Will and Grace actress Debra Messing isn’t much for grace. She launched a blistering Twitter attack on fellow actress Susan Sarandon for the crime of not being anti-Trump enough. 

Sarandon originally sent the Hollywood Hills shaking and quaking in November 2017 when she said Trump was a better choice for president than Hillary Clinton. Said Sarandon, “I thought Hillary was very dangerous. If she’d won, we’d be at war.” (Sarandon was a Sanders supporter.)

Now comes a Variety headline: “Donald Trump has, if anything, inspired more women and people of color to run for office, says actress Susan Sarandon.”

Why does this matter? Because of what it tells us about Hollywood. And what it tells us about the Left’s staggering assault on dissent. 

Messing’s Poor Head

Messing’s head practically exploded. She told Sarandon to shut up, though she had to throw in a profanity in doing so. She added: “Oh yes, PLEASE let’s give Trump CREDIT. I mean how else are you able to walk out on the street.”

She went on to list the predictable liberal litany of Trump’s alleged political sins, before turning her ire back to Sarandon:

YES, do go on… And LAUD the effect Trump has had. Out of DESPERATION & PANIC for the DESTRUCTION of the Soul of our country. But you don’t want to look at THAT part of the equation. Because then you’d have to admit you were dead WRONG running around bellowing that HRC was more dangerous than … Trump.

To her credit, Sarandon has taken a chill approach. She did not respond in kind.

Debs, before you get yourself all self-righteous try clicking on the video and listening to what I actually say, not @Variety's clickbait headline, which btw has no quotation marks. That’s a clue… https://t.co/pAIxBDNW5G

— Susan Sarandon (@SusanSarandon) September 12, 2018

Imagine that: Suggesting Messing get the facts first before getting unhinged. Finally, a bit of wisdom out of Hollywood.

Why Does This Story Matter?

This tells us something about Hollywood and about the Left’s compulsive assault on anyone who dissents from their line. 

Think of it: Susan Sarandon is an Oscar-winning actress who was proving her bona fides as a progressive activist when Messing was still doing musicals in high school. We’re talking about the woman who was raked through the coals for giving a left-wing political speech at the Academy Awards when one just did not do such things. Look up “Hollywood Liberal” in the dictionary 20 years ago, you’d see a picture of Susan Sarandon. For a time she made Jane Fonda look like William F. Buckley. 

My point is this: If this is the level of rage a Hollywood liberal Icon faces in public, what do you think happens behind the scenes to lesser actors and actresses who are conservative?

Imagine if you’re a day player booked on Will & Grace. Before shooting, Messing launches into an on-set political rant about Trump’s latest tweet. She then turns to you and says, “Right?!?!?!” What are you going to say?

You’re going to stay silent or give your own Oscar-worthy performance. “SURE, Debra! You bet! He’s the worst!” Otherwise, you can bet you’d be kicked off the show. Or at best you’d get through the day and suddenly find casting directors want nothing to do with you. 

We’ve Been There

My wife knows all about it. She is a brilliant actress. Yet some of her finest work came off-camera, holding it together amid liberal ravings and attacks. Take the day after the 2012 election. Her TEA party shaped-heart was crushed. But she’s no snowflake. She sucked it up, went down to the studio for a hair-styling for a TV show. Into the hair department glides a famous TV actress singing a snotty, “We beat Romney! We beat Romney!” Cheers rose up.

Rusty wanted to jump from the chair. “Only because Obama used the IRS to sabotage the TEA Party movement, suppressing their efforts in swing states like Virginia!” Instead, she acted like she wasn’t bothered. And the Emmy goes to … 

Ask Rusty how quickly her L.A. agent and friend of 20 years trashed her and blacklisted her after she finally spoke up. (Short answer: minutes.) “I spent 20 years walking around on eggshells,” she says. “Not any more.”

No, if you follow her on Twitter @TruthDancer210, you know she’s not holding back. 

Not in Hollywood Anymore

Of course, Rusty isn’t in Hollywood anymore. She’s not worried about paying the rent. Not worried about having her acting career crushed. But somewhere in Encino or Studio City or North Hollywood or Silver Lake or Venice or South L.A., an actor or actress heads to an audition today, or maybe onto a movie set, or the soundstage for Will & Grace.

They are fearful. They know that in Hollywood, a wrong word to the wrong person brings it all crashing down. 

Let’s be praying for those actors. Let any attempts to target them for their beliefs fail. Let their voices and numbers grow stronger. And let the town built on written dialogue actually become open to dialogue. 

Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream, and co-author of the book The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration.