Donald Trump, take note; this is how to condemn bigotry.
Kid Rock — who signaled a possible run for U.S. Senate in his home state of Michigan earlier this year — kicked off his concert in Grand Rapids on Wednesday with a fiery speech, taking aim at Nazis, the KKK and the Black Lives Matter movement with salty-tongued gusto.
Taking the stage to the strains of “Hail to the Chief” and riling up the crowd from behind an eagle seal-bedecked podium, the “Devil Without a Cause” musician declared, “Call me a racist because I’m not PC, as if you have to remind me that black lives matter. Nazis, f—ing bigots, and now, again, the KKK? I say, screw all you a–holes, stay the f— away.”
“It’s no secret we’re divided, and we all should take some blame,” the musician continued.
Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, signaled his intention to run for Senate in July, sharing the website kidrockforsenate.com and tweeting, “I will have a major announcement in the near future.”
Rock has been suggested as a possible Republican candidate to challenge Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), who was first elected in 2000.
Shortly after teasing his candidacy, he took a page from the Donald Trump Playbook, slamming the media for supposedly spreading fake news.
“Once again the press is wrong. First of all, I’ve got 15 days from my announcement to file paperwork with the FEC! Second, I’m not signed to Warner Bros!!! – which simple fact-checking would have revealed,” the musician fumed on Facebook. “I have recently worked out a unique deal with BMG, Broken Bow, CAA and Live Nation to release music ON MY TERMS.”
He also blessed his Facebook followers with two music videos — for the songs, “Greatest Show on Earth” and “Po-Dunk” — noting that he planned to release new music while stumping for office, much like other politicians write books from the campaign trail.
8 Stars Who Switched Their Endorsements in 2016 Presidential Race
In 2013, Kid Rocktold Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly his pick for president was Dr. Ben Carson. But by the time 2016 rolled around, Rock had switched over to Donald Trump, telling Rolling Stone in February, "Let the business guy run the country like a business."
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Reality star and New Kid on the Block Donnie Wahlbergtweeted his support for Carly Fiorina early in the 2016 presidential cycle, calling the former Hewlett-Packard CEO "a strong human being and a strong candidate." But in February the former boy band singer had officially endorsed Marco Rubio.
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Comedian Sarah Silverman had not only supported Hillary Clinton in the beginning of the 2016 election cycle, she donated the maximum amount allowed by law -- $2,700 -- to the former Secretary of State's campaign. But on August 13, 2015, Silverman introduced Bernie Sanders before a crowd of 27,000 people at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, giving the Vermont senator a much-needed Hollywood boost.
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Actor and comedian Will Ferrell also had a change of heart... but in the other direction. Ferrell, a Sanders supporter, raised eyebrows earlier this month when he was seen stumping for Clinton in Nevada.
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A&E's "Duck Dynasty" star Willie Robertsonreversed his earlier endorsement, going from Gov. Bobby Jindal to Donald Trump.
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In his homage to former President Bill Clinton, "B---- I'm Bill Clinton," Lil B seemed to endorse Hillary Clinton with this line: "Shout-outs to Hillary. You gonna win that presidency." But last July, the California rapper seemed to have changed his mind, officially endorsing Sanders. "As much as I want to a woman leading the USA, right now it's all about Bernie."
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James Woods was so convinced Carly Fiorina was his candidate, he even narrarated a documentary about her last September. But by November, the "Ray Donovan" actor pulled his endorsement, tweeting that he's been won over by Sen. Ted Cruz.
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Taya Kyle, the widow of "American Sniper" Chris Kyle, endorsed Rick Perry for president last August, suggesting that her late husband might have supported the former Texas governor as well. After Perry dropped out, she switched over to Cruz.
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From Sarah Silverman to Will Ferrell and Kid Rock, meet the celebrities who’ve had a political change of heart