A new ad released Tuesday by The Lincoln Project re-imagines the iconic balcony scene depicting Argentina’s former First Lady Eva Perón in the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical “Evita” with an unexpected new star, the president of the United States.
The group, a political action committee formed by prominent current and former Republicans, mocked coronavirus-stricken President Trump’s return from his three-night stay at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center with “Covita,” a parody based on the show-stopping scene of “Evita,” which gave LuPone a Tony Award in 1979, and Madonna a Golden Globe in 1997.
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“Don’t cry for me White House staffers, the truth is I will infect you, all through my tweeting, my mad existence, I broke my promise, won’t keep my distance,” a singer belts it out, as images of Marine One dramatically landing at the White House sets the tone for the the next 90 seconds.
Dressed in a dark suit and blue tie, Trump is first seen removing his surgical face mask, and later appearing to gasp for air.
President Trump gestures from the Truman Balcony upon his return to the White House from Walter Reed Medical Center.
“I always say too much, never mind the thousands of lies I have told you,” the song goes on, as photos of White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany and the president’s physician, Sean Conley, flash on the screen.
“As for wearing masks and acting sane, that is nothing that I will ever do,” Covita sings, while images of maskless attendees of a reception for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett are seen smiling, hugging and socializing on the White House lawn.
The song goes on with Covita urging secret service agents to not shed any tears, “though COVID might just well kill you, while on my joyride, I spread the virus. I broke my promise, won’t keep my distance.”
On Monday, shortly after Trump’s cinematic arrival at the White House and him standing maskless on a balcony, the original Evita took to Twitter to criticize the president’s performance.
“I still have the lung power and I wore less makeup,” LuPone tweeted. “This revival is closing November 3rd.”
Closing or not, the vocals behind “Covita” remain a mystery.