Left-wing Hollywood celebrities are giving high-fives and high praise in response to the NBA’s decision to turn some of its sports arenas into polling locations for the November election, allowing for more people to vote in-person.
The voter initiative is part of a deal that the NBA has made with its striking athletes who are protesting the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Millionaire basketball players demanded the concession before they agreed to resume the playoffs on Saturday. The deal means that some franchise-owned arenas will be converted into polling places on November 3 “to allow for a safe in-person voting option for communities vulnerable” to the coronavirus pandemic, said NBA executive director Michele Roberts and NBA commissioner Adam Silver in a statement.
Teams that have reportedly signed up for the voter push include the Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, and Milwaukee Bucks.
Hollywood stars are crowing their approval of the agreement. What the NBA arena polling place aspect of the agreement would mean for the push for mail-in voting and in-person voting amid the coronavirus pandemic remains to be seen. Still, left-wing celebrities including Rob Reiner, Mark Ruffalo, John Leguizamo, and Sarah Silverman have publicly backed the NBA’s deal with striking players.
Rob Reiner praised the NBA, saying “They are in the fight to stop the madness.”
The NBA said we will no longer just “shut up and dribble”. They are in the fight to stop the madness. Vote like your life and Democracy depend on it. Because they do.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) August 28, 2020
Actors Mark Ruffalo and Bradley Whitford described the deal as “incredible.”
This is incredible! Thank you NBA and the great and Talented NBA players. https://t.co/y5T4nYS8fE
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 28, 2020
Incredible news. https://t.co/Gs6ydQXeMw
— Bradley Whitford (@BradleyWhitford) August 28, 2020
Comedian Sarah Silverman tweeted her approval, noting that “where our elected leaders fail, new leaders emerge.”
Where our elected leaders fail, new leaders emerge https://t.co/UHrBraeRQH
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) August 28, 2020
Actor Michael Ian Black called the agreement a “slam dunk.”
Speaking as a 2 time NFL Super Bowl champion, I can tell you that this idea is a "slam dunk." #9years2rings https://t.co/FbG0rjpOtU
— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) August 28, 2020
Actor John Leguizamo expressed his love for the NBA after the announcement.
Love me my #NBA https://t.co/INWGjSozSl
— John Leguizamo (@JohnLeguizamo) August 28, 2020
Actors Debra Messing, Patton Oswalt, and Adam Goldberg all poured on the praise for the NBA’s move.
AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! https://t.co/4dUaNRgo1j
— Debra Messing✍🏻 (@DebraMessing) August 29, 2020
YES. Here we go. Thank you @NBA!!! 👇👇👇👇👇 https://t.co/49zelJ2BFh
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) August 28, 2020
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NBA Agrees To Use Arenas As Polling Places In Deal To Resume Playoffs : Live Updates: Protests For Racial Justice : NPR https://t.co/bQYuFXdeqn
— Adam Goldberg (@TheAdamGoldberg) August 28, 2020
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