JD Vance Has Made Plenty Of Enemies In Hollywood

Of all the major players in the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump's VP Pick JD Vance is among the most divisive. Some people love having a younger, fresher face on the Republican ticket, while others just can't dismiss some of the controversial comments he has made throughout his campaign. Unfortunately for Vance, his polarizing nature has led him to make plenty of enemies in Hollywood. In particular, resurfaced comments from a 2021 interview with Fox News' Tucker Carlson drove a wedge between Vance and many celebrities. 

In the "Tucker Carlson Tonight" segment, Vance claimed that miserable "childless cat ladies" are at the heart of many of the nation's problems. Unsurprisingly, this remark did not sit well with a lot of people, including A-list stars. For example, Chelsea Handler posted an Instagram reel condemning Vance and warning him about the consequences of his statement: "All of us childless cat and dog ladies are going to go from 'childless and crushing it' to 'childless and crushing you' in November." Handler isn't alone in her open dislike of Vance; several other stars have used their platforms to take the VP hopeful down a peg. 

When JD Vance laid blame at the feet of certain childless Americans, he earned the ire of an immensely popular cat-lover: Taylor Swift. After the September 2024 presidential debate, the singer took to Instagram to officially endorse Kamala Harris and took a subtle but memorable swipe at Vance in the process. Swift included a photo of herself holding an equally fabulous long-haired cat and ended Vance with three simple words in her signature: "Taylor Swift — Childless Cat Lady."

In response to the endorsement, Vance tried to downplay Swift's potential influence, telling Fox News, "We admire Taylor Swift's music, but I don't think most Americans, whether they like her music, are fans of her or not, are going to be influenced by a billionaire celebrity who I think is fundamentally disconnected from the interests and the problems of most Americans." However, another celebrity quickly came to Swift's defense. On an episode of "The View," Whoopi Goldberg called Vance out for being presumptuous. "You don't know what affects her!" Goldberg stated (via Variety). "You don't about know her money!" We're betting Vance will think twice before taking on Swift in the future. 

When it comes to influential celebrities, few can compete with Oprah Winfrey's reach. In August 2024, Winfrey appeared at the Democratic National Convention and gave a moving speech that included a subtle swipe at JD Vance. While highlighting the virtues of people who care more about unity than party alliances, Winfrey said, "When a house is on fire, we don't ask about the homeowner's race or religion. We don't wonder who their partner is or how they voted... And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady, well, we try to get that cat out, too." 

The audience clearly understood the joke, with many erupting into cheers and applause immediately after. Of course, Vance himself wasn't laughing. Bill O'Riley later asked him about his reaction to Winfrey's speech, and the VP nominee had a terse response: "I wish Oprah all the best, but I want her candidate to lose because I want the American people to thrive." 

Candice Bergen is no stranger to criticism from politicians, so it's no surprise she fired back at JD Vance's distasteful past comments. One of Bergen's most well-known television characters, Murphy Brown, was once maligned by vice president Dan Quayle for glorifying single-motherhood, which the actor humorously recalled while speaking at the 2024 Emmys. In a 1992 speech, Quayle said that Bergen's character "[mocks] the importance of fathers by bearing a child alone and calling it just another 'lifestyle choice.'"

The parallel between Quayle's speech and Vance's 2021 comments was undeniable, and Bergen called Vance out before presenting the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series. "Oh, how far we've come," she began. "Today a Republican candidate for vice president would never attack a woman for having kids." The understated sarcasm was a nice touch, but the way Bergen concluded her speech was a home run for childless cat ladies everywhere: "So, as they say, my work here is done. Meow."