‘I’ve never voted in my life’

I know it’s not the worst affront of this administration [gestures to everything else happening right now], but I am so bummed going into the semiquincentennial. And I’m a nerd who watches 1776 every July Fourth! I want to celebrate, but I feel like we’ve been robbed of feeling good about our country, and thus really being able to mark the occasion. Of course with this clown show, even their supporters who want to party are gonna have a hard time, simply because these guys are so bad at planning anything. I’m bracing any day for the reveal that Billy McFarland is heading up the operations.

One week ago, Freedom 250 – a public-private organization started by Trump – announced their lineup of performers for the “Great American State Fair” (purportedly) running from June 25 to July 10. By the end of last week, nearly all of the acts had backed out, most highlighting that Freedom 250 had misrepresented themselves as nonpartisan. (The real nonpartisan group is America250, a nonprofit established by Congress 10 years ago.) It was so swift and so embarrassing, Trump threw a tantrum and declared HE would be the main act instead. But hold on, Don still has one performer staunchly in his corner: Vanilla Ice, and he wants everyone to know he’ll perform for anyone, anywhere.

The rapper, whose real name is Robert Van Winkle, told CBS News, “It’s simple as a pimple for me, there’s nothing to it. It’s the birthday of America.”

“Two hundred and fifty years. It’s not anything to do with politics. I don’t know why they’re turning it into politics,” Van Winkle said, adding he’s “never voted in my life.”

After the lineup was announced Wednesday, several artists — including Morris Day and the Time, Young MC and The Commadores — said they were backing out. Bret Michaels and Martina McBride also announced they would not be performing in the following days.

Several artists said they were misled about the organizers of the event, with Young MC writing: “Despite the claims by the organizers that the event is non-partisan, SPIN magazine describes it as Trump-backed.”

…Van Winkle said he understood why other artists would back out if they feel the event is too political and are “scared” of social media backlash, but added, “For me, I’m just here to celebrate the country I was born in.”

Van Winkle also brushed aside other artists’ accusations that they were misled.

“When I play events, I never ask about them,” he told CBS News. “I just go, ‘Where am I going?’ I don’t even know and I don’t even care, because I have fans and they have booked me to play a show.”

Asked if he felt it was possible to separate art from politics, Van Winkle said, “Heck yeah. They should never be in there.”

“You should do whatever you feel like doing and express yourself. That’s what music is,” he said.

Van Winkle, who has previously performed at Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, said he’d play for Democratic politicians as well.

“I’d go play for anybody,” he said. “Putin. Whoever. You want — I’d go to Iran. Don’t matter.”

“You can’t pick your fans. They pick you,” Van Winkle added. “You’re just an entertainer. Don’t ever try to think you’re anything beyond that.”

[From CBS News]

First of all, I got a much-needed chuckle out of CBS News continually referring to Vanilla Ice by his given name, Robert Van Winkle. So I will keep it going, in a nod to them, and say that Mr. Van Winkle is a f–king idiot. No really, this article is one air-headed quote after another, with a running subtext of white male privilege. Only a mediocre hack most famous for a song that steals its main melody (from more talented musicians) would say, “When I play events, I never ask about them.” And add that he doesn’t even care. A real artist would want their work to have meaning, to stand for something, and would care about how their work is used by others. Van Winkle is just happy to be used by this administration, with his one big hit serving as an anthem for their deplorable ICE raids. And only a man who’s never had any of his rights in question would say, full-chested, “I’ve never voted in my life.” Anyway, this isn’t the first July Fourth Robert Van Winkle has sullied, I’m sure it won’t be the last.

Artists can’t pick their fans, the fans pick them. Presidents can’t choose the artists who show up for them, true artists thoughtfully choose who they support.