Global Courant
Country music star Garth Brooks addressed critics Monday after saying his bar would serve Bud Light and making other comments, reiterating that he wants customers to show tolerance.
Brooks, the ‘Friends in Low Places’ singer and CountRand Music Hall of Famer, said last week that his new bar in Nashville, Tennessee, would serve “all types of beer,” including Bud Light.
Before April, serving Bud Light in a bar would have been so low profile it needed no announcement, but the brand in the blue can has been the target of a right-wing backlash since it teamed up with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in a social media ad .
“We are going to serve every brand of beer. We are. We are ordinary. It’s not our decision to make it,” Brooks said on Wednesday Billboard Country Live.
“Our thing is this: when you enter this house, love one another. If you’re an asshole, there’s plenty of other places on Lower Broadway to go,” he continued.
People angry at Brooks’ comments vented online saying they would burn their merchandise.
Representative Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., took exception to Brooks’ comments, which she interpreted as offensive.
Brooks addressed the controversy Monday on his “Inside Studio G” livestream, acknowledging that there had been “quite a bit of a stir” since the Billboard event.
“Everyone has their opinion. But inclusivity will always be me,” Brooks said. “I think diversity is the answer to the problems that are and the answer to the problems to come. So I like diversity. All inclusive, so everyone is welcome. I understand that might not be other people’s opinion, but that’s okay, man.”
Brooks also said that Bud Light is one of the most popular beers in America, that as a bar owner he will sell it and let customers decide whether to buy it or not.
“So, here’s the deal, man, if you want to come to Friends in Low Places, come in. But come in with love, come in with tolerance, patience. Come in with an open mind, and it’s cool,” said Brooks.
“And if you’re one of those people who just can’t, I get it,” he said. “If you’re ever one of those people who want to try it, come.”
Mulvaney debuted her collaboration with Bud Light the weekend of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball National Championships in early April, sharing a sponsored post on her Instagram account with her then 1.2 million followers.
Anheuser-Busch, Bud Light’s parent company, then angered some with its response to the anger over Mulvaney. Owners of some gay bars in Chicago vowed to boycott the company’s beer, with one saying the company had given in to hate and vitriol.
Bud Light sales slumped after the backlash.
A number of states have passed laws targeting transgender issues, including one in Florida that makes it difficult or impossible for adults to receive gender-affirming care.
Valeriya Antonshchuk contributed.
