‘Ghost of John McCain’ team reacts to Meghan McCain’s criticism

Producers of the comedic musical The Ghost of John McCain, which opened this week at New York City’s SoHo Playhouse, are responding to criticism they received from Meghan McCain.

In an open letter, producers Jason Rose, Max Fose, and Lynn Londen addressed the former View cohost’s criticism about their play, which revolves around her father, the late senator  John McCain. “Meghan, can we get a do-over? ” the letter begins. “Your comments on our new musical leave us wondering, how can you evaluate a show without seeing it first?”

McCain criticized the off-Broadway play on social media in April, writing, “This is trash – nothing more than a gross cash grab by mediocre desperate people. I hope it bombs.”

The open letter first clarifies who came up with the idea for the play in the first place, noting that the concept originated from a close colleague of the late politician. “As you might not be aware, this show was co-conceived by the late Grant Woods, former Arizona Attorney General and more to the point, your dad’s first Chief of Staff,” the producers write. “ We all saw Grant beautifully eulogize your father, alongside President Biden. Grant loved your dad.  He would have never done anything he felt would besmirch your father’s legacy, nor would we.  All three of us producers also admired your father, and now wish only to honor him.”

Reps for McCain did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly‘s request for comment.

The producers go on to suggest that John McCain would have appreciated their play due to his comedic sensibilities. “No one knows better than you what a tremendous and wickedly salty sense of humor your father possessed,” they write. “The comedy in our show intends to reflect his own love of satire. ‘Would Senator McCain find this funny?’ was a constant refrain throughout the writing and rehearsal process. I like to think he would have been as amused as anyone by what we’ve created, even the more outrageous material.  And it does get outrageous sometimes.”

The letter then explains how the producers want their play to unify political opponents rather than create further division. “We believe art, broadly, and comedy, specifically, are essential tools for bridging ideological divides, fostering understanding, and even changing hearts and minds,” the producers write. “Even at its most absurd, our show is making a point about the meaning of leadership and the importance of democracy – two topics about which your father was most passionate. An uproarious exploration of power, rivalry, and the human condition, The Ghost of John McCain is the ticket we need during the election cycle from hell.”

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The letter concludes with an invitation for Meghan McCain and her husband Ben to see the show at the SoHo Playhouse in Manhattan. “After seeing it, we welcome any feedback you have,” the producers note. “Knowing, however, how much humor, integrity, and reverence for your dad you possess, we have a hunch you may find this art form to be a wonderful way to celebrate a life well-lived and capture a political system at an extraordinary inflection point.”

After McCain’s social media criticisms in April, Ghost of John McCain playwright Scott Elmegreen told EW that the play only seeks to vilify Donald Trump, not John McCain. He described the play as “a psychological exploration of what that might be like for the senator, as he gathers a ‘Greek Chorus’ coalition of Hillary Clinton, Eva Perón, Teddy Roosevelt, Taylor Swift, and everyone else squatting rent free up there to rebel against the former president’s relentless demands for affirmation. We hope that their journey can continue the senator’s legacy of inspiring all of us to do whatever we can for the causes of justice and freedom.”

The Ghost of John McCain is at SoHo Playhouse in NYC through Nov. 10.