Candice Bergen Criticizes J.D. Vance’s Remarks at Awards Ceremony

On Sunday night, Candice Bergen returned to the stage to make a humorous yet pointed commentary on Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance‘s controversial remarks. The 78-year-old actress, known for her iconic role in the CBS sitcom “Murphy Brown,” drew parallels between her show’s storylines and current political events.

During her speech, Bergen recalled her time portraying the lead role in “Murphy Brown,” where her character, a single mother, was famously criticized by Vice President Dan Quayle in the 1990s. She wittily remarked on the progress of political attitudes towards women, stating with sarcasm, “Today, a Republican candidate for vice president would never attack a woman for having kids. So, as they say, my work here is done.” This comment elicited a strong reaction of laughter and applause from the audience.

Bergen was presenting the award for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series at the event, awarded to Jean Smart for her role in “Hacks.” Her speech indirectly referenced Vance’s derogatory comments about women who choose not to have children, referring to them as “a bunch of childless cat ladies.” These comments by Vance have been met with widespread criticism and have even prompted public figures like Taylor Swift to vocalize their opposition, notably when Swift endorsed Kamala Harris.

Vance’s comments have sparked a significant response, including condemnation from various public figures and increased attention on the topic of women’s choices regarding motherhood. Notably, Swift’s endorsement of Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris followed the backlash, highlighting the political ripple effect of Vance’s statements.

The Emmy Awards night, where Bergen spoke, was also an occasion for other personalities to weigh in on social issues humorously. While presenting alongside Selena Gomez and co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short, Gomez jokingly said, “And let me say what an honor it is to work with two guys who are this far away from being childless cat ladies,” further drawing on the cultural conversation sparked by Vance’s remarks.

In a previous interview with Tucker Carlson in 2021, Vance stated, “We’re effectively run in this country, whether it be by the Democrats or our corporate oligarchs, by a bunch of childless cat ladies, who are unhappy with their own lives and the choices they’ve made, and so they want to make the rest of the country unhappy too.” This sentiment was quickly criticized by public figures, including Harris’s family, with Kerstin Emhoff, her husband’s ex-wife, defending Harris by emphasizing her nurturing and protective role within their blended family.