Chuck Lorre used a speech at a Project Angel Food fundraiser to mix jokes with pointed political criticism, taking aim at President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and what he called “far-left woke culture”. The comments broke with the usual tone of a charity gala, while also drawing attention to the organisation that Lorre supports.

Lorre, 73, was honoured with a founders award, and the organisation’s Los Angeles campus bears the name Chuck Lorre Family Foundation Campus after his donation. He joked about Trump and Melania, urged Democrats to seek a “common sense middle ground”, and mocked Kennedy over vaccine advice and measles; the audience laughed at his opening Trump jab. The article also notes that attendees included Lorre’s daughter Nikki, industry executives and creatives from his television shows.