Actor Tim Allen offered a defense of President Trump, arguing that the commander in chief’s online and public persona does not match who he actually is in person.
“I’ve met [Trump] at the charity event years ago, and that certainly doesn’t fit with the man who tweets. I’ve met a lot of people in private whose public persona is a bit off,” Allen told Entertainment Weekly in an interview published Thursday. “My perception is ‘let’s see what he gets done.’ Let’s stop banging on the pilot’s door and trying to pull the guy out of his seat while he’s still flying. You might not like how he’s flying the plane but let’s let him land it.”
In his interview, Allen said that he isn’t necessarily sure if he agrees or disagrees with the president, but he did praise him for getting “this NAFTA thing done.”
Last month Trump reached a tentative deal with Mexico to update the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he has deemed unfair. The U.S. has also had talks with Canada regarding the agreement.
Allen stars as a Republican father and store owner in the show “Last Man Standing.” ABC canceled the comedy last year, but it was picked up by Fox. Season seven of “Last Man Standing” will premiere on Sept. 28.
Allen clarified that “Last Man Standing” is not a political show, but rather a family sitcom that happens to feature a Republican father figure.
“It’s not a political show. We talk about politics because everybody does. If you want to see me talk politics, come see me at The Mirage in Las Vegas,” Allen said. “My politics are really irrelevant … But I wouldn’t want who say, ‘I can’t stand Trump so I can’t watch this show.’ Try to table that. It’s a sitcom that’s really clever where we work hard to make you laugh your ass off.”
Allen describes himself as a political “anarchist,” claiming he is for a “responsible government that actually does what we pay them to do.”
Fellow comedian and actress Roseanne Barr’s show “Roseanne” was axed from ABC earlier this year after the star made insensitive racial comments online directed toward former Obama aide Valerie Jarrett. A spin-off, “The Conners,” is in the works, but it will not feature Barr’s character.
Barr’s and Allen’s shows were similar in that they depicted a family with differing political perspectives, and strong main characters that were Republican.
