Senator John Fetterman, D-Pa., has responded to comedian Larry David's strong criticism of a UFC event hosted at the White House during President Donald Trump's 80th birthday celebration. David had described the event as "a travesty" and "embarrassing."
Fetterman, speaking to TMZ, offered a dismissive retort to David's remarks, quoting a line from the 1981 film "Stripes." "I’d say lighten up, Francis," Fetterman stated, channeling a classic movie reference.
The quote originates from a scene in the film where a character named Francis expresses a desire to be called "Psycho." The frustration of the drill sergeant, played by Warren Oates, is captured in the line, "Lighten up, Francis."
When the TMZ reporter sought clarification on the reference, Fetterman elaborated, suggesting David should "get over himself." He added, "Hey, I’m proud to be an American, and if you are embarrassed or whatever because of a UFC thing, get over yourself, dude."
The UFC Freedom Fight 250 took place on the White House South Lawn and coincided with Trump's 80th birthday. The event drew approximately 1,200 active-duty service members and 4,000 spectators, with President Trump and UFC president Dana White in attendance. The festivities included a performance by the Marine Band and Zac Brown, followed by a flyover by the Navy’s Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds.
Following the event, a White House spokesperson described it as "one of the greatest and most historic sports events in history" and stated that President Trump hosting it was a "testament to his vision to celebrate America’s monumental 250th anniversary." The spokesperson also suggested that any criticism stemmed from "Trump Derangement Syndrome."