Artistry again tarnished
Sadly, another beloved artist has diminished himself by profaning the office of the POTUS. Robert De Niro's tirade of F-bombs expressed during last Sunday's Tony Awards broadcast both detracted from the recognition of Broadway's finest and degraded his stature.
De Niro's body of work as an actor is enviable. However, his recent public tirades are distinguished by incivility that knows no boundaries. As a celebrity he has access to forums wherein he could lift us up. Instead he chooses to play out unhinged hatred that brings us down. Personal, professional, or artistic expressions should provoke our thoughts and call us to higher ground rather than incite our base behavior.
Bobby, I love your work and will always look back in appreciation of your prior performances. But I am unable to abide your most recent scripts. You could inspire. You choose to incite. You have fallen from your pedestal to the pit and now reside in the company of the far less talented as Behar, Griffin, Barr and Bee. Your hateful utterances have transformed your images from authentic actor to crank caricature. You have replaced "Raging Bull" with "Raging Fool." As such, your stardom seems less brilliant. We will watch you less; listen to you even less. Behavior has consequences. Farewell.
Ronald Bearwald
Northbrook