Shocking! David Mamet Exposes Hollywood’s ‘Trash’ DEI Policies as ‘Fascist Totalitarianism!’

David Mamet continues to criticize the liberal consensus in Hollywood.

“DEI is nonsense,” the Pulitzer Prize-recipient author declared in front of a full house at the Los Angeles Times Book Festival. “It’s a form of fascist totalitarianism.”

The playwright and director did not hold back his signature profanity or controversial views as he discussed his revealing memoir, “Everywhere an Oink Oink,” with Deputy Entertainment Editor Matt Brennan from the Times at USC’s Newman Recital Hall.

The book, which was published last fall, chronicles his last four decades in the film industry and his departure from favor as his political leanings transitioned him from a liberal “red diaper baby” of two communist Jewish parents, who brought him up on the South Side of Chicago, to a Trump-supporting conservative today.

For over a decade, Mamet’s political and social pronouncements have generated as much attention as his work in film and theatre. His latest complaint is about the new diversity rules implemented by the Academy of Motion Pictures for films eligible for Oscar consideration to enhance representation of LGBTQ+, women, ethnic minorities, and individuals with disabilities.

The notion of “I can’t award you a pointless f— statue unless you include 7% of this, 8% of that… it’s an invasion,” Mamet stated.

While Mamet recognized that discrimination has historically excluded groups from participating in Hollywood, he believes the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction. In his book, Mamet refers to the leaders of these diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives as “diversity capos” and “diversity commissars.”

“The [film industry] is as capable of enhancing everyone’s racial understanding as the fire department is,” Mamet quipped to a few loud laughs from the audience. He argued that his colleagues would be better off focusing on selling popcorn than trying to improve representation for women, queer talent, and other marginalized groups.

Mamet did not sugarcoat his words. He used the archaic term “transsexuals” when discussing transgender individuals and criticized gender-neutral bathrooms. “It politicizes human waste disposal,” he remarked to even louder laughter from the audience.

He defended free speech in an amicus brief he wrote to the Supreme Court this year in the NetChoice LLC vs. Paxton case. “We are witnessing severe attacks on freedom of speech in this country,” Mamet declared.

Neither film executives nor writers were spared from Mamet’s criticisms. He accused film studios of creating a “hegemony” that has stifled the voices of independent filmmakers. “There’s no room for individual initiative,” Mamet stated. He added that the film industry is undergoing the “growth, maturity, decay, and death” cycle that “affects everything that’s organic.”

Mamet was a vocal critic of the writers’ strike in 2007 and expressed discontent last year when writers reached a stalemate with studios during negotiations for pay increases and protections against the use of artificial intelligence.

“There’ll be less work,” Mamet admitted. “But the scripts will be better.”

Does Mamet consider his children as nepo babies who’ve benefited from his distinguished career? Absolutely not, he said. He is pleased that they’ve gained experience by being on set with him.

“They earned it through merit,” he said of his daughter Zosia Mamet, who starred in “Girls.” They haven’t benefited from any form of privilege, he said, and he believes that DEI initiatives are robbing hard-earned opportunities. “Nobody ever gave my kids a job because of their relation to me.”

Mamet believes he’s been ousted from Hollywood more due to his age than his politics. Young directors prefer to collaborate with peers from their own generation.

“No one’s going to pay me a lot of money anymore,” Mamet stated. “No one’s going to let me have a lot of fun.”