His Die-Hard Love of the Confederate Flag

Kid Rock has been repeatedly criticized for unfurling the Confederate Flag at his performances, and he has always balked at the criticism. In 2008, he told The Guardian that the flag, which has come to represent racism, bigotry, and hatred, definitely has “got some scars.”

“But I’ve never had a problem with it,” he said. “To me, it just represents pride in Southern rock’n’roll music, plus it looks cool.” In 2015, he doubled down on his love of the flag, telling Megyn Kelly that those protesting his use of the flag could “kiss my ass.”

His love of the Confederacy led to a slew of controversy surrounding his performance at the 2018 NHL All-Star Game, which many worried would just be a massive platform for him to push his “racism, sexism and homophobia.” The NHL said they were “aware” of the controversies surrounding the singer but stood by their decision, regardless. They said they chose him because he is a “hockey lover.”

That Time He Went Big Game Hunting With Ted Nugent

Animal lovers already had a bone to pick with Kid Rock after he performed at SeaWorld, but the criticism came pouring in after a photo shared to social media showed Rock going big game hunting with Ted Nugent. In the photo, the duo is proudly holding up the dead carcass of a mountain lion.

In the caption, Nugent showed nothing but love for Kid Rock for “saving all those mule deer elk and livestock by whacking this magnificent mountain lion.” They also attacked their critics, calling them “braindead squawkers” who were obsessed with “their obscene denial that killing lions is wrong.”

He Faked a Far-Right Run For Senate To Promote His New Album

In the 2010s Kid Rock really started to flex his political chops, and in 2017 he seemed to share a campaign announcement for US Senate. “I have had a ton of emails and texts asking me if this website is real,” he wrote referencing a website named kidrockforsenate.com. “The answer is an absolute YES!”

But he soon confessed on The Howard Stern Show that the whole thing was a hoax to promote his new album. “Who fucking couldn’t figure that out?” He said. “I’m releasing a new album…I’m going on tour too. Are you fucking shitting me?”

This admission resulted in an investigation from the Federal Elections Commission, who concluded that Kid Rock had indeed not taken any official campaign actions since his announcement.

But Kid Rock continued to use politics as his PR device. Soon after, he attended a homecoming concert in his hometown of Detroit,and was introduced as the “next senator from the state of Michigan.” He embraced his political views and launched into a profanity-laden speech, which his crowd of Confederate-flag-waving white people ate up like hotcakes.

“Why these days is everything so gay?” he said at one point. “Gay rights, transgender this and that. I say let gay folks get married if they want to, and I’m not even close to a Democrat. But things shouldn’t be this complicated, and no you don’t get to choose because whatever you have between your legs should determine the bathroom that you use.”

He Verbally Abused and Divorced Pamela Anderson After Her Kidnapping In “Borat”

For those familiar with the 2006 gonzo comedy, remember the film’s final scenes when Borat throws a bag over Pamela Anderson’s head, throws her over his shoulder, and seemingly tries to kidnap her? Well, apparently when Kid Rock witnessed his wife being kidnapped, he wasn’t very happy with her behavior. He apparently flipped out in the theater and called Pamela a “slut” and said that she “humiliated herself.” “You’re nothing but a whore! You’re a slut! How could you do that movie?” he yelled. He was so furious at his wife’s kidnapping that he divorced her as a result.

His Bar Got Its Beer Permit Suspended For Violating COVID-19 Protocols

Tennessee was one of the first states to lift its COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants last May, but social distancing guidelines were still in place, and bars were not part of the reopening plan. Still, that didn’t stop Kid Rock, whose “Honky-Tonk” bar fully reopened and served hundreds of maskless patrons.

As a result of the violation, their beer license was been suspended. Co-owner Steve Smith, along with the bar’s lawyer, called being fined a “double standard, called Covid a hoax and declared Fox News the only arbiter of truth.” They also compared their opening to the BLM protests, saying they were fighting back against oppression. Not only was their bar a super-spreader event, but Kid Rock was silent throughout the whole debacle, and silence speaks volumes these days.