Ted Cruz Gets in Online Wrestling Match With Actor Ron Perlman
- Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons (left); Ron Perlman / Facebook (right)
- Sen. Ted Cruz (left) is involved in yet another online celebrity feud, this time with actor Ron Perlman (right).
Actor Ron Perlman’s made trolling the fuck out of Republican politicians a big part of his online brand. Just ask anyone who follows the Hellboy and Sons of Anarchy actor on Twitter.
And, now, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas — never one to dodge an online celebrity feud — appears to be latest to be pulled into Perlman’s online slugfest.
A Monday exchange between the pair escalated after Cruz bet Perlman $10,000 to the “nonpolitical charity” of his choice if he couldn’t last five minutes in the wrestling ring with U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan. (Way to write checks and cash them with someone else’s ass, Ted!)
The challenge came after Perlman tweeted a picture of combover-challenged Ohio Republican to Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, taunting, “You’re lucky for this guy Matt. If it weren’t for him you’d be the ugliest politician walking.”
PS: You’re lucky for this guy Matt. If it weren’t for him you’d be the ugliest politician walking. @mattgaetz pic.twitter.com/uUgUDKHgZA
— Ron Perlman (@perlmutations) June 15, 2020
Cruz leapt to his fellow Trump toady’s defense, offering to set up a celebrity bout.
“Listen Hellboy,” Cruz tweeted. “You talk good game when you’ve got Hollywood makeup & stuntmen. … You up for it? Or does your publicist say too risky?”
Perlman declined the offer, instead getting in a jab involving allegations Jordan once tried to cover up a sexual abuse scandal involving Ohio State’s wrestling team. However, the actor did offer take Cruz to the mat and upped the pot to $50,000.
I tell you what teddy boy, since mentioning jim jordan and wrestling is… problematic, why don’t we say fuck him and just make it you & me. I’ll give 50k to Black Lives Matter and you can keep all the tax payer money you were thinking of spending. https://t.co/6QDwCaEkpv
— Ron Perlman (@perlmutations) June 15, 2020
In response, Cruz took a swipe at Perlman’s Hollywood-sized paychecks and accused him of being “soft,” adding “need to get a manicure?”
“Teddy, Teddy, what kind of a muthafucka offers to have another guy, probably asleep at the time, kick another guy’s ass?” Perlman inquired, which appeared to end the exchange.
Teddy, Teddy, what kind of a muthafucka offers to have another guy, probably asleep at the time, kick another guy’s ass? https://t.co/v7EFmP1Mqe
— Ron Perlman (@perlmutations) June 15, 2020
Baiting Republican lawmakers has become part of Perlman’s online persona — something that appears to entertain certain followers as much as ensure he’s still talked about between acting roles.
It’s harder to see how the online smack talk pay off for Cruz, who’s now been on the losing end of feuds with late night talk show hosts, musicians and reality TV personalities.
Then again, if we had the senator’s record of complicity with the Trump White House, maybe also we’d be eager to talk about wrestling — or just about any other subject — right now.
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