Social media is a blessing for washed-up Hollywood celebrities. Whereas the Tinsel Town mediocrities of previous generations had no choice but to go gentle into that good night, today’s has-beens keep their names (and their virtue) out there tweeting lefty conventional opinion and trolling lawmakers they hate. Though when they speak up, they remove all doubt that they should try and make the acting thing work again.
In between collecting checks from his last big screen adventure – which was Hellboy 2 from literally twelve years ago – and watching himself on SyFy channel reruns of the worst movie in the Alien franchise, Ron Perlman enjoys insulting Republican congressmen and senators.
Over the weekend, Perlman took personal issue with Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) criticism of the U.S. Soccer Federation and its decision to allow its players to kneel during the national anthem in protest of whatever issue they have with the country. In response to the league’s ruling, Rep. Gaetz tweeted on June 11, “I’d rather the US not have a soccer team than have a soccer team that won’t stand for the National Anthem.” President Trump even commented on Gaetz's response, tweeting, “I won’t be watching much anymore.”
Of course, Gaetz’s rejection of pre-game disrespect for the country’s colors was not going to fly with 10,000 Ways To Die narrator Perlman, who tweeted, “The US Soccer team called and you guessed it... said they couldn’t give any less of a fuck about what you two dipshits think. @realDonaldTrump @mattgaetz.”
Rep. Gaetz responded, tweeting, “This racial justice warrior had no problem in Hollywood portraying the White Supremacist leader of a motorcycle gang. #SOA.” Gaetz was referencing Perlman’s stint as a racist biker in Sons of Anarchy, and considering Perlman’s recent tweets about Trump supporters supporting the murder of George Floyd, he’s got a point that the FX actor is a bigot.
The two traded a few more barbs on the platform. Perlman called Gaetz a “fuckboi” and the U.S. congressman asked the actor, “How triggered will you be when @realDonaldTrump is re-elected? More or less than when crooked [Hillary] lost?”
A last ditch ad hominem attack against Gaetz inspired Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) to join the battle. Perlman tweeted a photo of Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and commented, “PS: You’re lucky for this guy Matt. If it weren’t for him you’d be the ugliest politician walking,” and the Senator from Texas couldn’t let that cheap shot slide. 
Cruz tweeted, “Listen Hellboy. You talk good game when you’ve got Hollywood makeup & stuntmen. But I’ll bet $10k—to the nonpolitical charity of your choice—that you couldn’t last 5 min in the wrestling ring w/ @Jim_Jordan w/o getting pinned.”
The lefty actor strutted after receiving the attention and responded to Cruz with his best tough guy lines. “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,” he tweeted, adding that he would donate “50k” to Black Lives Matter if they had the event.
Cruz waved him off, insisting that Hellboy’s too scared to fight Jordan. “I get it, you’re rich. But, apparently, soft. You sure seem scared to wrestle Jordan (whom you keep insulting). Can’t take the heat? Need to get a manicure?” It has been a long time for Perlman in quarantine. Cruz is probably right that Perlman’s nail appointment is way overdue.
