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Billy Bob Thornton Rejects Awards-Show Activism, Says He Won’t Lecture on Politics

The remarks revived debate over celebrity responsibility in politics.

Overview

  • Billy Bob Thornton said on Howie Mandel’s podcast that he avoids political lectures because he is not an expert and does not want to force views on others.
  • He criticized awards-show speeches, echoing Ricky Gervais’ line to accept the trophy and move on, and urged wealthy stars to fund causes directly instead of preaching.
  • The View hosts split over his stance, with Joy Behar calling it proud ignorance and Sunny Hostin arguing platforms come with a duty to speak, while others warned against pressuring silence or performative posts.
  • He has long been disenchanted with awards culture, telling Joe Rogan he attends fewer ceremonies and suggesting some voting is driven by politics rather than craft.
  • Defending Landman creator Taylor Sheridan, Thornton said awards bodies have misread or sidelined Sheridan’s work, and coverage notes Landman’s next season is expected to start filming in August.