InstagramRose McGowan "hijacked" a political gala aimed at fostering bipartisanship in Manchester, N.H., Sunday, giving an impromptu speech and slamming the attendees whom she saw as mostly "old privileged white men" and "rich white male republicans." McGowan was attending an event hosted by No Labels, an organization that seeks to bridge the divide between Democrats and Republicans. Invited as a guest, she live-tweeted her plan to disrupt the evening's proceedings.
"I'm going to annihilate in 3-2-1..." she wrote in a Twitter video caption.
With her cell phone camera pointed at the floor, McGowan recorded her speech for Facebook. "May I speak for one minute, gentlemen and ladies? I'm just going to be very, very quick. I want to thank you for your interest in nonpartisanship. I'm completely hijacking this. I've lived in 27 different states. I have a life filled with struggle. I am a small business owner. I am an investor. In short, I am an American. And I do see nonpartisanship, but I've heard this stuff for years. For years! And what I see is this very, very white room, which is shocking and leads me to believe that maybe you don't actually integrate with my America. That breaks my heart because you guys are the ones that are supposed to be brave," she said. "And I believe every Republican voted down equal pay for women, right? But you're talking about your single mothers growing up. To do what? To engender, like, weepiness about that? I had that, too. I had a very wealthy father. I know we're all concerned about leaving our money now for our loved ones. But in this room, I don't think that'll be a problem. I know real America. I am not from Hollywood. I am accidental tourist there. I own homes in four countries—little tiny ones. And I am in society. I doubt a lot of you have been to Afghanistan or Kuwait like I have. I also work with the military; I volunteer at Walter Reed," she said. "In short, I know what I'm doing."
Friends, tonight I took off the public mask of celebrity and revealed who I am. (Sidenote: It was fucking intense.) A little bit about me- I have lived a very big life... an extraordinary life, and a very private life. I worked hard to live how I wanted- freely. So I used celebrity as a sort of cover. Behind the scenes, I spent countless hours honing my skills and becoming a master of many disciplines. Directing, writing, music, my photography, animal rescue, volunteering... Acting was my day job. And I worked very, very hard to survive Hollywood and to try not to lose it and stay in tact as a human. It took years to deprogram. I'm almost totally me again. And who I am is an artist on all fronts. Anyway, I've used my time out of the public eye to recover from deaths, catastrophic accidents, tragedies and soulful travel. I built up my strength, survived Hollywood, and patched myself back up and now I've become fully me in public. I no longer care to hide.I am the daughter of a leader, I come from a family of military men and wildly inventive artists. Thank fucking God. My dad and mom would be and are proud of me, and really, that's all that matters. All of my years of private activism and volunteering are now public. So now you know. And like G.I. Joe said,"Knowing is half the battle." It's nice to meet you all in truth.Xo,RosePRESS PLAY FOR AUDIO
Posted by Rose McGowan on Sunday, October 11, 2015
"And I would say to you: 1) Get out of my body; 2) Equal pay for women; 3) Integrate! You cannot make laws for America without knowing it. People coming up and complaining to you. If that's your integration, people, I don't understand what that is," McGowan continued. "And I believe you guys are better, and I believe you started with an ideal that meant something. And so what I see as part of the American public, as an independent and as a constituent, I don't understand."
As a man began to cut her off, she shouted, "Thank you!"
CNN political reporter Sara Murray was at the event and described McGowan's impromptu speech. "So basically Rose McGowan stood up, insulted the room and stormed out. Quite a way to cap off a night promoting bipartisanship," she tweeted. "Guys, that was so awkward. The organizers did not look pleased."
McGowan later explained her behavior via social media.
"I just fully hijacked a gala dinner & f--king gave it to them. I represent America. I am an American and I have a right to speak," she tweeted. "I said my piece as a citizen as is my right. Maybe politicians should tell the truth sometime. There's video. And do not paint me as an angry, crazy woman. That old trope is dead. Stop being so basic. Also, it was punk as f--k. It was so stale. I will not sit idly by as absolute bs pandering is going on. What's wrong with being real?"
The Jawbreaker actress elaborated via Facebook—twice.
"I hijacked a Republican & Democratic gala tonight. I fought back," she wrote Sunday. "After two hours of listening to old privileged white men discuss what Americans want without being integrated with any America that I know. These men, who VOTED DOWN EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN, who VOTED AGAINST GAY MARRIAGE, and VOTED AGAINST THEIR CONSTITUENT'S BEST INTERESTS, we're so comfortable phoning in these pandering, masturbatory speeches- I knew I had to act. So I stepped the f--k up. After years of volunteering for candidates, and stumping for those who aren't standing for me... I took back my power. My power is my voice. Tonight I used my voice. My heart was racing, but I did it anyway. And I walked out with my fist held high."
"The scene: At the end of a long night of listening to Joe Lieberman and Senator Lindsey Graham, and then about twenty other Uber white one percenter politicians, they decided to have the 'celebrities' in the crowd stand up. We were the last people who had to be clapped for, it was out the door for these egos right after my asinine turn to be on display. I held my hand up straight in the air and REFUSED to put it down until I could speak. They weren't calling on me, but I think it may have been ex-senator Evan Bayh who said to let me speak. It may have been. I don't know, all the blood was rushing to my face and my heart was so loud in my ears. But I spoke. Oh boy did I speak. F--k. I went hard. Needless to say I have been DISinvited from the political hoopla happening tomorrow. I had to."
In her second Facebook post, McGowan wrote, "Friends, tonight I took off the public mask of celebrity and revealed who I am," she wrote. "(Sidenote: It was f--king intense.) A little bit about me- I have lived a very big life... an extraordinary life, and a very private life. I worked hard to live how I wanted- freely. So I used celebrity as a sort of cover. Behind the scenes, I spent countless hours honing my skills and becoming a master of many disciplines. Directing, writing, music, my photography, animal rescue, volunteering... Acting was my day job. And I worked very, very hard to survive Hollywood and to try not to lose it and stay in tact as a human. It took years to deprogram. I'm almost totally me again. And who I am is an artist on all fronts. Anyway, I've used my time out of the public eye to recover from deaths, catastrophic accidents, tragedies and soulful travel. I built up my strength, survived Hollywood, and patched myself back up and now I've become fully me in public. I no longer care to hide."
"I am the daughter of a leader, I come from a family of military men and wildly inventive artists. Thank f--king God," she continued. "My dad and mom would be and are proud of me, and really, that's all that matters. All of my years of private activism and volunteering are now public. So now you know. And like G.I. Joe said, 'Knowing is half the battle.' It's nice to meet you all in truth."
McGowan continued to defend herself Monday, telling her Twitter followers, "PS I do not have to be a good little girl. I am a free person, pity if you're not. I love all of the pearl clenching. That's rich. Artists are supposed to challenge the power structure. Is this new? Uh... no. Nothing wrong with setting fire to the lies."