Actor Robert De Niro is known worldwide for his portrayals of iconic mobsters and tough guys on the silver screen going all the way back to the early ’70s.
Whether it was the newly murderous young Vito Corleone in “The Godfather Part II” or the harrowing psychopath Travis Bickle in “Taxi Driver,” De Niro sure can cast an intimidating presence in front of a camera.
Photo by Columbia Pictures/Getty Images (left); Photo by FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images (right)
But a different kind of lens was trained upon De Niro Tuesday morning in New York City when he appeared on behalf of the Biden administration to perform a
full-on takedown of former President Donald Trump — and right outside the Manhattan courtroom where closing arguments were underway in Trump’s Stormy Daniels trial.
But De Niro may not have been counting on the many Trump supporters who showed up to heckle and call out the actor — and the pushback went on pretty much from start to finish.
‘I mean, this is really … even these people over here are kinda … it’s kinda crazy. It’s really crazy. And this thing … Donald Trump has created this. He should be telling them not to do this. But he’s just …’
One video caught De Niro — wearing a COVID mask — walking down a street with a crew of nearly 10 men when one observer yells out to the actor, “Walk the street by yourself! I dare you!” Believe it or not, De Niro actually turns around to look at who’s yelling at him. Perhaps life was imitating art in a “you talkin’ to me?” kind of way.
In
another clip, De Niro is standing in front of his microphone as multiple people are heard yelling at him from a distance — one hollers a “f*** you!” — and the actor has a hard time dealing with the vitriol and completing sentences: “I mean, this is really … even these people over here are kinda … it’s kinda crazy. It’s really crazy. And this thing … Donald Trump has created this. He should be telling them not to do this. But he’s just …”
Blaze News earlier Tuesday reported on De Niro’s
ill-advised argument with an individual who verbally challenged him during the news conference.
“On January 6, while Republican lawmakers despicably tried to keep the loser Trump, the loser Trump, in the White House, and Trump-inspired insurrectionists stormed the Capitol, brave men and women from law enforcement put their lives on the line to defend this country. Our democracy. They are the true heroes,” De Niro said, according to
video of his remarks.
Turning to former U.S. Capitol Police Officers Harry Dunn and Michael Fanone — both of whom were standing behind De Niro during the news conference — the actor continued, “These guys are the true heroes. They stood and put their lives on the line for these low lives, for Trump.”
With that, someone near the press conference blurted out to De Niro, “They lied under oath.”
De Niro didn’t like that — and he appeared to lean into his wise-guy persona with the volume and tone of his voice:
De Niro: “They lied under oath? Who lied under oath? What are you telling me?”
Crowd member: “Those two traitors behind you.”
De Niro: “Excuse me?”
Crowd member: “Those two traitors behind you.”
De Niro: “They lied under oath?”
Crowd member: “That’s right.”
De Niro: “What are you saying?”
Crowd member: “They’re traitors.”
De Niro: “They’re traitors?” (Psst. That’s what the guy said, Bobby.)
“I don’t know, I don’t even know how to deal with you, my friend. I don’t even know how to deal with you,” the actor went on. “They stood there; they didn’t have to. And there were other ones in there who probably were in with them a little bit, too, and they found a way to get around — not these guys. They stood there and fought for us, for you. For you!”
“They weren’t fighting for me,” the crowd member responded.
“No? No, they fought for you, buddy, you’re able to stand right here now,” De Niro persisted.
For his closing act, De Niro got into a heated verbal altercation on the way back to his vehicle as detractors crowded around him as well as the group of men apparently protecting him.
Pro-Trump folks yelled out “wannabe!” and “sell-out!” and “nobody!” and “movies suck!” and “little punk!” NBC News reported.
“You’re not going to intimidate!” De Niro yelled back, pointing his index finger. “That’s what Trump does, to try to intimidate! … We are going to fight back! We’re trying to be gentlemen in this world, the Democrats! You are gangsters! You are gangsters!”
“You’re washed up!” another person hollered at the actor, who clearly had enough by that point and fired off a nifty “f*** you!” at his adversary.
On the plus side, at least one person hollered, “I loved you in ‘Taxi Driver’!”
‘You are gangsters!’: Robert De Niro clashes with Trump supporters in New Yorkyoutu.be
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