The ‘Oscars of Science’ can’t take a Trump joke

When the Breakthrough Prize, founded by Facebook, Apple, and Google moguls and sometimes called “the Oscars of Science” by people who want that to be true, invited a comedian to present one of its awards it probably should have expected a few topical jokes. Remarks made by Seth Rogen during the April 5th livestream about the high-profile tech titans supporting Trump may have ruffled a few feathers, however, and have been scrubbed from the “full video” upload of the ceremony.

“It’s amazing that others in this room underwrote electing a man who, in the last week, single-handedly destroyed all of American science,” Rogen said according to The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s amazing how much good science you can destroy with $320 million and RFK Jr., very fast.”

Rogen’s quip was in response to the Trump administration gutting some government departments, agencies, and major scientific programs. Trump, a noted climate change denier, has quickly surrounded himself with wealthy Silicon Valley figureheads like Zuckerberg — who co-founded the Breakthrough Awards with his wife and has been especially subservient to Trump’s pet causes. The President has also elevated close cohorts like Elon Musk — who spent almost $300 million to elect Trump — and anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. into positions of power.

Rogen’s remarks received only light applause from the room, and came directly after co-presenter Edward Norton paid thanks to Silicon Valley audience members for underwriting the ceremony. Each prize is $3 million, handed out in different fields for life sciences, mathematics, and fundamental physics.

“This year’s ceremony lasted longer than the prior few years, and several edits were made in order to meet the originally planned run time,” the Breakthrough Prize told The Hollywood Reporter. As the ceremony wasn’t televised, it’s unclear what scheduling requirements the Breakthrough Prize needed to adhere to on YouTube.