James Comey Spotted at Performance of Musical Fun Home, Reportedly 'Wiping Away Tears'

On Saturday, recently ousted FBI chief and noted tall person, James Comey, attended a D.C. performance of the Tony award-winning musical Fun Home, based on the graphic novel of the same name by Alison Bechdel. His wife, Patrice, accompanied him. For those who haven’t read the book or seen the show, Fun Home is a memoiristic coming of age story about a lesbian artist’s struggle to come to terms with the death of her father, who kept so much about himself—his sexuality and, perhaps, the full scope of his artistic ambitions—from his family. Or tried to.

Comey—who is either have a terrible week, a relieving one, or both—reportedly purchased the tickets months ago, on a tip from his daughter who saw the production when it went on tour to Chicago. So his attendance was less about taking advantage of his newly freed days, or getting fresh air, than it was fulfilling a scheduling obligation.

Still, Comey appeared altogether moved by the experience. Barbara Whitman, one of the show’s producers, told the New York Times that the Comeys, “were wiping away the tears as they came backstage to meet the cast.” Whitman added that the show itself is, “awfully moving, but I would imagine doubly so at the end of a week like this.” But mostly it’s just really hard not to cry at the end of Fun Home, trust me, I tried.

And Comey’s week doesn’t get any easier. When Donald Trump was asked by Fox News’s Jeanine Pirro on Saturday to respond to a recent New York Times article alleging he had privately asked then-FBI Director Comey to pledge to him his undying loyalty, Trump responded, “No, no I didn’t, but I don’t think it would be a bad question to ask.”

Trump went on to say, “All I want is for Comey to be honest, and I hope he will be, and I’m sure he will be, I hope.” I like to imagine this conversation taking place just at the moment that James Comey wipes tears from his eyes, so affected is he by the healing power of the musical.