Film critic and media commentator Christian Toto, host of the Hollywood in Toto podcast, joined Chicago’s Morning Answer to talk about his latest column ranking the celebrities most afflicted with what he calls “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
Toto said his list measured not just the intensity of anti-Trump rhetoric but whether it had actually damaged a celebrity’s career. “Robert De Niro is certainly a contender,” he said, “but he keeps working. The real casualties are people like Kathy Griffin and Rosie O’Donnell, whose bitterness and outrage have left them unemployable.” He noted that Griffin’s infamous photo depicting a severed Trump head ended her mainstream career and that O’Donnell has largely faded from public view.
The critic named Jimmy Kimmel as the current “king” of celebrity Trump obsession, pointing to the late-night host’s recent comments blaming MAGA supporters for the assassination of activist Charlie Kirk. “That was grotesque and career-threatening,” Toto said. “He had every chance to apologize and didn’t. Since returning to the air, he’s only doubled down.”
Toto also discussed the few entertainers who’ve begun to temper their rhetoric, saying even longtime critic Rob Reiner appears to have pulled back after years of nonstop political tirades. And in a surprising twist, actor Michael Rapaport—once one of Trump’s loudest detractors—recently recanted, admitting he’d fallen for the “very fine people” hoax and apologizing for it. “There’s a cure for TDS,” Toto quipped. “It’s called letting information in.”
The conversation shifted to Hollywood’s creative output, with Toto praising Tulsa King as a fun vehicle for Sylvester Stallone, though both he and Proft agreed the series’ third season shows signs of fatigue. They also touched on upcoming releases such as Deliver Me from Nowhere, the new Bruce Springsteen biopic, and the unexpected success of the Naked Gun reboot starring Liam Neeson and Pam Anderson.
“Hollywood still produces great work,” Toto said. “You just have to look past the noise, ignore the political posturing, and find the people who still care about storytelling.”