Posted on 05/15/2026 5:11:07 AM PDT by Red Badger
The hosts of ABC’s daytime program The View tore into Billy Bob Thornton after the actor explained that he prefers not to discuss politics, claiming that remaining quiet amounts to complicity.
Thornton, currently starring in the Paramount+ series Landman, made the remarks during an appearance on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast.
He told Mandel that he intentionally avoids political commentary, citing comedian Ricky Gervais’s past warning to award show attendees to accept their trophies and move on.
“I don’t know anything about politics,” Thornton said.
“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.”
After playing a clip of the interview, The View’s hosts reacted strongly to his approach of steering clear of political debates and focusing instead on entertainment.
Joy Behar blasted Thornton’s remarks, saying, “Imagine bragging about how uninformed you are,” and described his stance as foolish.
Sunny Hostin agreed, emphasizing what she sees as a civic duty for public figures to speak out. “We are at a crisis point in this country. I think democracy is participatory,” she stated.
Hostin went further, arguing that celebrities with influence have a responsibility to use their platform. “When you have a platform, that means I have an outsized voice and when you have a platform, I think that you have a responsibility to speak up about what’s going on in this country and my view silence is complicity. We need every single ally to speak out.”
However, Alyssa Farah Griffin countered that the panel’s reactions showed inconsistency. She pointed out that the same hosts had previously criticized George Clooney when he publicly urged Joe Biden to step aside.
“A lot of this table criticized George Clooney when he wrote his Biden op-ed,” Griffin said. “That is a celebrity using his voice, saying what he believes, it can’t just be when they agree with your position.”
Behar pushed back, arguing that criticizing Thornton was her own exercise of free speech. She noted that while Thornton could speak freely, so could she in disagreeing with him.
Griffin maintained that forcing actors to speak out was unfair and counterproductive. She dismissed much of Hollywood activism as “slacktivism,” saying too many celebrities speak out without understanding the issues. “I don’t think we should bully people, saying, ‘You have to speak out,’” she added.
Sara Haines also expressed skepticism about celebrity activism, noting that much of what entertainers say only resonates with people who already agree with them and rarely persuades anyone new.
WATCH:
VIDEO AT LINK...................
Throughout the exchange, the panel remained divided over whether artists have a social responsibility to engage politically or if choosing neutrality is just as valid a stance.
Thornton, for his part, has not responded publicly to the panel’s criticism and continues to promote his current series.
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Joy Behar is essentially bragging about her lack of knowledge every time she opens her mouth!
Exactly! Sometimes the best thing to say is...nothing. B
Too many leftist celebrities are victims of the Dunning-Kruger effect. They are too stupid to realize just how stupid they really are. So they are happy to speak out when they should keep quiet.
Wow, so what do they say when a celebrity comes out as a born again Christian and tells them they need to be saved? Or is that shoving their religion down someone’s throat?
They only want the ones who agree with them to speak out.
Landman is AMAZING! And love Billy Bob.
That’s because the left is a cult.
“ Joy Behar blasted Thornton’s remarks, saying, “Imagine bragging about how uninformed you are,” and described his stance as foolish.”
Ironic since Joy advertises her ignorance on every show.
The View is a coven of harridans.
Joy Behar blasted Thornton’s remarks, saying, “Imagine bragging about how uninformed you are,” and described his stance as foolish. Joy was getting hot.
“Imagine bragging about how uninformed you are,”
Well, Behar, imagine speaking out and proving how uninformed you are.
Clearly, Taylor Sheridan is landing some hard punches with the numerous dialogue insults leveled at The View over that past couple years.
The harpies just can’t take any criticism.
But his excellent comment: "...“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...”
I don't know if he is a Lefty or even a Liberal. But anyone who says that is someone I can sit down and enjoy a beer and a long conversation with.
It demonstrates a degree of self-awareness that is not often seen in anyone on the Left. They think they have the answers for everything.
The Harpies on The View are showing off their idiocy again.
Heinlein...
Thanks 😊
Heard an old interview with Elvis Presley - interviewer asked him what the thought of the anti-Vietnam War protesters and did he support them or not?
Elvis answered: “Honey, I’m an entertainer, and don’t know nothing about all that.”
Excellent answer. To this day.
“Joy Behar blasted Thornton’s remarks, saying, “Imagine bragging about how uninformed you are,” and described his stance as foolish.”
Wow humility.
Luke 14:11
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Billy Bob vs The View
No contest.
“whether artists have a social responsibility to engage politically “
Do “artists” have a responsibility different from Billionaires? or Java coders? or IHOP dishwashers? I find the idea repugnant that one group of people has more “social responsibility” than another group of people.
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