# Tony Awards on The No Agenda Show Tony Awards comes up in 12 chapters across 12 episodes of The No Agenda Show, from June 2011 to July 2025. - **Chapters:** 12 - **Episodes:** 12 - **Discussed:** June 2011 – July 2025 - **Related topics:** [Broadway](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/broadway.md), [Diversity](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/diversity.md), [Stephen Colbert](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/stephen-colbert.md), [Bill Clinton](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/bill-clinton.md), [Bruce Springsteen](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/bruce-springsteen.md), [Cbs](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/cbs.md), [Censorship](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/censorship.md), [Chicago](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/chicago.md), [Donald Trump](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/donald-trump.md), [Exit Strategy](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/exit-strategy.md) ## Chapters 1–12 of 12 ### Broadway Diversity Pledges and Inclusion Riders - **Episode:** [1786: Best Exit Strategies](https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/1786-best-exit-strategies.md) - **Published:** 2025-07-31 - **Time:** 2:07:02–2:09:40 - **Transcript:** https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/1786-best-exit-strategies/chapter/broadway-diversity-pledges-and-inclusion-riders.md The Broadway community and the Actors Union have signed a 17-page diversity pledge, including "inclusion riders" for creative contracts. The hosts mock the "Woke Awards" and the increasing focus on racial quotas in theater production. Keywords: [broadway](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/broadway.md), black theatre united, [tony awards](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/tony-awards.md), inclusion rider, [diversity](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/diversity.md), [exit strategy](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/exit-strategy.md) ### Tony Awards, Non-Binary Performances and Ads - **Episode:** [1772: Op Day](https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/1772-op-day.md) - **Published:** 2025-06-12 - **Time:** 1:29:56–1:39:35 - **Transcript:** https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/1772-op-day/chapter/tony-awards-non-binary-performances-and-ads.md The 78th Tony Awards featured a heavy emphasis on non-binary identities, with actor Cole Escola winning for a portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln. The ceremony was also notable for its high volume of pharmaceutical advertisements, specifically for AIDS medications and Ozempic. Critics noted that the "rotten old binary" was a recurring theme in acceptance speeches, reflecting the current cultural shift in the Broadway community. Keywords: [tony awards](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/tony-awards.md), [non-binary](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/non-binary.md), cole escola, [broadway](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/broadway.md), [pharmaceutical ads](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/pharmaceutical-ads.md) ### Tony Awards Controversy, Denée Benton and Kimberly Akimbo - **Episode:** [1564: Zombie Town](https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/1564-zombie-town.md) - **Published:** 2023-06-15 - **Time:** 46:52–52:02 - **Transcript:** https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/1564-zombie-town/chapter/tony-awards-controversy-denee-benton-and-kimberly-akimbo.md Actress Denée Benton refers to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as a "Grand Wizard" during the Tony Awards ceremony. The hosts discuss the decline of Broadway box office numbers and the "unappealing" nature of the Best Musical winner, Kimberly Akimbo, which features a teenage girl with a progeria-like disease. They criticize the "weaponization" of race and theater for political messaging. Keywords: denée benton, [ron desantis](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/ron-desantis.md), [tony awards](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/tony-awards.md), kimberly akimbo, [broadway](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/broadway.md), [naacp](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/naacp.md) ### Tony Award Nominations, New York City Safety Concerns - **Episode:** [1553: Ample Bosom](https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/1553-ample-bosom.md) - **Published:** 2023-05-07 - **Time:** 2:06 - **Transcript:** https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/1553-ample-bosom/chapter/tony-award-nominations-new-york-city-safety-concerns.md The hosts open the program by discussing the six Tony Award nominations for the play "Ain't No Mo," written by Jordan E. Cooper. They compare the safety and atmosphere of New York City to Chicago, noting concerns about subway tracks and general urban decay. One host mentions his wife's upcoming Mother's Day visit to New York and her anxiety regarding the city's current state. Keywords: [tony awards](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/tony-awards.md), ain't no mo, jordan e cooper, [new york city](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/new-york-city.md), [chicago](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/chicago.md), [mother's day](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/mother-s-day.md), subway safety ### The Woke Awards, Black Playwrights on Broadway - **Episode:** [1398: Gender Justice](https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/1398-gender-justice.md) - **Published:** 2021-11-11 - **Time:** 2:24:06–2:28:34 - **Transcript:** https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/1398-gender-justice/chapter/the-woke-awards-black-playwrights-on-broadway.md Nine plays by black authors opened on Broadway this season, a move NPR attributes to the 2020 protests. The hosts propose the "Woke Awards" (or "Wokeies") to satirize the industry's focus on representation over traditional storytelling. They note that despite the critical acclaim for these diverse productions, Broadway is struggling with low attendance and discounted ticket sales. Keywords: [tony awards](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/tony-awards.md), chicken and biscuits, [passover](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/passover.md), antoinette wandu, [diversity](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/diversity.md), wokeies ### Tony Awards 2021, Record Low Ratings and Streaming Secrecy - **Episode:** [1386: Frankenjab](https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/1386-frankenjab.md) - **Published:** 2021-09-30 - **Time:** 1:37:19–1:41:04 - **Transcript:** https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/1386-frankenjab/chapter/tony-awards-2021-record-low-ratings-and-streaming-secrecy.md The 2021 Tony Awards saw a massive decline in viewership, pulling in only 2.7 million viewers compared to 5.4 million in 2019. Much of the ceremony was moved to Paramount Plus, allowing the network to keep specific streaming figures secret. The production was criticized for being "too woke" and focusing on awards for a year when Broadway was largely closed. Keywords: [tony awards](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/tony-awards.md), [paramount plus](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/paramount-plus.md), [cbs](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/cbs.md), [broadway](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/broadway.md), [television ratings](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/television-ratings.md), [woke culture](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/woke-culture.md) ### Smart Home Frustrations and Robert De Niro's Tony Awards Outburst - **Episode:** [1042: Two Dictators](https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/1042-two-dictators.md) - **Published:** 2018-06-28 - **Time:** 1:41:17–1:47:36 - **Transcript:** https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/1042-two-dictators/chapter/smart-home-frustrations-and-robert-de-niro-s-tony-awards-outburst.md The hosts discuss the limitations of open-source smart home tools like Mycroft compared to Amazon's "talking tube." They then critique the 2018 Tony Awards, specifically Robert De Niro's "F-Trump" outburst and the subsequent standing ovation. They note that while the U.S. broadcast was censored, the Australian feed remained uncensored, and the incident "ruined" the show for many viewers. Keywords: [mycroft](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/mycroft.md), [roku](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/roku.md), [tony awards](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/tony-awards.md), [robert de niro](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/robert-de-niro.md), [bruce springsteen](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/bruce-springsteen.md), [censorship](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/censorship.md) ### Stephen Colbert Tony Awards Trump Monologue - **Episode:** [939: Bigdala](https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/939-bigdala.md) - **Published:** 2017-06-18 - **Time:** 51:42–54:16 - **Transcript:** https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/939-bigdala/chapter/stephen-colbert-tony-awards-trump-monologue.md Stephen Colbert delivered a politically charged monologue at the Tony Awards, mocking the Trump administration as a "revival" that might close early. The hosts criticize the Broadway community for attacking the government while simultaneously seeking federal funding through the National Endowment for the Arts. The segment highlights the deep divide between the entertainment industry and the current executive branch. Keywords: [stephen colbert](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/stephen-colbert.md), [tony awards](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/tony-awards.md), [broadway](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/broadway.md), [donald trump](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/donald-trump.md), national endowment for the arts ### Kevin Spacey Hosts the Tony Awards - **Episode:** [938: Humalgo](https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/938-humalgo.md) - **Published:** 2017-06-15 - **Time:** 1:54:12–1:58:31 - **Transcript:** https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/938-humalgo/chapter/kevin-spacey-hosts-the-tony-awards.md The hosts review Kevin Spacey’s performance as host of the Tony Awards, noting his impressions of Johnny Carson and Bill Clinton. They also critique Stephen Colbert’s appearance at the awards, where he performed a lengthy anti-Trump segment for a cheering audience. Keywords: [kevin spacey](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/kevin-spacey.md), [tony awards](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/tony-awards.md), [bill clinton](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/bill-clinton.md), [johnny carson](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/johnny-carson.md), [stephen colbert](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/stephen-colbert.md) ### Tony Awards, Alice Walker vs. Alice Waters - **Episode:** [833: Manbuns & Mohawks](https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/833-manbuns-mohawks.md) - **Published:** 2016-06-12 - **Time:** 2:27:32–2:29:24 - **Transcript:** https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/833-manbuns-mohawks/chapter/tony-awards-alice-walker-vs-alice-waters.md A Broadway reviewer on PBS mistakenly attributes the novel *The Color Purple* to chef Alice Waters instead of author Alice Walker. The hosts highlight the error and the lack of correction during the broadcast, noting the upcoming Tony Awards. Keywords: [tony awards](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/tony-awards.md), alice walker, alice waters, the color purple, [pbs](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/pbs.md), [broadway](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/broadway.md) ### Broadway Review, It's Only a Play - **Episode:** [723: Axe Man](https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/723-axe-man.md) - **Published:** 2015-05-25 - **Time:** 5:27–7:12 - **Transcript:** https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/723-axe-man/chapter/broadway-review-it-s-only-a-play.md A review of the Broadway play "It's Only a Play" features praise for the cast, including Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, and F. Murray Abraham. The production is described as a meta-commentary on the theater industry, focusing on the relationships between playwrights, producers, and critics. Actor Micah Stock is noted for his Tony Award-nominated performance in a farce-style role. Keywords: nathan lane, matthew broderick, f. murray abraham, stockard channing, [broadway](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/broadway.md), [tony awards](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/tony-awards.md) ### Mark Rylance's Bizarre Tony Awards Acceptance Speech - **Episode:** [313: Hide Your Forks](https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/313-hide-your-forks.md) - **Published:** 2011-06-16 - **Time:** 1:15:13–1:21:11 - **Transcript:** https://search.noagendashow.net/episode/313-hide-your-forks/chapter/mark-rylance-s-bizarre-tony-awards-acceptance-speech.md Actor Mark Rylance delivered a highly unusual acceptance speech at the Tony Awards after winning Best Actor for his role in *Jerusalem*. Instead of traditional thanks, Rylance recited a prose poem about the mechanics of "walking through walls." Despite the surreal nature of the speech, presenter Catherine Zeta-Jones and the elite audience reacted as if the performance was standard, highlighting a disconnect between the theater elite and the general public. Keywords: mark rylance, [tony awards](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/tony-awards.md), [jerusalem](https://search.noagendashow.net/topic/jerusalem.md), catherine zeta-jones, walking through walls --- This is the markdown version of a page on The No Agenda Show for AI agents. Every public page on this site has one: add `.md` to its URL, or request it with `Accept: text/markdown`. - [Site index for agents (llms.txt)](https://search.noagendashow.net/llms.txt) - [Home](https://search.noagendashow.net/index.md) - [Search transcripts](https://search.noagendashow.net/search.md) - [All episodes](https://search.noagendashow.net/episodes.md) - [Topics](https://search.noagendashow.net/topics.md) - [People](https://search.noagendashow.net/people.md)