The National Board of Review's 2018 Awards gala - honouring Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Greta Gerwig, Jordan Peele and "The Post," among other creators and projects - continued the politically charged awards-season conversations begun at the Golden Globes on January 7.
Robert De Niro proved the most direct in his introduction of Meryl Streep, who was picking up the best actress award for her performance in Stephen Spielberg's 'The Post.'
De Niro encouraged applause for an off-hand dismissal of Trump. "Let's clap for that," he said. "This f--ing idiot is the president. It's 'The Emperor's New Clothes.' The guy is a f--ing fool. Come on."
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He went on to call the president the "jerk-off in chief."
"If only Bob wouldn't hold back," Streep joked to the tightly packed, starry crowd at midtown Manhattan's Cipriani 42, before issuing a plea to a Hollywood community grappling with sexual harassment.
"How much we really need to trust each other - I don't want that to go away," she said. "Because that's where art lies. Right on the edge."
