Hollywood elites have a long history of cozying up to foreign dictators while lecturing Americans about politics. These celebrities jet around the globe for photo ops with communist leaders and authoritarian rulers. They return home with glowing reports about these regimes while criticizing American leadership.
But sometimes, even liberals can’t stomach the double standards of their fellow travelers. When one celebrity’s selective outrage becomes too obvious, it occasionally takes another liberal to point out the emperor has no clothes.
Bill Maher recently scorched actor Sean Penn for refusing to meet with President Trump – while having no problem sitting down with brutal dictators like Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. The heated exchange happened during Maher’s “Club Random” podcast when Penn criticized Maher’s own meeting with Trump.
From ‘Breitbart’:
“Really you’ll meet with fucking Castro and Chavez but not the president of the United States?” he asked pointedly.
The confrontation started when Maher asked Penn if he would consider meeting with President Trump. Penn not only rejected the idea but suggested Maher should have been quieter about his own dinner with the president.
“Well, it wasn’t, maybe more brevity. That’s that and now on, maybe I would have done some editing,” Penn told Maher, implying the HBO host had talked too much about his White House visit.
That’s when Maher highlighted Penn’s hypocrisy. The comedian reminded Penn of his past meetings with Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chávez and Cuba’s Castro brothers. Penn has also met with former Haitian strongman Jean Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier and even traveled to Iran to cover elections there.
Trump Derangement Syndrome On Display
Penn’s defense of meeting with dictators while refusing to meet an elected American president was telling. He claimed he “saw good results” from his meetings with communist leaders – yet couldn’t bring himself to sit down with Trump.
When pressed, Penn admitted what many conservatives have long suspected about liberal Hollywood. “It’s true that for some reason, this particular president, uh, triggers me rather often,” he confessed.
Maher, showing surprising clarity for a liberal commentator, didn’t let this emotional excuse slide. “Bad attitude. You don’t know that. You don’t know anything,” Maher told Penn.
Even Liberals See the Double Standard
Maher’s dinner with President Trump came about through musician Kid Rock, a Trump supporter who performed at last year’s Republican National Convention. Despite maintaining his liberal views, Maher defended the value of meeting with those you disagree with.
“It’s not a matter of trusting, it’s a matter of seeing it, matter of experiencing, matter of knowing it more,” Maher explained. “It’s like saying I don’t want this medical test because I don’t want to know. I WANT to know!”
The HBO host pointed out that Trump values personal relationships and would likely welcome meeting with Penn. Maher added that Trump is “a guy who frequently seems to go by what the last thing he heard was,” suggesting Penn could actually have influence if he bothered to engage.
Penn’s refusal to consider this perspective highlights how deeply emotional some Hollywood liberals remain about President Trump. Even when confronted by a fellow liberal, Penn couldn’t overcome his visceral reaction to Trump.
The exchange offers a rare glimpse into liberal infighting when it comes to Trump. When even Bill Maher – no friend to conservatives – recognizes the absurdity of meeting communist dictators while refusing to meet an American president, perhaps the Trump Derangement Syndrome has gone too far.
Key Takeaways
- Bill Maher exposed Sean Penn’s willingness to meet with dictators while refusing to meet a democratically elected President Trump
- Penn admitted Trump “triggers” him emotionally, revealing how feelings override reason in liberal thinking
- Even prominent liberals like Maher are starting to call out the double standards within their own political camp
- Meeting with those you disagree with provides valuable perspective, something Penn refuses to consider with Trump
Sources: Breitbart, New York Post
