Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy lent his support to Robert Kraft after the New England Patriots owner banned Macklemore from Gillette Stadium, preventing him from opening for Ed Sheeran later this month.
“I back Robert Kraft banning Macklemore from performing at Gillette 1000% and thank him for having a spine when many others in his shoes don’t,” Portnoy, 49, wrote via X on Wednesday, September 16, alongside a video in which he expanded on his view.
Kraft, 85, announced that Macklemore, 43, would not be welcome at Massachusetts’ Gillette Stadium, which he owns, in a statement on Monday, September 14, after the rapper called for a “free Palestine” while performing at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Macklemore (real name Benjamin Haggerty) was then controversially dropped from Sheeran’s tour entirely.
Earlier this month, Macklemore performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall,” which condemns the Israeli military’s actions in Gaza, while opening for Sheeran, 35. During the performance, the stadium video board showed disturbing images of the devastation in Gaza.
“Macklemore has a pretty shady past,” Portnoy said in Wednesday’s X video, pointing to the “Thrift Shop” singer’s previous incidents, including the 2014 concert where he dressed in a costume on stage that was widely viewed as antisemitic. The costume included a black wig, a fake beard and a large, hooked nose.
Macklemore later apologized for the costume, saying, “I would never intentionally put down anybody for the fabric that makes them who they are. I love human beings, love originality and … happen to love a weird outfit from time to time.”
In his video, Portnoy continued, “He also blamed or called what was going on in Gaza ‘genocide’ 12 days after the attacks. … Now keep in mind, he’s not mentioning the 2,000 innocent Jews who got murdered, raped, slaughtered when Hamas invaded Israel.”
Kraft has long been a staunch supporter of Israel, which Portnoy noted is on display in the bowels of Gillette Stadium.
“If you don’t know, Bob Kraft has spent the last 10 years of his life aggressively fighting antisemitism and hate,” he said. “I’ve been to Gillette. They have, like, an antisemitism war room where they track all the hatred that’s going on in the country. He’s spent millions.”
Portnoy then asked, “You’re going to come into Bob Kraft’s house and spit in his face? No f***ing way. That’s not censorship … this ain’t freedom of speech, homie. He owns the stadium. It’s his house. Would you have a party and invite someone over who’s just going to spew what you consider hatred?”
Macklemore has continued to stay true to his beliefs, saying in a statement on Monday that his criticisms are of the Israeli government, not Jews or the Israeli people. He also announced he would donate the $1 million he earned during Sheeran’s Loop Tour to organizations “working directly to support the Palestinian people.”
“I invite Robert Kraft to match my donation. Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protecting,” he wrote via Instagram. “A Palestinian life is no less valuable than any other life on this earth. That is what this has always been about. Not me. Not a tour. Not the headlines or the controversy. It is about Palestinians’ right to freedom, dignity and safety in their own homeland.”
Kraft responded on Wednesday, saying he has “dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people.”
“Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis,” he said.
Since Macklemore was dropped from the Loop Tour, all of Sheeran’s other supporting acts, including Finneas, have also exited the show in solidarity.
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