My wife and I hosted a dinner party about 6 years ago. Three other couples. The dinner conversation turned to culture – not necessarily overtly political but suggestively so because Trump was president and none of them had voted for him. “Make America Great Again” was anathema. Eventually that theme drifted into cultural references and then went to, as I expected, Aaron Sorkin.
Why might you ask? Because Sorkin is a leftist icon. He was responsible for West Wing and writing HBO’s Newsroom and a particular speech in that kicked off the show.
I knew what would follow, and it did. The fangirl comments about “Newsroom’s” opening speech delivered by actor Jeff Daniels were inevitable. Daniels plays news anchor Will McAvoy. He’s taking questions from an audience. A girl in the audience asks “McAvoy” about America’s “greatness.” That piques McAvoy and prompts the character to mock the girl for her ignorance and myopic worldview. That scene has been viewed about as many times as the Zapruder film, and that speech is cited by the left (and dinner guests) like it’s the left's Sermon on the Mount.
What do you think, Jim?
Well, this is a dinner topic started because of Trump...right?
Well, yeah
That speech was written in 2012. Who was president in 2012? People treat that rant like it was impromptu — but Sorkin probably spent a week writing a minute of dialogue. Daniels isn’t that smart. He's closer to "Dumb and Dumber" than Will McAvoy. He was reading lines. And, if I recall, Daniels reads lines, something like “America is 7th in literacy.” In 2012, Cuba was above America, at 100 percent literacy. Ok, Cool. Cubans also drive 1959 Chevys, wash their dishes in a stream, and live under a communist regime. No First Amendment. No one is trying to swim to Cuba from America.
They also ignored the second part of the speech where Sorkin (through the TV anchor character) admits to America’s greatness but thinks it is in the past. If America hadn’t rebuilt Europe after WWII and turned Japan into a democracy, or if we weren’t spending billions each year to defend the entire free world, or hadn't spent a trillion dollars on a failed “war on poverty,” maybe we’d “still” be great?
Newsroom tanked, by the way. It was canceled after three years, maybe because even HBO’s audience thought it and the characters were insufferable cutouts for CNN.
So, that went well.
Anyway, relying on actors, or reciting (serious) dialogue that actors read, or believing actors in real life are oracles of wisdom has always baffled me. Jeff Daniels is an actor. He reads lines. Relying on him to offer wise takes is a fool's errand. Listening to a TV anchor talking head interview an actor seems like a cure for insomnia. Daniels recently appeared on Nicolle Wallace's podcast called "The Best People." I didn't know she had a podcast. Apparently, few people knew or cared. Since its debut, it has augured in – down 47 percent in two weeks. Maybe it isn’t hosted or hosting the best? Just a guess. In any event, Jeff Daniels was a guest, and instead of reading smart guy (albeit wrong) dialogue, he offered this:
Jeff Daniels rants against Trump: "We’ve lost decency. We’ve lost civility. We’ve lost respect for the rule of law. Out the window goes character. He’s everything that’s wrong with not just America but being a human being."pic.twitter.com/FI7pkZhzf8
— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) July 21, 2025
If you recall, comedian Ricky Gervais was asked to host the Academy Awards years ago. He writes his own lines, and he offered the assembly of actors some words of wisdom. They didn’t take his advice well. He said:
"You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg.
Wise words, Ricky. May I quote you at my next dinner party?
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