Actor and lifelong New York Knicks fan Ben Stiller couldn’t resist a lighthearted jab at his team’s recent playoff exit while presenting at the 78th Tony Awards on Sunday night.
Presenting the award for Best Play, which went to Purpose, Stiller opened with a humorous reflection on his long-standing love of theater — and the Knicks.
“Theatre is my passion. The place where I feel most at home,” Stiller said from the stage at Radio City Music Hall. “The stage has been a constant sanctuary for me, dating all the way back to last week when the Knicks lost the Eastern Conference Finals.”
The line drew laughter from the crowd, prompting Stiller to feign surprise. “I was told there’s a huge crossover between theatre lovers and sports fans,” he quipped.
Stiller’s appearance at the Tonys came just over a week after the Knicks were eliminated from the NBA Playoffs by the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers clinched the series in six games, closing it out with a 125–108 win on May 27 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. That same night, Stiller was seen courtside alongside fellow actor Timothée Chalamet and longtime Knicks superfan Spike Lee.
Stiller had become one of the more visible faces of the Knicks’ playoff run, even trading barbs with Indianapolis native and sports personality Pat McAfee during the heated series. Despite the team’s deep postseason push — its first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years — the season ended in disappointment, and the Knicks subsequently dismissed head coach Tom Thibodeau after five seasons.
The Tony Awards ceremony itself was held at Radio City Music Hall, a venue that previously hosted several official Knicks watch parties during the team’s playoff run. On Sunday night, while Broadway celebrated its finest, the Pacers were preparing to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of the NBA Finals — a spot that might have belonged to the Knicks had the series ended differently.
For Stiller, the stage may be a sanctuary, but for now, it’s also a place to process playoff heartbreak — with humor.
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