From Vanity Fair · Savannah Walsh · · 1m 20s
Jeremy Harris on Democrats, DSA, and Broadway
Jeremy Harris critiques establishment Democrats and Broadway's crisis as he seeks solutions with NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani.
In brief
Jeremy Harris critiques establishment Democrats and Broadway's crisis as he seeks solutions with NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani. Jeremy Harris criticizes establishment Democrats for losing left-wing support and Broadway's economic crisis, urging NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani to address theater affordability. Originally reported…
Harris questions Democrats' left-wing support
Harris asks why establishment Democrats are so addicted to losing left-wing support when they push policies like giving Israel more money or questioning healthcare access.
“Why are you so addicted to losing? I’m a really competitive bitch. And if I saw that every time we brought out a crotchety 60-year-old white person or Black woman who is like, ‘Honestly, give Israel more money,’ or anyone who’s like, ‘Oh, by the way, I don’t think people deserve all of their health care.’ Anytime that someone has done that, they lose on the left.”
Harris targets DSA with NYC mayor
Harris hopes to meet NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani to discuss Broadway ticket prices and theater affordability as a 'crisis moment' for the city.
“Mamdani, you are calling everyone. Anyone who talks about a pothole, the subway being too hot, you are answering their call.”
Harris' 2018 play success
Harris' 2018 play Slave Play earned 12 Tony nominations but won zero awards at the 2021 ceremony, leading to his criticism of the Tony system.
“The bitchiest level is that in spaces where it matters, as in spaces with money, people think I won the Tony. So it kind of doesn’t matter if you win or lose.”
Harris' theater affordability concerns
Harris explains Broadway's economic strain, noting that theater companies fear recouping costs without major celebrities and that middle-class performers can't afford to stay in the city.
“The amount of stifling work that has to be put on because people fear that unless you have the six biggest celebrities from the sixth-biggest Netflix show that week in your play that it can’t run and recoup, means that we are not getting the great performers of yesteryear that we discover from their off-Broadway to Broadway transfer. It means that people that decided to do this because it is a middle-class profession are not able to feed their kids or not able to feed their families and are having to figure out what to do in this really, really expensive city.”
Harris' theater accessibility push
Harris calls for theater rent-freeze and affordable ticket prices to address Broadway's crisis, emphasizing NYC's economic challenges.
“Let’s talk about how to make theater more accessible in the city, how to bring the rents down on theater, how we do a theater rent-freeze somehow.”
Harris' personal motivation
Harris says his media presence is about self-preservation after avoiding a Burger King job in Virginia, not personal promotion.
“I was doing anything I can to not go back to Virginia and have to work at a Burger King.”
What it means
Jeremy Harris criticizes establishment Democrats for losing left-wing support and Broadway's economic crisis, urging NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani to address theater affordability.
