 2024 race. She argued celebrities should not be pressured to speak only when their views align with certain political positions.
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Behar replied, “He can say it, and I can criticize it, that’s called free speech.”
Griffin also criticized what she called “slacktivism,” where celebrities make statements without meaningful political involvement. “I don’t think we should bully people, saying, ‘You have to speak out,’” she added.
This is not the first time Thornton has expressed similar views. During an appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” he and Rogan criticized politically outspoken celebrities and both major American political parties.
Thornton described himself as a “radical moderate” and called for a “common sense party.”
During the interview, he said, “First of all, unless you have really studied stuff and really know about a subject fully, who the h*** would want to listen to an actor or a musician talk about politics? It’s like, ‘Are we supposed to follow this?’ If we are, what if they lead you down the wrong road? Politically, I call myself a radical moderate. I’m very strong in my opinions, but my opinions don’t belong to any political party. I just look at what makes sense, and I think we need a common-sense party in this country.”
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