Fred Thompson gets a Big N Rich Endorsement

Posted: 10/25/07 at 6:55pm

John Rich of country duo Big & Rich is coming out- as a Fred Thompson supporter! Why? Specifically because of his enthusiasm for a Gay Marriage Ban. "I think if you legalize that, you've got to legalize some other things that are pretty unsavory," he says. "You can call me a radical, but how can you tell an aunt that she can't marry her nephew if they are really in love and sharing the bills? How can you tell them they can't get married, but something else that's unnatural can happen?" "

Oddly, there have been whispers for years that...well, I won't say it. His picture speaks for itself. Where have you seen that mustache before. The Mineshaft, circa 1982?

The Tenneseean

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 6:56pm

Well, that should give him the boost he needs.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 9:17pm

Who??????????????

[iHeartMyGeek]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 9:19pm

Aren't these the "Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy" people?

'Nuff said.

[shira467]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 9:23pm

iHeartMyGeek: Excellent.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 9:34pm

They are the brainiacs behind Cowboy Troy, the black rapping cowboy.

[withoutlovewithoutU]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 9:36pm

Yeehaw???

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 9:44pm

They make me embarrassed to be from Nashville.

[tazber]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 10:08pm

SH*T!! I actually really like(d) these guys. They make some of the catchiest country around.
I hate it when somene you enjoy turns out to be an asshole, or assholes in this case.
Majorly bummed.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/25/07 at 11:40pm

I don't think that duo is long for this world. Big Kenney brought the slogan "LOVE EVERYBODY" to the Big & Rich universe and I believe he really means it.

Their recent third album sucks terribly.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 10/26/07 at 12:26am

Seriously. That didn't occur to me. Their whole thing is supposed to be accepting diversity. That just pisses me off more.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/26/07 at 12:33am

I saw them live once and immediately came home and joined their fanclub. Their slogan is "Country Music Without Prejudice."

I just sent off a blistering letter to John Rich and with my old fanclub membership number. I told him that in spite of what he said about the politics alienating the fans, I (unlike him, most likely) DON'T think entertainers should "shut up and sing" but that they should speak their minds as Americans. I also explained that it wasn't the POLITICS that pissed me off but the PREJUDICE.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 10/26/07 at 1:09am

Good for you. I have a friend who is a major songwriter in Nashville and I do mean MAJOR. I was just chatting with him and told him if I ever find he sold them one if his songs, I will kick his ass. They usually write their own stuff anyway, but it made me feel better. lol

Posted: 10/26/07 at 1:27am

Remember the outrage when Dixie Chicks DARED to criticize the President? This will get not one onehundredth of the indignation.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/26/07 at 12:55pm

I'm also immensely dissapointed in the duo. I found their first two albums quite entertaining. It's so sad to find out they are ignorant bigots. Infuriating and sad.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/26/07 at 1:21pm

I've never in my life come home and joined a fanclub right after seeing a show.

That's why I stayed up too late to write my letter immediately to John Rich. I am completely convinced that the "Love Everybody" and "Country Music Without Prejudice" stuff is all the work of Big Kenny at this point.

In my letter to Rich I pointed out how great it was to go to one of their shows and to sit in the 10th row center fan club seats and to find out when I got there that my 17 year old lesbian niece was way up in the cheap seats to see Gretchen Wilson and how cool it was to be in a space that APPEARED to be so welcoming of everybody. I also recommended that John run some sort of background check on Miss Wilson, since she read LESBIAN from every seat in the house.

I signed off by telling him that he also had to admit that their most recent album is pretty terrible and their career went from a plateau to a descent recently and I can't see that as anything but a good thing now.

[tazber]

Posted: 10/26/07 at 1:25pm

Good for you Namo. Do you think someone will reply?

Posted: 10/26/07 at 1:31pm

This is really too bad. They've always been the only country music I enjoy. My friends listen to them all summer long during the agricultural fair season. I'm not pleased. I like the point you made, Namo, about "Country Music Without Prejudice." Too hypocritical. I'm really not happy about this.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/26/07 at 1:38pm

"Good for you Namo. Do you think someone will reply?"

Eh, who knows? Probably not, but I think I will try to find mailing addresses for each of the guys and send hard copies via snail mail, too. They really need to hear that it's not about the politics for this former fanclub member, but the prejudice.

In fact, maybe we'll doctor up their graphics so they'll say, "LOVE ALMOST EVERYBODY" and "Country Music With the Usual Prejudice."

They're opening for Bon Jovi in Newark this week. Maybe Jon Bon Jovi needs to hear from fans about this issue, too, since he seems like a good guy.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/26/07 at 2:57pm

I fired off an email to the Big and Rich fan club. I'm going to do the same with Bon Jovi.

It's just so depressing...

Posted: 10/26/07 at 4:16pm

Well he must be reading his mail. His latest pronouncement:

“My earlier comments on same-sex marriage don’t reflect my full views on the broader issues regarding tolerance and the treatment of gays and lesbians in our society. I apologize for that and wish to state clearly my views. I oppose same-sex marriage because my father and minister brought me up to believe that marriage is an institution for the union of a man and a woman. However, I also believe that intolerance, bigotry and hatred are wrong. People should be judged based on their merits, not on their sexual orientation. We are all children of God and should be valued and respected.”

- John Rich, of country music duo Big & Rich

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 10/26/07 at 4:37pm

I call bull****. It's too little too late. And denying gays the right to marry IS intolerance, bigotry and hatred.

Edited because I am apparently an idiot.

Updated On: 10/26/07 at 04:37 PM

[robbiej]

Posted: 10/26/07 at 4:55pm

Amen, Jerseygirl.

Stop hiding behind your minister and your daddy and think for yourself. You're a Grown F*CKing Man!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/26/07 at 5:15pm

He already equated gay marriage with incest and labeled homosexuality as "unnatural" and he contrasts them to his own "strong beliefs and core values". How did he think it would be interpreted? Was he misquoted or taken out of context? Has he filed a lawsuit against The Tennesseean for libel? If not, then his recent comments make no sense at all.

Not to mention the fact that his final statement seems to indicate that he is pro-Thompson simply because he is anti-Clinton. Apparently, he learned how to backpedal from Larry Craig. And clearly forgot to wear his helmet.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/26/07 at 9:13pm

Gee, I wonder if my letter got to him? I haven't received anything back.

So, fIf your minister and your deddy are the same man, is that incest?

Here's GoodAsYou blog's coverage:

Rich takes cheap shot

The following gay marriage/incest linkage comes courtesy of John Rich, one half of the country music duo Big & Rich:

"I think if you legalize that, you've got to legalize some other things that are pretty unsavory," he says. "You can call me a radical, but how can you tell an aunt that she can't marry her nephew if they are really in love and sharing the bills? How can you tell them they can't get married, but something else that's unnatural can happen?"

Our easy explanation for Mr. Rich:

Oh, well you can tell your aunt that a desire to schtup a blood relative is not in any way similar to one's desire to marry the non-related person that they love. And you can tell her that homosexuality is not 'unsavory,' but simply a part of every community of animals known to man. And you can tell her that if she really does want to fight for the right to marry her sibling's child, she absolutely has the right to try and make her case in court. However, outside of a claim that the government should not be legislating morality, her case would share absolutely nothing with one that involves marriage quality for gay people.

Mr. Rich, you have loads of options in terms of how you personally choose to address the issue of incest within your own family. Same goes for polygamy, promiscuity, addictions, or a myriad of other situations that might arise in any sort of of household. But do us a really big favor, por favor: Stop fostering the sort of world that keeps our household viewed as a similar issue. You have a voice. You have a platform. You have an audience that is in need of positive messages about gay lives and loves. And the only relation we see between your unfortunate gay marriage thoughts and incest is that they sorta make you seem like an irrational and insensitive motherf***er!

And really, I am ever so sure that John Rich's minster and his deddy were making the distinction about MARRIAGE being between one man and one woman but otherwise they were just ever so live-and-let live about them there feggits.

Updated On: 10/26/07 at 09:13 PM