Mediaboss Marketing

If you dont know who Ed Asner is, then you dont know much about television.

Even die-hard Republicans have laughed at and been entertained by Lou Grant, the newspaper editor and longtime Democrat brought to life on the classic comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and later in the hour-long spinoff series. Besides being one of only two actors to win an Emmy for portraying the same character in a sitcom anda drama, the extremely affable Asner hasearned more Emmys for his performancesseven total in four different showsthan any male actor in the history of television. And to millennials, hes best known for playing Santa Claus in the Christmas classic Elf, and as the voice of crotchety Carl Frederickson in Pixars .

At 88,Asner, along with co-author Ed Weinberger, whose numerous credits include being a writer and producer for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, have written an excellent book titled The Grouchy Historian: An Old-Time Lefty Defends Our Constitution Against Right-Wing Hypocrites and Nutjobs, about how he feels the GOP exploits our countrys Constitution. Both authorsincluding Asner, a longtime liberal activisthave clearly done their homework.

In an interview with The Daily Beast, Asner opened up about his new book and life under President Trump.

What made you pen your book The Grouchy Historian now?

I thought of doing it for a long time. As a progressive, its a story I believe and believe in. If right-wingers trulyunderstood what the Constitution meant they wouldnt use it as a crutch every time they screw over the poor and the disenfranchised.

What group of people do you think misinterpret our Constitution the most?

The NRA is the worst offender. The Republican Party basically uses it to advance their own agenda, often at the expense of their ownmembers. For example: a government needs to collect taxes in order to survive, but the recently passed tax bill in the Senate is so tilted towards the rich and corporations thatsome industry leaders, like the head of the largest coal company in America, predict it will bankrupt them.

EMBED

Do you think President Trump could be impeached?

Theres the possibility certainly but it wont happen until after Robert Mueller makes his final report. Lets face it: Trump supporters like his jack-bootedstyle. Teachers, low-paid wage earners and environmentalistshe doesnt care about them unlessPutintells him to. Ive never met Trump and Im not eager to. Like many Republicans through the years he probably hates the fact Ive made him laugh on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. But if you didnt love our beloved Mary and laughed at her sitcom, thats just plain un-American.

As a World War II veteran, what do you think of President Trump dodging the Vietnam draft?

Get The Beast In Your Inbox!

Start and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast.

A speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don't).

Subscribe

Thank You!

You are now subscribed to the Daily Digest and Cheat Sheet. We will not share your email with anyone for any reason.

[Laughs] He has his hand on the nuclear button and I dont!

Do you believe Trump is an anti-Semite?

No. He might be, but how can he be because he counts on the Jews to lead Wall Street.

Are you afraid that Trumps taunting of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un could lead to nuclear war?

I dont think so. With Trump its theatrics, being a bully and a my-missile-is-bigger than-yours bravado. Trump will mouth off and provokeNorth Korea but he wont be the first to fire.

As a former president of the Screen Actors Guild, do you think the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which recently expelled accused serial rapist Harvey Weinstein, should do the same to another alleged serial rapist in Bill Cosby as well as convicted teenage rapist Roman Polanski?

Cosby hasnt been tried yet in court for his alleged sexual misconductbut neither has Weinstein or President Trump. The Academy voted Polanski a best directing Oscar for a film he made overseas after he was convicted and fled the country. How to handle sexual harassment in any form now and in the future isan area, it seems, that demands our attention but has no easy legal or moral solution. Anybody can accuse a celebrity or politician of sexual misconduct and even if it didnt happen, the damage has been doneto their careers. This issue will soon affect all aspects of the workplace worldwide,if it hasnt already. Lets not adopt a witch-hunt mentality or use your powertotake advantage of people trying to raise a family and pursue their dreams. After almost seven decades in show business, I can tell you nobody should havea naked auditionalone with a member of the opposite sex in their hotel room.

What are your thoughts on the Republican Party endorsing and financing Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore after several women alleged that he assaulted them as teenagers?

Moore had been discredited by judges from his own party up to that point.

What do you think the Democratic Party needs to do to take back Congress?

It needs to draw more attention to Republican discrepancies: what Republicans are doing to hurt anyone who isnt rich, and emphasize how the laws theyre proposing are actually meant to destroy the middle class!

How do you feel about NFL players taking a knee during the pre-game National Anthem?

I applaud it. I was a tackle when I played football back then. Todays NFL doesnt care aboutnor does it want to helpthe players after they suffer a violent, life-altering injury. Do any players really think the NFL cares about their civil rights as opposed tothe leagues sagging television ratings? The Star-Spangled Banner is a military drinking song thats hard to sing. It should be replaced by America the Beautiful, which is an inspiring tune and shows the greatness of our country.

What was your relationship with John Wayne, who you co-starred opposite in the western El Dorado?

I wasnt intimidated by him but he tested me during the filming. Even though he wasamused by me in his later years, The Duke always greeted me with a friendly smile. I didnt like his politics, but he was one of the most prepared, professional genuine movie stars I ever worked with. I suspect if he read that The Duke would be grinning and spinning in his grave at the same time!

Read the original post:
Ed Asner Sounds Off on Republicans: They Want to Destroy the ...