International 
Politics 
Local 
Finance 
Sports 
Entertainment 
Lifestyle 
Technology 
Literature 
Science 
Health 
1 year ago
75
Hot Topic
Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, joined President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump for a performance of Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday evening.
Shannon Finney / Getty Images
Many found it ironic, given that the musical is about an uprising against abusive authority figures. But just before the show, Vance wanted to make it very clear he had no idea what it was about. The vice president posted:
About to see Les Miserables with POTUS at the Kennedy Center.
Me to Usha: so what’s this about? A barber who kills people?
Usha; [hysterical laughter]
@JDVance / Via x.com
In a follow-up tweet, the vice president added: “That’s apparently a different thing called Sweeney Todd.”
That’s apparently a different thing called “Sweeney Todd”
— JD Vance (@JDVance) June 11, 2025@JDVance / Via Twitter: @JDVance
Given that Les Misérables is one of the most enduring and widely performed modern musicals ― and that it’s based on what’s considered one of the most important novels of the 19th century ― not many people are buying Vance’s ignorance. And they let him know on X:
@DSAOrangeCounty / Via x.com
Hot Topic
Let's chat about all things Politics
See our Politics Discussions
I’m sorry, the only people who would pretend to confuse Sweeney Todd for Les Mis are people who are super into musicals and uncomfortable admitting it. pic.twitter.com/k5sow99bmf
— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) June 12, 2025@SonnyBunch / Via x.com
@alex_shephard / Via x.com
Jesus Christ this is so cringe.
— Кобзар 🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@CanadianKobzar) June 12, 2025@CanadianKobzar / Via x.com
You can drop the “I’m still an Appalachian hillbilly” thing. It’s not a bad thing that you’ve moved beyond your rustic upbringing
— Steven Walk 🇺🇦🇮🇱 (@realStevenWalk) June 12, 2025@realStevenWalk / Via x.com
That s not cute. Les Misérables is a searing indictment of authoritarianism, showing how state repression and inequality crush lives - and how resistance and mercy become acts of salvation. https://t.co/S70kDqRjlX
— Dr. Aurelia Attal-Juncqua (@AttalAurelia) June 12, 2025@AttalAurelia / Via x.com
Omg JD is relatable lololololol
(Love that they’re going to a musical while our rights are actively being restricted and they try to ruin lives! It’s almost like they’re trying to make us “les miserables”) https://t.co/JxKxOuaTY8
LauraBedrossian / Via x.com
@Richard_Vixen / Via x.com
I love how this clumsy attempt to play to your base has you not knowing the plot of Les Mis but absolutely knowing the plot to Sweeney Todd.
JD Vance is definitely NOT an elite. lol what a dork.
@jaredlipof / Via x.com
a straight guy anxious about knowing Les Mis is ridiculous. Les Mis is one of the most straight guy musicals out there. it’s being anxious because you know who ryan reynolds is. the writers of Glee would call this too far-fetched https://t.co/SQRsOkhCbx
— Dan Walden (@dwaldenwrites) June 12, 2025@dwaldenwrites / Via x.com
Strange story, considering Les Misérables is widely recognised as a seminal work in the Western literary canon.
Hard to imagine Yale-educated Vance is unaware of it. https://t.co/QwtzDwZoRw
@StatisticUrban / Via x.com
It's about the dehumanizing effects of overzealous law enforcement and how prioritizing punishment over justice destroys families and lives, including (spoiler alert) that of the enforcer. Probably not relevant to this guy. https://t.co/seUv8qhnHP
— Adam McCue (@mccue) June 12, 2025@mccue / Via x.com
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
English (US)