I’ve always loved John Legend and I’ve never been able to stand his wife, so much so that I barely even want to think or talk about Legend at this point, because I actually think less of him for being married to someone so annoying and thirsty. I know that’s unfair to Legend, who by all accounts is a rather subdued, even-tempered guy. He’s an Oscar-winning songwriter/singer and he was honored at the Time 100 event on Tuesday night. He also performed at the event. While he was chatting to reporters on the red carpet – he was flying solo at the event, thankfully – he was asked some political questions. And man, John Legend really hates Donald Trump.
John Legend was among those honored at Tuesday night’s Time 100 gala as one of the most influential people in the world, and while he had plenty of positive things to say about the greatest influences in his life, he didn’t pull any punches when it came to talking about someone on the opposite end of his spectrum: President Donald Trump.
“I think he’s a terrible president,” the singer and activist told reporters on the red carpet. “He’s manifestly unqualified, not curious, not good at legislating or doing anything that his job requires.” Legend, who also performed at the event, says he felt it was his responsibility as an artist to entertain and inspire people, but also to “try to reflect what’s going on in the world in a way that helps bring us closer together.”
The singer went on to list his wife, Chrissy Teigen, as well as Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye among those he admires and emulates, but sadly didn’t see any of his heroes’ qualities in POTUS. “He doesn’t have any depth about any subject and he’s also using the office of the presidency as a way to make money for himself with his business, so he’s corrupt,” he said. “I can’t say anything nice about the guy. I think he’s one of the worst people I’ve ever encountered in public life.”
When asked what he considered the least bad thing President Trump has done in his nearly first 100 days in office, Legend responded, “We haven’t gotten in a nuclear war… yet.”
I know this is just a “water is wet, celebrity hates Bigly” story, but I enjoy the fact that John Legend doesn’t really give a sh-t about trying to be diplomatic or look out for his bottom line, you know? Most celebrities are not being this direct at all. Many celebrities are worried that if they pop off about Bigly, the Deplorables won’t see their movies or buy their music or whatever. Legend doesn’t give a sh-t. And I agree with him completely.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
My grandmother used to drum it into me that the best, most desirable, human quality was curiosity and that you would avoid many of life’s pitfalls and vices if only you always remembered to be curious.
Looking the rise of narrow-minded, parochial, incurious nationalism all across the world today, I can see how right she was. You only have to look at Agent Orange to know that he is not only incurious, he is proud of being so.
I think Legend said a perceptive thing there. My grandmother would approve.
Your grandmother sounds like a wise lady.
There is sometimes a strange pride in ignorance, and I get that feeling from Trump. He’s proud of it.
@Sixer yes, “he is not only incurious, he is proud of being so” and this truth hurts every single day until he will be removed from office. I wonder if we will ever be the way we were before him… it is sickening!
That’s what stood out to me the most: Trump isn’t curious. Because out of curiosity comes the will to learn, right? Trump doesn’t even know how to spell curious.
Grandma knows best.
My grandma was the greatest feminist (I know she would be rolling in her grave if she heard me) I’ve ever met.
“Remember never ask money to a man, not even to buy a pair of socks: you must work”
And she went on saying “because if you ask money they think they can rule on you and you will loose your freedom”.
She was born in 1921….I miss her.
I think there is an awful pride in ignorance sometimes. And also, if you are incurious about other people, other cultures, other communities, it makes it all that more easy to “other” them. And we know where that leads.
Being curious doesn’t always mean you’ll like what you find – but I do believe you’ll like what you find more often than you’d ever have believed while you were wallowing in your narrow world of disinterest.
Yes! Pet peeve: the number of times I’ve heard ‘oh I dont like curry, so I hate all indian food’ is just ridiculous. It’s blatantly incurious and reductive and because of that, incorrect.
Thinking about this, being curious also means admitting you don’t know everything. So if curious is the opposite of ego, that’s part of the magic, you need to be able to admit fault to grow as a person.
I’ve noticed the pride in ignorance thing is often coupled with a ‘I’m never wrong’ attitude.
Totally detritus! Ignorance so often goes hand in hand with believing you’re right about everything.
I actually don’t think Trump is proud of his ignorance. I think he honestly thinks he knows it all, and if he doesn’t he can learn it on the fly. Like how he said he spent 10 minutes on North Korea and now knows “it’s complicated.” I think he really believes that a barely passing, surface knowledge of most things is enough to get by if you’re as “smart” as he is.
Esmom – I agree with your assessment in trump. He is not interested in learning bc he thinks he knows it all. the incuriousness of his supporters and the culture that has pride in ignorance is even more scary to me. I was raised in a place where education and knowledge was looked down on as wanting to “be Better than everyone else” (thank god my family didn’t subscribe to that!) and was seen as a negative. His fans hold him up specifically because of these traits and encourage him to stay uneducated. It is chilling.
I think he’s proud of being uneducated, that he’s not an intellectual elite.
Not that he thinks hes stupid, if that makes sense?
Because I very much agree with him thinking he can master everything in ten minutes.
The Senate Intelligence Committee has hired a special counsel who is a lawyer and a woman. She begins May 1st. Full not part time Here’s to her being more Curious George than Eeyore about this orange cockwomble.
Exactly. Ignorance is not bliss.
I don’t understand why the pursuit of knowledge is looked upon so snidely nowadays.
Step to the rear of the line John, you’re sinking in the same boat as we all are, except you’re on a yacht. Agree with Kaiser about his wife, she’s so artificially sweet, she probably sticks her finger in her coffee instead of Splenda.
Yeah, I was thinking we are all John Legend.
I could never understand why everyone seems to adore his wife so much. I find her mostly annoying, and I figured that was because I’m just a crotchety old bitch. Glad I’m not the only one!
Not at all. i cannot stand her . She’s soooooo thirsty for attention it’s quite pathetic. I’m not that old, but I’m a b*tch as well! 🙂
” manifestly unqualified” you forgot “irresponsible”… sigh.
Thanks for not sugar coating it, John. trump is a f@cking disaster.
I thought he was remarkably restrained considering who he’s commenting on. For many of us I suspect the air might have turned blue.
I detect no lies here and yet, he still manages to state his point without being mean-I like him.
He said it all, and he said it well.
*Applause* READ HIM FOR FILTH JOHN!!
I really want a reporter to ask him how he feels about he and Tropicana being alumni of the same institution. I bet he will have a ton to say about that.
More celebrities need to speak out. These are dangerous times, and we need every voice. Thanks, John!
Eh, asking him his opinion of Trump is like asking Eastwood his opinion of Obama. Their ideologies dictate what they think.
“Their ideologies dictate what they think.”
That’s generally how it works with politics.
Lol. This comment does not make any sense. Duh, ideologies dictate what you think. I don’t even understand your comparison.
Eastwood would not be so articulate. In fact, he’d probably be embarrassingly inarticulate like his chair performance at Repub convention.
He said it superbly with minimal effort. Love it.
I kind of like Chrissy. I like John, too. Trump is the worst.