Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and pop star Katy Perry were spotted attending Justin Bieber’s performance at Coachella over the weekend, looking like they stumbled out of a frat party.
The internet came down hard on Trudeau, 54, and Perry, 41. Trudeau was sporting a backwards hat and sneakers, while the couple walked hand in hand and drank from red Solo cups. 
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXBwa9clWH3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
&nbsp;
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div>
<div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div>
</div>
&nbsp;
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXBwa9clWH3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry)</a>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
“Trudeau went from Prime Minister to Coachella boyfriend in 12 months. That&#8217;s the fastest depreciation I&#8217;ve ever seen and I work in insurance,” one reply <a href="https://x.com/InsuranceAF/status/2043669279808029175">said</a>. “Even a new car off the lot doesn&#8217;t lose value that fast.”
“Never been a better personification of the elite liberal left. Rich, sheltered, oblivious of the real world around them, devoid of any self awareness, the eternal theatre kids, forever teenagers living life with no consequences, while moralizing others,” another person <a href="https://x.com/Sik_Boy_07X/status/2043357925029101635">wrote</a>.
“Why did Trudeau just turn into a fratboy??” a third commenter <a href="https://x.com/101sfinance/status/2043345727523303522">wondered</a>. 
Rumors of the two having a romantic relationship date back to last summer, when Trudeau and Perry were seen together in Montreal. Then, earlier this month, images of the couple kissing on her yacht started circulating on social media.
They were seen holding hands at a cabaret show at Crazy Horse Paris in late October, seemingly confirming their relationship status. Now Perry posted the photos of them getting cozy at Coachella on her official Instagram account.
Both were previously in long-term relationships, with Perry and actor Orlando Bloom breaking up in 2025 after almost a decade together and having a daughter in 2020. Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire separated in 2023 after 18 years of being married and having three children together.
The Bieber concert got mixed reviews beyond just the attendees. Fans accused the 32-year-old singer of putting in minimal effort, especially relative to other acts. The set was <a href="https://ew.com/justin-bieber-coachella-2026-performance-you-tube-videos-sings-with-younger-self-11948186">described as</a> “sleepy,” especially compared to other performers who put on pyrotechnic and elaborate displays. 
Bieber sang with minimal props, and at one point sat at a table scrolling YouTube on a laptop while on stage, pulling up viral videos like “Deez Nuts” in addition to playing old videos of himself performing.
Perry joked about the performance too, posting a video to Instagram of herself in the crowd as Bieber scrolled his YouTube. “Thank God he&#8217;s premium,” she joked in the clip. “I don’t wanna see no ads.”

Trudeau and Perry

Former Canadian Prime Minister Goes All-In On Coachella Boyfriend Vibe

Celebrities

Entertainment

Justin Bieber

Justin Trudeau

Katy Perry

Music

Sabrina Carpenter was put on blast by some fans for giving her honest reaction to a Coachella fan she heard “yodeling” during her performance. Now the singer is being called Islamophobic because the person was allegedly making an Arabic ululation sound known as “Zaghrouta.”
Multiple videos of the event started circulating on social media over the weekend. They show Carpenter sitting at a piano and reacting to that particular sound coming from the audience.
“Is that what you’re doing? I don’t like it,” the “Espresso” singer can be heard saying. 
The fan yelled back, “It’s my culture!”
Carpenter replied, “That’s your culture, is yodeling?” The person answered back, “It’s a call of celebration.” The singer still didn’t accept that premise, replying with a joking, “Is this Burning Man? What’s going on? This is weird.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Something I’ve noticed about concerts post-covid (besides the exponentially higher ticket prices) is that audience member main character syndrome has gotten completely out of hand <a href="https://t.co/lqnxNdmdwV">pic.twitter.com/lqnxNdmdwV</a>
— Dr. Ben Braddock (@GraduatedBen) <a href="https://twitter.com/GraduatedBen/status/2043022255882481845?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
She later issued an apology after being attacked in the comments.
“My apologies, I didn’t see this person with my eyes and couldn’t hear clearly,” Carpenter <a href="https://x.com/sabrinaannlynn/status/2043076482529108262?s=46&amp;t=7dEMLEvmtKbqI2lGLTp4lQ">wrote</a> in an X post. “My reaction was pure confusion, sarcasm and not ill intended. Could have handled it better! Now I know what a Zaghrouta is! I welcome all cheers and yodels from here on out.”
This was said in response to a video post of the interaction, with the X user saying they were “very disappointed” in her.
“Sabrina saying that she doesn’t like a cultural arabic cheer… this is so insensitive and islamophobic,” the person wrote.
A community note was added to the post which said: “Zaghrouta (the ‘Arabic cheer’) is a pre-Islamic cultural expression of joy used by Arabs across religions, including Christians, at celebrations. It is not an Islamic practice, so Sabrina Carpenter&#8217;s reaction to the sound does not indicate islamophobia.”
Many commenters said they didn’t think it was worth apologizing for and wouldn’t appease the haters anyway.
“You have nothing to apologize for. If they’re disrupting your set, they’re disrupting your set,” one person <a href="https://x.com/MaxNordau/status/2043311390740410678">observed</a>.
“Wait, so if it has been a Bavarian guy in lederhosen yodeling that wouldn&#8217;t have been ok? Or is that ok? I&#8217;m confused,” another comment <a href="https://x.com/DavidSvendsen/status/2043107714314965210">said</a>.  &#8220;I thought that shouting during a soft moment of a performance made you an obnoxious a**hole — regardless of what you look like.”

Sabrina Carpenter

Fan Disrupts Sabrina Carpenter’s Coachella Set. Her Response Has People Crying ‘Islamophobia!’

concert

Muslim

The “C” from the popular 90s girl band TLC stands accused of being a secret MAGA member, a charge she’s vehemently refuted despite evidence to support it.
Rozonda &#8220;Chilli&#8221; Thomas posted a lengthy video addressing the claims and blaming her Trump campaign contributions on a simple error. The singer also had an excuse for sharing a video about former First Lady Michelle Obama secretly being a man, saying she didn’t understand how technology worked.
Thomas drew the ire of her left-leaning fans after it was discovered that the girl band member had contributed more than $1,000 to Republican fundraisers leading up to the 2024 election. 
The Independent <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/tlc-chilli-trump-donations-b2947668.html">called out</a> three separate donations recorded by the Federal Election Commission: $210.60 to WinRed, $340.60 to the Trump National Committee JFC, and $486.54 to Never Surrender Inc. 
&#8220;I am not MAGA and do not support any of the many policies that are causing great harm to the American people. I made a mistake too many make: I did not read the fine print,” she wrote in the caption of her video statement response. 
“I thought I was supporting causes against human trafficking and for veterans. Two things I care deeply about, as my dad is a veteran, and everyone knows I love children. I have learned a valuable lesson and ask for grace as I navigate this.&#8221;
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWdCKyqlsDo/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
&nbsp;
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div>
<div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div>
</div>
&nbsp;
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWdCKyqlsDo/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Chilli (@therealchilli)</a>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
Thomas asserted proof of her allegiance to Democrats by noting that she donated to both of Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns. 
The TLC member also deleted the video, questioning if Michelle Obama was really a woman from her page, saying in the video update that it had been shared accidentally. 
&#8220;Let me say this first: I have the utmost respect and admiration for Michelle Obama, and I would never say or do anything that is disrespectful to her or to any woman,&#8221; Thomas said in her video. &#8220;I would never do that. I had no clue that this repost had happened until I started getting phone calls and text messages from everybody, and I immediately went to my page to see what was going on.&#8221;
She continued, &#8220;I&#8217;m not very computer-savvy, so I&#8217;m looking for this repost button, and I see that all of these buttons are very, very close to each other, and clearly I was scrolling and my thumb hit the repost button. Again, I had no clue that something like this happened until I got all the calls.&#8221;
&#8220;I would never do anything that&#8217;s harmful or hateful to anybody,&#8221; Thomas said. &#8220;I&#8217;m not wired like that.&#8221;
A rep for Thomas confirmed that 17 political donations in all were made as recurring payments.
The rep reiterated Thomas’ statement, saying, &#8220;It is unfortunate that her intentions are being misinterpreted. Chilli has been clear in her personal statement. She does not align with MAGA ideology, nor does she support any policies rooted in harm or division. Her life and career have reflected the opposite — a commitment to uplifting women, leading with empathy, and using her voice for positive impact.&#8221;

Chilli

TLC Member, Secret MAGA? Chilli Responds After Trump Donations Exposed

Donald Trump

MAGA

Politics

Bruce Springsteen straight-up said he does not care if he alienates part of his fan base as he prepares to launch a politically charged tour later this month. 
The 76-year-old New Jersey native will kick off his “Land of Hope &amp; Dreams American Tour” in Minneapolis on March 31. Ahead of the tour, he is also scheduled to perform his cringe protest anthem “Streets of Minneapolis” at a “No Kings” rally in St. Paul on Saturday.
“The tour is going to be political and very topical about what’s going on in the country,” Springsteen <a href="https://www.startribune.com/bruce-springsteen-streets-of-minneapolis-first-avenue-no-kings-rally-tom-morello-max-weinberg/601632600">told</a> the Minnesota Star Tribune. “Minneapolis and St. Paul, that was the place I wanted to begin it, and I wanted to end it in Washington.”
Springsteen said he views the current political climate as one of the most consequential periods in modern American history.
“I don’t know of another time when the country has been as critically challenged and our basic ideas and values as critically challenged as they are right now,” he told the outlet. “I’d have to go back to 1968 when I was 18 years old to another moment when it felt like the country was so on edge and like it felt there was simply so much at stake as far as who we are and the country we want to be and the people we want to be.”
When asked about potential “blowback” from critics and fans who disagree with his political views, Springsteen insisted he is not concerned.
“I don’t worry about it,” he told the Star Tribune. “My job is very simple: I do what I want to do, I say what I want to say and then people get to say what they want to say about it.&#8221;
&#8220;The blowback is just part of it,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I’m ready for all that.”
Singers Joan Baez and Maggie Rogers, along with leftist actress/activist Jane Fonda, will also attend the &#8220;No Kings&#8221; rally in St. Paul this weekend.
Springsteen was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bruce-springsteen-releases-cringe-protest-song-about-minneapolis">roundly mocked</a> for releasing “Streets of Minneapolis” earlier this year, a song written in response to leftist agitators being killed after confrontations with federal immigration agents. The lyrics, filled with anti-ICE and anti-Trump propaganda, are about as subtle as a freight train.

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen Braces For Backlash As ‘Political’ Tour Approaches

Anti-ICE

Minneapolis

Young Woman Standing Before a Dynamic Digital Screen, Immersed in Internet Visualization. Internet Cyberspace with Web Content, Icons, Animated Stream of Online Applications and Entertainment

Everything Is Fake Now — And It’s Worse Than You Think

Artificial Intelligence

Fake accounts

Food

Fraud

illegal immigrants

Matt Walsh

Opinion

scams

In 2001, Joseph Edgar Foreman, better known as Afroman, burst onto the scene with the now classic song “Because I Got High,” the title track to his second album. Though he’d been honing his craft since middle school, that song introduced him to the masses. Since that time, he’s released 17 more albums, though “Because I Got High” remains his most famous. 
His most infamous album, however, is 2022’s “Lemon Pound Cake,” which was a direct salvo against the police officers who raided his home on suspicion of drug trafficking and kidnapping, two crimes which he did not commit. That didn’t stop officers from seizing $5,000 in cash — $400 of which was never returned — and causing $20,000 in damages to his home. Afroman, whose first song was a <a href="https://yourtahoeguide.com/2023/01/afroman-when-rap-comedy-meet/">diss track</a>, wasn’t inclined to stay quiet about that injustice. 
Instead, he turned <a href="https://x.com/CountDankulaTV/status/2034623015346987494">the saga</a> into the 2022 album. On it, he called the officers out by name. He used footage of them from his CCTV cameras for the videos. He implied that their wives were cheating on them, one with him. He called one fat and said he was eying the lemon pound cake on his counter during the raid. He was relentless, which is unsurprising given he <a href="https://yourtahoeguide.com/2023/01/afroman-when-rap-comedy-meet/">once said</a>, “A skunk has its spray. If you mess with me, I rap about your ass. It works. It’s funny.” The officers, though, were not amused, hitting the entertainer with a defamation suit in 2023. 
Afroman, though, remained undeterred and on March 19, 2026, he was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-afroman-legal-saga-is-the-most-interesting-thing-on-the-internet-today?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Lynden+Blake&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=The+Afroman+Legal+Saga+Is+The+Most+Interesting+Thing+On+The+Internet+Today">found innocent of all charges</a>, saying, “We did it America. We did it, freedom of speech.” He forgot to add freedom from unlawful search and seizure. For a man who rose to prominence by rapping about how getting high was sapping his motivation, this unlikely hero proved doggedly fierce when it came to fighting for truth, justice, and the American way. 
As a nation, we should be thankful for Afroman. Most would not go to the lengths, would not risk the financial implications of failure, would not go scorched earth over $20,400 and a ruined day. But not Afroman. He still believes in the Constitution, in freedom of speech, and in the importance of good and trustworthy police to the community. 
Moreover, he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cR-WiGKZtg">rampaged</a> with style. For the final day in court, he wore a suit and tie with an American flag pattern. He <a href="https://x.com/CountDankulaTV/status/2034623015346987494">afromaxxed</a>. His only witness was the ex-wife of an officer whom Afroman claimed to have slept with prior to the divorce. When the officer was asked if he knew for sure that Afroman was not having relations with his wife, the officer responded, “I don’t know,” thereby undermining his own defamation suit. 
<div id="attachment_1063119" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1063119" class="size-large wp-image-1063119" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-1176036605-864x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 20: Afroman attends the 2019 Daytime Beauty Awards at The Taglyan Complex on September 20, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic )" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-1176036605-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-1176036605-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-1176036605-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-1176036605.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic/Getty Images</div>
In short, Afroman tapped into the rugged pioneer spirit that helped build this nation and showed that, even in 2026, great men can still achieve great things if they put their minds to it. Lesser men would have folded, afraid of the millions in damages the officers were suing for. They would have worried about the risks of tangling with local law enforcement. They would have sucked up the $20,400 they lost and moved on with their lives. And for many, that’s okay.
We can’t all risk everything to fight injustice. Not everyone has the sort of career and flexibility that affords us the opportunity to stand up for basic rights and dignity. As such, we need heroes out there fighting for us. But not all heroes wear capes. Some wear <a href="https://local12.com/resources/media2/16x9/1920/1320/center/90/df93163e-1d50-46e9-803a-1f2eaf88fcbb-CH12AFROMANINTERVIEW_frame_7352.jpeg">fur coats</a> over their American flag suit.
Thank you, Afroman, for your service, for your tenacity, for your humor, for your style, and for taking a stand for all of us. Though your troubles may have been related to the fact that you sometimes get high, you didn’t sit on the couch eating cookies and complaining about &#8220;the man.&#8221; Instead, you took the sage advice of another entertainer and hero, one Ric Flair, and said, “To be the man, you gotta beat the man.” 
Afroman, you beat the man and, in the process, you not only won, but we as a nation also won. Your victory is our victory. Your fight is an inspiration for anyone facing injustice, whether young or old. May your success inspire us all to be as resilient when faced with the specter of a boot pounding down on our cake, forever.
* * *
Rich Cromwell is a writer living in Northwest Arkansas. He produces the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/47LCsh6lIWl7w1hJk7yhQc">Cookin’ Up a Story</a> podcast. You can also follow him on X: @rcromwell4
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Saturday Night Live – Season 48

Afroman’s Victory Is America’s Victory

Afroman

Police

Social Issues

The internet has united in disgust against a new music video released by AI-generated “actress” Tilly Norwood, which has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-actors-union-slams-ai-synthetic-performer-pitched-as-the-next-scarlett-johansson">advertised as</a> “the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman.”
The song “Take the Lead” is inspired by a recently published <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/ai-actor-tilly-norwood-song-music-take-the-lead-1236526080/">essay</a> written by Eline van der Velden, the creator of Norwood and CEO of production company Particle6 and AI talent studio Xicoia. The exec said it was all done in response to the backlash from Norwood’s debut last year.
The music video, released on Tuesday, begins with a disclaimer saying: “The following production was made by 18 real humans — from production designers to costume designers to prompters, editors, and an actor. No flamingos were harmed in the process.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Tilly Norwood | Take The Lead (Official Music Video)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G7V2Biy3omw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“When they talk about me, they don’t see the human spark, the creativity/ I’m just a tool, but I’ve got life,” the lyrics say in part. “They think I’m just a dollar dream but I’ve got more than they believe/ I’m not a puppet, I’m the star.”
“Be the creators we’ve always known/ It’s the next evolution, can&#8217;t you see?/ AI’s not the enemy, it’s the key,” another line says. 
The song also insists that the Norwood character possesses human qualities. 
“They say it’s not real, that it’s fake/ But I am still human, make no mistake/ My soul’s in every move I take/ And you can own the path you make,” the song lyrics read.
These assertions and the over-the-top nature of the music video have led to a slew of mockery.
“It took only 18 humans to achieve this level of soullessness? Imagine what 19 could have done!” one commenter wrote.
“This is the most offensive thing I&#8217;ve seen in a long, long time. And that&#8217;s really saying something,” a second person agreed.
“I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself,” echoed a third.
“Tilly is, and has always been, a vehicle to test the creative capabilities and boundaries of AI — not take anyone’s job,” van der Velden <a href="https://variety.com/2026/digital/news/tilly-norwood-creator-tells-actors-to-create-ai-avatars-1236638940/">wrote</a> in defense of the created character.
“As an actor myself, I have loved bringing Tilly alive for this video and feel that the ability to now use performance capture in this way, to fully inhabit an AI character, is a phenomenal way to bring an unknown actor like me closer to the craft.” 
She added, “However, at the end of the day, even with brilliant new technology, it’s still important to stress that great AI content isn’t instant — it always takes good ideas, taste, direction, judgment and time. In other words: people remain at the heart of it.”
The Hollywood Reporter <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/ai-actor-tilly-norwood-song-music-take-the-lead-1236526080/">noted</a> that this music video is part of the launch of a “Tilly-verse,” where Norwood and other AI characters can “live, interact, and work.” 
Many prominent stars have come out against the creation of Tilly Norwood, including the media labor union SAG-AFTRA.
“It has no life experience to draw from, no emotion and, from what we’ve seen, audiences aren’t interested in watching computer-generated content untethered from the human experience,&#8221; the organization wrote in a statement last fall. &#8220;It doesn’t solve any ‘problem’ — it creates the problem of using stolen performances to put actors out of work, jeopardizing performer livelihoods and devaluing human artistry.”

Tilly Norwood

Music Video For AI-Generated ‘Actress’ Tilly Norwood Gets Absolutely Wrecked

Hollywood

Technology

The Justice Department announced Monday that it may have reached a settlement in its antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment.
Though nothing is confirmed yet, the DOJ announced in Manhattan federal court that the case was likely nearing a conclusion after the term sheet was signed on Thursday, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/livenation-antitrust-justice-department-0a6ef66f497e5f626096de753bfff8ce">Associated Press</a>.
An unnamed official told the outlet that the terms included Live Nation paying a fine of up to $280 million and divesting some properties to allow for more competition in the ticket sales industry. The official said the settlement was a “win-win for everybody.”
Certain states were allegedly not on board with the proposed terms, however, and Judge Arun Subramanian called the terms “entirely unacceptable.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that the settlement “fails to address the monopoly at the center of this case.” 
“My attorney general colleagues and I have a strong case against Live Nation, and we will continue our lawsuit to protect consumers and restore fair competition to the live entertainment industry,” she said, adding that she preferred to move forward with the trial.
Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown has a similar take, saying, “[the] case against Live Nation is strong, and the state coalition is committed to holding the company accountable for its illegal behavior, protecting consumers and restoring competition to this market,” the outlet noted.
The lawsuit was originally filed in 2024 under the Biden administration, as WSJ <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/live-nation-reaches-settlement-in-federal-antitrust-case-9f0c6fb7">reported</a>. About 40 states came together to sue the entertainment company.
U.S. Justice Department lawyer David Dahlquist summarized the charges during opening statements last Tuesday, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-opens-landmark-antitrust-trial-against-ticketmaster-calls-concert-ticketing-broken">reported</a>.
“This case is about power, the power of a monopolist to control competition,” Dahlquist said. “Today, the concert ticket industry is broken.”
Attorney David Marriott, who is representing Live Nation, said it wasn’t so. “We’ll let the numbers do the talking. We do not have monopoly power,” he said in response.
The complaint alleges that the company engages in “anticompetitive conduct” that results in higher fees, fewer opportunities for artists, and limited ticketing options. The filing occurred after the infamous 2022 incident when Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour pre-sale tickets caused the Ticketmaster site to crash, with thousands of fans — and bots — swarming the site all at once.
This Taylor Swift incident led to congressional hearings beginning in January 2023.
Ticketmaster was founded in 1976 and merged with Live Nation in 2010. Over the years, the company has clashed with fans and artists, with many accusing the company of having predatory prices. The rock band Pearl Jam testified before Congress on the issue all the way back in 1994, but their efforts ultimately led nowhere.

Taylor Swift

Ticketmaster Case Sparked By Taylor Swift Ticket Meltdown Enters Key Stage

Department of Justice

Lawsuit

New York

Ticketmaster

U.S.

Cory Pesaturo isn’t the typical musician in the crowd at the Grammys. 
Firstly, He’s a three-time accordion world champion and maybe the only attendee known for his work with the box-shaped instrument popular in various folk traditions. Secondly, and perhaps making him more unique in that audience, he wasn’t infatuated with Bad Bunny and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/billie-eilish-roundly-mocked-for-stolen-land-comments-at-grammys">land acknowledgement virtue signaling</a> by millionaire celebrities.
Pesaturo shared his thoughts on his Instagram stories on February 1 as he sat in the crowd at the awards. One of the posts in question was on Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny, real name Benito Ocasio, who said during his speech: “Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say: ICE out. We are not savage. We are not animals. We are not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans … the hate gets more powerful with more hate.” 
“The first time in history an album with zero English wins the most important award, Album of the Year,” Pesaturo’s post said. “The guy who hates America… cheered on by those who hate America.”
A few Instagram stories watched by approximately 100-150 followers were enough to get him axed from Festa Italiana, which is scheduled for June 6-7 in San Francisco&#8217;s North Beach. It’s an annual, all-ages celebration hosted by The SFIAC Foundation, a <a href="https://sfiacfoundation.org/">nonprofit</a> that’s “focused on community events, revitalization and engagement that enhances the Italian culture and history of North Beach.”
Another post defended the idea of colonization, suggesting that without it, Native Americans would still be stuck with ancient methods. 
&#8220;Only a hundred to one hundred fifty people watch my stories,&#8221; Pesaturo insisted during an interview with The Daily Wire. 
After Pesaturo posted his Grammy commentary, a member of the festival&#8217;s board was rumored to be unhappy with the post. His closest contact at the festival called to break the news: they weren&#8217;t going to have him perform as planned at the 2026 show.
He claims the reasoning for his cancellation came down to fear from the person in charge.
&#8220;He doesn&#8217;t want to deal with the bullsh*t of the people on his board that do not want to hire me because of… what I could say,&#8221; Pesaturo explained. &#8220;They&#8217;re worried you&#8217;re going to come to the festival, not have a good time, and then start attacking us.&#8221;
Pesaturo&#8217;s cancellation is just the latest example of how the woke mob operates, not through official channels or public debate, but through back-channel pressure on people who would rather avoid conflict. The festival organizer wasn&#8217;t willing to defend Pesaturo. He preferred to cater to the ones who make the most noise.
Pesaturo, who describes himself as &#8220;anti-leftist&#8221; and “more libertarian” rather than conservative or Republican, has always been careful about where and how he expresses political opinions. 
&#8220;I do not believe in that idea at all,&#8221; he said about celebrities using their platforms to push political views. &#8220;Do you want the waitress coming over to give you French toast to say, oh, before I give you this, I want to tell you my opinion on abortion? Nobody would agree to that.&#8221;
&#8220;So I never say anything social or political at a concert,” he continued. “You will never find a clip of me saying anything remotely controversial there.&#8221; 
The only place he posts opinion content is on Instagram stories, which automatically disappear after 24 hours and are viewed by a tiny fraction of his followers.
The musician expressed shock that Italians of all people would punish him for expressing mainstream conservative viewpoints since that demographic leans heavily to the right of center. 
&#8220;Italians came here with nothing, with no welfare … were discriminated against. And it&#8217;s the ultimate pull yourself up by your bootstraps legacy that Italians came here,&#8221; Pesaturo told The Daily Wire. &#8220;So they&#8217;re mostly conservative. They hate free money going out. They hate paying taxes.&#8221;
Organizers for the festival did not return The Daily Wire’s request for comment.
The musician is particularly upset that this happened with Festa Italiana. Pesaturo mentioned another festival he headlines annually that’s &#8220;as left as it gets,” mentioning how he has no problems there despite having opposite political views compared to almost everyone involved. &#8220;The head of the festival is pretty left. And we&#8217;re very good friends. And I&#8217;m the headliner every year.&#8221;
When I asked if he would change anything he posted, his answer was unequivocal: &#8220;No, I mean, this is what I told him. I said I will not be silenced. Especially when everyone in my industry is forcing things upon people.&#8221;
&#8220;He just didn&#8217;t want to deal with [the drama]. It&#8217;s kind of the same story,&#8221; Pesaturo said. &#8220;They don&#8217;t want to deal with the woke bullsh** around them. So instead of fighting, they just say, yeah, we&#8217;re going to bow to them.&#8221;
And that&#8217;s how a world-class musician got canceled from an Italian festival for Instagram stories seen by about 100 people. It’s because even when conservatives are in power, standing up to the woke mob is often seen as more trouble than it’s worth.

Corey Pesaturo Bad Bunny

How Criticizing Bad Bunny Got A World Champion Musician Dropped From A Festival

Bad Bunny

Instagram

Leftist

San Francisco

Super Bowl

<a href="https://anniebosko.com/">Annie Bosko</a> is a California-native country singer whose latest hit is a plea to save her home state.
The song is called &#8220;<a href="https://anniebosko.com/">Goodbye California</a>,&#8221; which she describes as the most &#8220;beautiful state in the world.&#8221; And while its title sounds like the closing of a chapter, she hopes her song brings about a welcome change to a place she says has rapidly declined since the pandemic.
Bosko hails from Thousand Oaks, California, and has fond memories growing up on a farm, surrounded by her four siblings. Fresh air, hard work, and endless miles of beauty are what she remembers most about where she was born and raised.
Living in Nashville, the country music capital, she still associates the real cowboys of the world with the West, especially California, known for cattle farms and growing a large portion of the country&#8217;s produce. Unfortunately, her home state is now associated with tremendous negativity, and she is addressing that through her lyrics.
&#8220;Now you&#8217;re just a wasteland of dust and broken dreams,&#8221; Bosko says in the song.
Her lyrics address the billions of dollars California spent trying to combat the homeless crisis. Instead, according to the <a href="https://www.ppic.org/blog/californians-concern-about-homelessness-has-softened/">Public Policy Institute of California</a>, the homeless population grew by more than 20% between 2019 and 2024.
Bosko also laments the devastating Palisades wildfires in her song, including how California fire hydrants ran dry. The song&#8217;s bridge highlights California&#8217;s critical issues during the fires that destroyed 23,000 acres.
&#8220;When working hard hardly works, can&#8217;t keep up with the dollar. Even when it&#8217;s free, you can&#8217;t afford the water,&#8221; she sings.
Bosko wants the Golden State to return to its desirable roots. She wants affordability, safety, and an economy that attracts businesses, not one that forces them to relocate.
&#8220;When you lose the things about a place that made it special, it&#8217;s a really sad thing to watch,&#8221; Bosko told The Daily Wire. &#8220;When you lose the history, the culture of a city, and you lose its landmark and what made it so special &#8230; it&#8217;s just hard to come back from that.
In &#8220;Goodbye California,&#8221; she sings about longing for the better days, not just for her, who has finally left it behind, but for those who can&#8217;t leave and are stuck in the current climate.
&#8220;They don&#8217;t feel safe, they can&#8217;t afford a yard,&#8221; Bosko said.
While her goal is to bring change to the state, the song also doubles as a love ballad, with California representing an old flame.
&#8220;Goodbye, California, you still got my heart. This view of you in my rearview is tearing me apart,&#8221; Bosko sings.
Bosko said it was actually Kid Rock who had the idea to make the song have a double meaning.
&#8220;Whichever side you&#8217;re on, you can&#8217;t refute he’s a great artist,&#8221; Bosko said.
While California dreaming has turned into a nightmare for many, Bosko hopes to one day return home, and said she is hopeful California is close to making a comeback. She is honored to release &#8220;Goodbye California&#8221; to the world to help with that.
&#8220;I&#8217;m an artist, so I think our jobs are to look around at what we see, what we observe&#8230; and write about it,&#8221; Bosko said. &#8220;If it can just make a difference in saving California &#8230; because it needs to be saved.&#8221;

Credit: Michael Hickey/Billboard via Getty Images

‘Sad Thing To Watch’: Country Singer Strives To Save California With Her New Song

California

Culture

Nashville

News

The Dublin-based rock band U2 just released a tribute song dedicated to Renee Good, the anti-ICE activist who was killed during an altercation with ICE officers in Minneapolis last month.
The song “American Obituary,” part of the six-track EP “U2 Days of Ash,” debuted on Wednesday, according to <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/02/19/us-news/u2-american-obituary-song-invokes-renee-nicole-good-ice-shooting-in-days-of-ash-ep/">The New York Post</a>. 
“Renee Good born to die free/American mother of three/ Seventh day January/ A bullet for еach child, you see,” the lyrics say in part.
“The color of her eyе/ 930 Minneapolis/ To desecrate domestic bliss/ Three bullets blast, three babies kissed/ Renee the domestic terrorist???”
The refrain says: “What you can’t kill can&#8217;t die/ America will rise/ Against the people of the lie/ I love you more/ Than hate loves war.”
U2 lead singer Bono <a href="https://propaganda.u2.com/">described</a> the new release as a “song of fury… but more than that a song of grief” in a statement <a href="https://propaganda.u2.com/">published</a> on the band’s digital fanzine, which is called “Propaganda.”
“Not just for Renee but for the death of an America that at the very least would have had an inquiry into her killing… for her family as well as the credibility of law enforcement and the critical role they play in keeping the peace, keeping the citizenry safe,” the singer said. 
He also tried to explain why he, an Irishman, is involving himself in American politics.
“U2’s been banging on about America most of our artistic life… this is a country we love and has loved us back. Amazingly,” Bono said. “Americans for the most part have given U2 and me in particular permission to mouth off… And on this stuff I think people know that I’ve been an equal opportunity pest on the left as well as the right.”
Despite these attempts to justify the song, the Irish recording artist got blasted on social media.
“It appears Ireland has stronger illegal immigration laws than the U.S. Maybe U2 could sing a song about that,” an X user <a href="https://x.com/clayton_be61039/status/2024288299825668277">replied</a>.
“As an American, I can comfortably say, I don’t give a sh** what any band thinks…especially a foreign band,” another commenter <a href="https://x.com/TexasExec16/status/2024308019928990078">agreed</a>.
“No songs dedicated to all the victims killed by illegal aliens …. Hmmm,” another <a href="https://x.com/Antillothegreat/status/2024288247870812644">observed</a>.
This is the second recently released mainstream “protest song” dedicated to anti-ICE sentiment. Far-left activist singer Bruce Springsteen <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bruce-springsteen-releases-cringe-protest-song-about-minneapolis">released</a> “Streets of Minneapolis” in January after spending one day writing it. That song was also mocked online.

Bono

Irish Rock Band U2 Releases ‘American Obituary,’ A Tribute Song For Renee Good

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Ireland

Renee Good

World

“Got Woke? Knoxville Symphony does.” 
That message will be emblazoned on a mobile billboard and greet attendees of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra as they arrive for a romantic date night featuring Valentine’s Day-themed music on Thursday and Friday. 
The mobile billboard seeks to spotlight a renowned clarinet player&#8217;s fight to remove DEI from the world of professional music and arrives courtesy of the Coolidge Reagan Foundation, a conservative nonprofit. James Zimmermann, the clarinetist, filed a lawsuit in December, accusing the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra of refusing to hire him based on his opposition to DEI. 
Zimmermann told The Daily Wire he won a blind audition for the principal clarinet position in September 2025 and was told by staff he would soon be on salary, only to have that opportunity fall away a few days later once the orchestra learned of his <a href="https://freebeacon.com/culture/how-racial-anxiety-conquered-an-orchestra-and-crushed-a-career/">previous DEI battle</a> with the orchestra in Nashville. 
“This whole scenario is much bigger than just me and this one little job in Knoxville. It&#8217;s the demoralization that every white guy feels that, ‘Hey, these orchestras don&#8217;t want me.’ They have openly stated, ‘We need our orchestras to be more diverse.’ All that means is they want fewer white guys in the orchestra. It&#8217;s very obvious,&#8221; Zimmermann told The Daily Wire. 
Images shared with The Daily Wire by the Coolidge Reagan Foundation show the multiple messages that will appear on mobile billboard vehicles outside the Tennessee Theater from 3-11 p.m. On both days, the orchestra is performing a concert called “Star-Crossed Lovers” at 7:30 p.m.
The images include statements such as “DEI ≠ Fairness,” “Go Woke, Lose Talent,” and “Your Tax Dollars Fuel Woke DEI Policies at the Orchestra.” The Coolidge Reagan Foundation also launched a <a href="https://www.wokesymphony.com">website</a> to highlight Zimmermann&#8217;s story. 
<div id="attachment_1042819" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1042819" class="size-full wp-image-1042819" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-46-PM-4128-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="2560" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-46-PM-4128-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-46-PM-4128-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-46-PM-4128-576x576.jpg 576w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-46-PM-4128-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-46-PM-4128-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-46-PM-4128-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-46-PM-4128-2048x2048.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />Coolidge Reagan Foundation.</div>
According to a lawsuit filed by Zimmermann in Tennessee’s Sixth Judicial Circuit, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra refused to hire him based on his politics. Zimmermann is suing for compensation he would have earned had he been given the job. 
“The Orchestra engaged in racial discrimination against Mr. Zimmermann, violating the results of its own screened audition, in violation of the Tennessee Human Rights Act,” a copy of the lawsuit shared with The Daily Wire said. “Had Zimmermann not been a white male, particularly a white male who had previously expressed opposition to DEI initiatives, the Orchestra would have proceeded with hiring him consistent with the result of its screened auditions.”
<div id="attachment_1042821" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1042821" class="size-full wp-image-1042821" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-47-PM-8822-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="2560" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-47-PM-8822-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-47-PM-8822-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-47-PM-8822-576x576.jpg 576w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-47-PM-8822-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-47-PM-8822-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-47-PM-8822-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-11-Feb-2026-04-47-PM-8822-2048x2048.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />Coolidge Reagan Foundation.</div>
After advancing through the screened audition process for the clarinet position, Zimmermann said Knoxville Symphony Orchestra personnel manager Mark Tucker informed him he had won, would soon be “on the payroll,” and would call him to follow up on September 17, 2025.
Instead, on September 18, Zimmermann says he received a phone call from the symphony&#8217;s CEO, Rachel Ford, who mentioned his previous musical job working for the Nashville Symphony. 
An email from Ford to Zimmermann, obtained by The Daily Wire, confirmed Zimmermann’s account. 
Ford told him in the email that “based on a number of items which have come to the attention of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra regarding your employment with the Nashville Symphony, I regret to inform you that the [Knoxville Symphony Orchestra] has decided not to move forward with offering you a contract of employment.”
She added that there would be no further discussions on the matter. 
“We wish you the best in the future. Please know our decision is final and we will not participate in any ongoing communications related to this matter,” she wrote. 
Neither Ford nor Tucker responded to requests for comment. 
The controversy referred to by Ford erupted roughly six years ago when Zimmermann started speaking out against DEI measures at the Nashville Symphony. Eventually, he was fired after two minority musicians, oboe player Titus Underwood and Emilio Carlo, <a href="https://freebeacon.com/culture/how-racial-anxiety-conquered-an-orchestra-and-crushed-a-career/">accused</a> him of harassing them and making threatening and racially charged comments to them.
In the end, Zimmermann was fired after 12 years as the lead clarinet player. Six of his colleagues would later defend him in interviews with the Washington Free Beacon. Zimmermann acknowledges that he was not perfect throughout the situation, but said his firing was prompted, in large part, by politics. 
As that played out, both Underwood and Carlo got a Davidson County judge to issue temporary restraining orders against Zimmermann. Zimmermann has called those restraining orders “bogus” and noted that they were not later renewed.
Carlo and Underwood did not respond to requests for comment. In a <a href="https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/knoxville/james-zimmermann-sues-knoxville-symphony-orchestra-for-alleged-discrimination/51-59429c8d-5d6b-4aa9-86a3-6815006f322b">statemen</a>t to local outlet WBIR, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra cited the restraining orders. 
&#8220;The KSO made the decision to reject the Audition Committee’s recommendation and not hire Mr. Zimmermann due to legitimate safety concerns as confirmed by the Nashville Symphony,&#8221; the statement said. 
Zimmermann said that Ford did not mention the restraining orders during her call with Zimmermann, but instead said there were &#8220;items of interest&#8221; that he knew about. Zimmermann said he was never given a chance to explain his side of the story. 
“I have nothing bad to say about the people running the [audition]. It&#8217;s just about the CEO, who made the decision to not hire me, not ask me anything about the past, not ask my side of the story,” Zimmermann told The Daily Wire. “This is supposed to be the land of opportunity, and a blind audition gives you a chance to prove your skills, independent of your political views and race and gender and sex and all that.”
Zimmermann says he has heard from musicians all across the country who agree with him and have told him they hope the orchestra world abandons DEI once and for all.
Dan Backer, the president of the Coolidge Reagan Foundation, is a counsel for Zimmermann during the suit. 
“I&#8217;m just glad Coolidge Reagan is able to be there and keep the pressure on and make sure that everybody knows that when you set foot in Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, you&#8217;re not listening to the best music you could get, you&#8217;re listening to the wokest music you can get.”
On its website, the Knoxville Symphony <a href="https://knoxvillesymphony.com/aboutkso/history-mission/#:~:text=In%20May%202016%2C%20Aram%20Demirjian,Center%20and%20Washington%20Performing%20Arts.">boasts</a> that its programming emphasizes “music by living composers” and “artists from underrepresented groups.”
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra <a href="https://knoxvillesymphony.com/support-the-kso/corporate-partners/#:~:text=generations%20to%20come.-,Sponsorship%20Opportunities,of%20concertgoers%20across%20East%20Tennessee.&amp;text=Knoxville%20Symphony%20Orchestra%20concerts%20and,%2C%20and%20Arts%20&amp;%20Culture%20Alliance.">receives</a> local and state taxpayer funding through the city of Knoxville, Knox County, and the Tennessee Arts Commission. It is unclear exactly how much the orchestra gets in grants. 
Neither the Nashville nor the Knoxville symphony orchestras responded to requests for comment.

hands playing clarinets in orchestra

He Won The Blind Audition — Then Woke Culture Took The Baton

Woke Music? Tennessee Orchestra Accused Of Targeting Clarinet Player Over DEI Stance

Classical Music

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Tennessee

Menu