Adam McKay Considers a Donald Trump Presidency: “Just Raw Insanity”

Adam McKay thinks a White House win for Donald Trump — for all his business acumen — would be positively disastrous for the U.S. financial system.

In The Hollywood Reporter‘s debate centering on The Big Short, the former Saturday Night Live head writer-turned director of goofy comedies (Anchorman, Step Brothers) — and now edging into dramedy territory as helmer of The Big Short — expressed his disappointment in the lack of meaningful legislative response in the wake of the financial crisis.

But he remains skeptical that a new president in 2016 will do any better, particularly if it’s Donald Trump.

Asked by THR what a Trump presidency would mean for the U.S. financial system, McKay joked: “Uh, well, Steve Carell [who plays investor Steve Eisman] loves Trump, so I don’t want to cross any lines here. I don’t want to get him upset.”

“I’ve made no bones about that,” said Carell, laughing.

McKay continued to riff on the Big Short cast’s political leanings: “Ryan’s [Gosling] a [Ben] Carson guy. Carell’s a Trump guy. Trump. That’s like, you’re treating an appendectomy, would it make it better or worse if you just threw a cat on it? (Laughing.) No! That’s just raw insanity. Would it help if we set 20 house cats loose in the White House? America starts to crumble at that point.”