Musician Hank Williams Jr.–who doubles as the voice of ESPN’s “Monday Night Football”–has been pulled from tonight’s broadcast as a result of statements he made on Fox News early this morning.
On “Fox & Friends,” Williams said this of the so-called “golf summit,” which saw President Obama and VP Biden playing golf with House Speaker Boehner and Ohio Governor John Kasich:
“Come on! Come on! It would be like Hitler playing golf with Netanyahu!” adding “They’re the enemy! Obama! And Biden! Are you kiddin’ me, the Three Stooges!”
In response, ESPN released a statement, saying “While Hank Williams, Jr. is not an ESPN employee, we recognize that he is closely linked to our company through the open to Monday Night Football. We are extremely disappointed with his comments, and as a result we have decided to pull the open from tonight’s telecast.”
The reaction to Williams’ comments are similar to the response faced by the Dixie Chicks in 2003, when they said they were “Ashamed to be from Texas” and other negative comments about then-President George W. Bush. They subsequently saw many of their songs pulled from country radio stations, and were vilified on many TV and radio programs.