While she is still no Donald Trump supporter, actress Eva Longoria has dialed down her criticism of the successful New York businessman, who she likened to Adolf Hitler just four months ago.
During a conversation with TheWrap on Tuesday, the former Desperate Housewives star spoke to the entertainment news site about Trump’s upcoming hosting gig on Saturday Night Live, which has been a source of controversy for the show in recent weeks.
A number of Hispanic groups, including the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) have criticized NBC for inviting Trump to host a November episode of the show.
(NCLR head Janet Murguía has described the SNL invitation as “appalling,” and has said Trump’s campaign has been “built on bigotry and demagoguery,” over his positions on illegal immigration.)
According to Longoria, Saturday Night Live has every right to extend an invitation to Trump, and anyone asking the network to rescind that invitation is misguided.
“This is part of freedom of speech, freedom of press,” Longoria reportedly told TheWrap’s editor-in-chief, Sharon Waxman, at the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Courage in Journalism Awards benefit in Beverly Hills, CA. “He has his right — not only that, Lorne Michaels [executive producer] has a right to book whoever he wants.”
Rather than attempt to dictate the direction of the show, Longoria says a more prudent strategy for Hispanics would be to tune out for Trump’s Nov. 7 episode.
“We as a Hispanic community have a choice to not watch it. That’s our choice,” said the Mexican-born actress. “That’s what we can do. That’s what you’re supposed to do. Boycott that night, and then let that show feel that ‘oh, OK we did make a bad decision.’ You cannot limit that choice to producers or a network. That’s their choice to do that.”
“But what you can do is [say], ‘OK you made that choice, therefore we will do this,’” she said. “…The other side would’ve boycotted Hillary for whatever reason because of their beliefs. There’s always the other side.”
The actress, who is supporting Clinton’s campaign, went on to criticize the crowded Republican presidential field, but said she doesn’t blame any particular candidate for what she describes as a “circus.”
“First of all, I think primary seasons should be shortened,” she told TheWrap. “There should be a much shorter primary season so we can get specific about policy issues instead of name-calling — obviously on the Republican side, it’s a bit of a circus just because of the amount of people. I wouldn’t say because of anybody in particular, but it’s because of the amount of people.”
While Longoria offered no negative critique of Trump, or any other GOP candidate, on July 1, she said Trump was guilty of creating “emotional poison.”
“Hitler moved a nation with words, just words,” she said over statements Trump made about illegal immigrant crime during his June presidential announcement.
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