President Musk and Sideshow Don have enacted the most eventful first month of a term, in all the worst ways possible. Thankfully, the American people are finding a myriad of ways to fight back. Some are suing. Some are publicly selling off their Teslas. And of course, some are dancing. Octavia Spencer is getting ready to bake. (Fair warning: from here on out you may want to ensure you’re at least one hour away from beginning or having finished a meal.) In 2012, Octavia won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her scene-stealing performance as Minny Jackson in The Help. In arguably the most volatile depiction of dessert-as-revenge ever put on screen, Octavia’s character, a maid, bakes a pie for her racist former employer, with a special secret ingredient… poop. Well, 13 years later and Octavia recognizes a new cast of villains who deserve the pie treatment: all DOGE employees. She announced the impromptu bake sale Tuesday on Instagram. D’ya hear that, Nazi Youths? Free food!
“Bake sale for Washington to ALL DOGE employees and supporters,” she wrote. “I need good vanilla from MEXICO and some CANADIAN maple syrup. #limitedEdition pies: Corn and chocolate. Need lots of donations for the ‘special ingredient.’”
“Eat looooooooots of corn,” Spencer continued. “one time sale.”
The actor, who won an Oscar for her performance in the film, thus confirmed being among those who are outraged at Musk, whose government advisory group has been dismantling federal agencies in a purported effort to slash public spending and root out corruption.
DOGE is reportedly also seeking access to sensitive taxpayer information under the tech mogul’s dubious watch, while President Donald Trump is eyeing steep import tariffs on Mexico and Canada — all of which Spencer seemed to protest in Monday’s caption.
The post has already garnered 70,000 likes and supportive comments from fellow actors, including Taraji P. Henson, “Help” co-star Viola Davis and “Little House on the Prairie” actor Melissa Gilbert — who recently had her own tiff with a well-known Republican figure.
“Lmaooooooooooo. Make sure not to forget THEE most expensive ingredient,” wrote Henson before leaving several poop emojis, while Davis contributed laughing emojis and one heart after commenting “Waaaaaahhhh!!!!!! Lol!!!! PERFECT!!!!”
“The Help” was based on a 2009 book of the same name by Kathryn Stockett. Set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement in Jackson, Mississippi, the period piece centers on African American maids who’ve spent their entire lives working for white families.
Spencer’s character delivers the pie to her former boss after being unjustly fired, making her post all the more apt in targeting an administration responsible for mass layoffs. On Monday, Trump began firing hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration employees.
The president has also moved to eradicate federal diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and make Musk a “special government employee” — who has since hired numerous 20-something DOGE staffers — after the tech billionaire spent $250 million to help reelect him.
“So many pies to send,” wrote actor Reno Wilson in the comments of Spencer’s post.
So many pies, indeed! We’re gonna need a bigger oven. Now I’m actually hoping that bigoted kid who resigned did get his job back, cause he’s sure earned himself a slice of sh-t pie. Well done, Octavia. She was the only one who could play this particular card, and she served it up with aplomb. What really upped the decadence factor, in my opinion, was the effortless way she folded in the Mexican vanilla and Canadian maple syrup barbs. (If only those countries had an irreplaceable ingredient needed to make Diet Coke, then Trump would drop all the tariff nonsense faster than you can say “aspartame.”) A big pastry chef’s kiss to Octavia. I hope her #MinnyJacksonCallToAction tag takes off! And this isn’t a one off, half-baked idea from Octavia, either. Her Instagram is chock full of calls to action and valuable info on what Democrats and Republicans are doing for and against us each day. Plus a necessary helping of humor posts sprinkled in as well. My favorite? One that reads, “I just turned off the news and put on a serial killer documentary to relax.” But enough venting; time to start preheating.
Photos credit: IMAGO/Carla Van Wagoner/Avalon, IMAGO/Faye Sadou/Avalon, Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon