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'So Cringe': JD Vance's Theater Joke Falls 'Incredibly' Flat On Social Media

The vice president claimed to know nothing about the musical he was going to see.

WestNet News wire Source: HuffPost
'So Cringe': JD Vance's Theater Joke Falls 'Incredibly' Flat On Social Media

Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, joined President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump for a performance of “Les Misérables” at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday evening.

Many found it ironic, given that the musical is about an uprising against abusive authority figures.

But just before the show, Vance wanted to make it very clear he had no idea what it was about.

The vice president posted:

About to see Les Miserables with POTUS at the Kennedy Center.

Me to Usha: so what’s this about? A barber who kills people?

Usha; [hysterical laughter]

— JD Vance (@JDVance) June 11, 2025

In a follow-up tweet, the vice president added: “That’s apparently a different thing called ‘Sweeney Todd.’”

Given that “Les Misérables” is one of the most enduring and widely performed modern musicals ― and that it’s based on what’s considered one of the most important novels of the 19th century ― not many people are buying Vance’s ignorance.

And they let him know on X:

It should be illegal to be this incredibly cringe. https://t.co/szqfixG42O pic.twitter.com/oW1DGsAkED

— DSA Orange County 🌹 (@DSAOrangeCounty) June 12, 2025

I’m sorry, the only people who would pretend to confuse Sweeney Todd for Les Mis are people who are super into musicals and uncomfortable admitting it. pic.twitter.com/k5sow99bmf

— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) June 12, 2025

the idea that knowing Sweeney Todd is more normal (and presumably straighter?) is very funny https://t.co/A78xccJ7Tf

— Alex Shephard (@alex_shephard) June 11, 2025

Jesus Christ this is so cringe.

— Кобзар 🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@CanadianKobzar) June 12, 2025

Oh for gods sake you went to YALE, give it a rest https://t.co/hZ2zkIeIQS

— Sam Biederman (@Biedersam) June 12, 2025

You can drop the “I’m still an Appalachian hillbilly” thing. It’s not a bad thing that you’ve moved beyond your rustic upbringing

— Steven Walk 🇺🇦🇮🇱 (@realStevenWalk) June 12, 2025

That s not cute. Les Misérables is a searing indictment of authoritarianism, showing how state repression and inequality crush lives - and how resistance and mercy become acts of salvation. https://t.co/S70kDqRjlX

— Dr. Aurelia Attal-Juncqua (@AttalAurelia) June 12, 2025

Omg JD is relatable lololololol

(Love that they’re going to a musical while our rights are actively being restricted and they try to ruin lives! It’s almost like they’re trying to make us “les miserables”) https://t.co/JxKxOuaTY8

— Laura Bedrossian (@LauraBedrossian) June 11, 2025

This did not happen. No one who knows the plot of Sweeney Todd also has no idea what Les Mis is about. https://t.co/3H3SIkRqwr

— 🖤 Sophia 🖤 (@Richard_Vixen) June 12, 2025

I love how this clumsy attempt to play to your base has you not knowing the plot of Les Mis but absolutely knowing the plot to Sweeney Todd.

JD Vance is definitely NOT an elite. lol what a dork.

— Jared Lipof (@jaredlipof) June 12, 2025

me when I pretend not to know the plot of a broadway musical that's based on one of the best-known novels of all time while somehow knowing the plot to a different, lesser known broadway musical https://t.co/ODWjp2Emiw pic.twitter.com/GhCrxxwHKr

— taylor turner (@taylorttt) June 11, 2025

a straight guy anxious about knowing Les Mis is ridiculous. Les Mis is one of the most straight guy musicals out there. it’s being anxious because you know who ryan reynolds is. the writers of Glee would call this too far-fetched https://t.co/SQRsOkhCbx

— Dan Walden (@dwaldenwrites) June 12, 2025

Strange story, considering Les Misérables is widely recognised as a seminal work in the Western literary canon.

Hard to imagine Yale-educated Vance is unaware of it. https://t.co/QwtzDwZoRw

— Hunter📈🌈📊 (@StatisticUrban) June 12, 2025

It's about the dehumanizing effects of overzealous law enforcement and how prioritizing punishment over justice destroys families and lives, including (spoiler alert) that of the enforcer. Probably not relevant to this guy. https://t.co/seUv8qhnHP

— Adam McCue (@mccue) June 12, 2025

I love sportsball ass tweet https://t.co/CuRBL3WwxA

— Drake (@Letterb0xed) June 12, 2025

[hysterical laughter] pic.twitter.com/BAzwLZ9LqC

— Wireman (@The_Wireman) June 12, 2025