CBS rushed to censor one Tony award-winner’s particularly passionate acceptance speech.
The 2023 Tony Awards took place on Sunday night (12 June) at the United Palace in Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighbourhood.
Presented by returning host Ariana DeBose, the awards show was broadcast to viewers at home on CBS.
Follow along with our live blog for all updates from the 2023 Tony Awards and see here for the full list of winners – updated in real time.
Michael Arden won the award for Best Direction of a Musical for his direction of the Broadway revival of the 1998 musical Parade, which is about the lynching of Leo Frank by an antisemitic mob.
Arden, however, had a small snippet of his speech censored due to his use of a homophobic slur.
In his impassioned acceptance speech, Arden spoke to the queer community.
“And to our beautiful trans, non-binary, queer youth, know that your queerness is what makes you beautiful and powerful,” he said. “Everyone in this room sees you and needs you and will fight alongside you and we will win.”
“Growing up I was called the F-word more times than I can remember,” said Arden. “And all I can say is that now I’m a f***** with a Tony.”
The latter part of his speech – in which Arden said the F-word in full – was censored by the broadcaster, leaving viewers at home wondering what the director had said.
The words of his full speech were soon revealed on Twitter.
Tony nominee Ben Platt was one of many in the audience to cheer on Arden. The actor was out of his seat and applauding the director’s words.
Earlier on in the awards show, DeBose fully explained why and how the ongoing Hollywood writers’ strikes have impacted this year’s Tony awards.
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“Our siblings at the WGA are currently on strike in pursuit of a fair deal – and how many of us know how that is?” DeBose told the audience who applauded in response.
“I’m sure some of you athome are thinking, ‘What does that have to do with the Tony awards?’” the actor continued.
“Awards shows are traditionally written by WGA members, so in order for the show to go on a whole host of people had to come together and find a compromise – and we’re all here… so to everyone who [played a part in achieving] that compromise, I say a full-throated thank you!” she said.
DeBose went on to explain what that “compromise” entailed, divulging that neither she nor anyone taking the stage during the awards show will be reading from a script as a result of the deal that was reached.