During a four-hour podcast episode with host Joe Rogan on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” singer-songwriter and rapper Post Malone said earlier this week that he is not in favor of government-mandated mask wearing, adding that people need to “live their life” and be able to pay their bills, pushing back against strict lockdown measures.
“It’s scary what it’s done to the economy; it’s scary what it’s done to civilization,” Rogan said of the China-originated novel coronavirus and the global response to it.
“Honestly it’s terrifying,” said Malone, whose real name is Austin Richard Post, “And I saw, uh, you can get a fine for not wearing a mask, and sometimes it’s up to six hundred f***ing bucks.”
Questioning when strict lockdown measures would end in some parts of the nation, Rogan asked what would be “left” of the economy when the nation finally lifts coronavirus-related restrictions.
“Nothing,” Malone responded.
“Everybody has to live their life,” he continued, “everybody has to be able to survive and pay their bills, and eat.”
Harkening back to the mask mandate, Malone said the government should not be forcing people to wear a mask at the threat of fine, adding that he supports people taking personal responsibility and wearing a mask for their fellow man.
“It’s weird to me that there is, it’s like me in school, having to f***ing tuck in your shirt, or else you get detention or whatever. It’s weird to be forced to wear something,” he said.
“At the end of the day, it all comes down to respect for other people,” he said. “It’s not a government thing.”
“You shouldn’t be forced to wear a mask — but you should [wear one],” Malone added. “And that’s because I respect you as a fellow human.”
The singer-songwriter also highlighted liberal Los Angeles policies, noting of the $300 fine in Beverly Hills for people who do not comply with the mask mandate.
“L.A. is rough … $300 because maybe someone sees you eating and you don’t have a mask on, and then you’re stuck with a f***ing ticket,” he said. “It blows my mind. It’s all about f***ing the responsibly, and your charter, really.”
Back in 2017, Malone expressed his support for the Second Amendment during a Rolling Stone interview.
“They’re fun, they’re practical, and bad s*** happens,” Malone said, after showing Rolling Stone his guns. “If you hurt me, I’m gonna hurt you back. … Just being in the public eye. I have a lot of valuable s***. I have a lot of friends I wanna protect.”
“The world is going to s***,” he continued. “They’re taking away a lot of our rights. We have a s****y thing going on in the White House – I don’t like Trump. But I don’t think it’s just him. Something’s coming.”
“A lot of people are sensitive about it these days, but it’s an American right to own a gun,” added Malone. “It kinda sucks that now we have to live in fear of going out to a concert, but there’ll always be bad people, and if bad people want firearms, they’ll get ’em no matter what.”
WATCH (Warning: language):