Hank Williams Jr. fired from ESPN, no longer ready for football
By Carlos CabreraOctober 6th, 2011, 6:00 pmComments (31)
"Godwin's Law" states that the longer a conversation goes on, the faster the probability of a comparison to Hitler approaches. Sadly, Hank Williams Jr. didn't need very long to get there.
The repercussions of Williams' appearance on Fox and Friends this past Monday (where he compared President Obama to Adolph Hitler) have come in the form of his release from ESPN's "Monday Night Football" intro. The country western star attempted to save his job apologize for his statement the next day, via some super folksy talkin'.
"The thought of the leaders of both parties jukin' and high five'n on a golf course, while so many families are struggling to get by simply made me boil over and make a dumb statement."
However, once word came down this morning that ESPN would sever their relationship with ol' Hank, and that no amount of dropped "g"s would change, that he sang a much different tune.
"After reading hundreds of e-mails, I have made MY decision. By pulling my opening Oct 3rd, You (ESPN) stepped on the Toes of The First Amendment Freedom of Speech, so therefore Me, My Song, and All My Rowdy Friends are OUT OF HERE. It's been a great run."
Despite the supposed violation of "first amendment freedom of speech", Football will have to soldier on without the southern-fried gaffes of Hank Williams. Also, I dare you NOT to hear Kenny Powers voice when you read that last quote.
Commentarium (31 Comments)
I love idiots who think the First Amendment permits them to say anything without any consequence whatsoever. And by "love" in that sentence, I mean "am amused and disgusted by."
That's not what's going on here. Williams is denying ESPN the ability to use his song to sell their product.
I, on the other hand, will boycott ESPN for the remainder of the season and let everyone know - including NFL football - of my decision. Given the ABC/ESPN left-of-center POV, I doubt it will have any impact.
The real issue here is hypocrisy.
You think the reason the ESPN isn't going to care about your boycott is because of their left-of-center POV?
I will not only boycott ESPN for the rest of the season, I am blocking all of their channels.
If you guys think ABC is left of center, your center is way to the right of mine. In any case, HW Jr is a drunken buffoon, and no corporation with the interests of its shareholders to the forefront will want to have anything to do with him.
Don't let the door hitcha on the way out.
I am now going to start watching ESPN for firing a dumb redneck
I'm hairy.
I am pretty sure HW Jr is too blazed to really know what he's saying.
Besides what he says is a matter of freedom of speech.
I only believe in 2nd amendment solutions.
@sss - No one stopped Hank Williams from saying what he wanted to say, he did exercise his right to Free Speech. ESPN exercised their right to Free Speech by publicly firing him.
ESPN did not fire WIlliams, he withdrew the rights for the use of his song. ESPN put out their lie to save face.
@kevin. There's conflicting reports. It's impossible to tell who's lying, and who's saving face. My personal opinion: mnf, since moving from abc to espn, is no longer event viewing. Football fans are going to watch it regardless of hw's involvement. Hw's comments just gave espn an easy out from an expensive licensing deal.
Anyone who claims the 1st Amendment cannot expect to HIDE behind it. The right to say whatever you want doesn't exist in a vacuum.
This guy's brain was once outside his cranium, so that explains a bit. Anyway, the song's a bit old and tired, no?
Hooksexup! You're deleting my comments! 1st Amendment!! Damn Nazis.
"Godwin's Law" states that the longer a conversation goes on, the faster the probability of a comparison to Hitler approaches. - the above article
Methinks you missed the point.
... protects us from the government, and only the government. Not from each other, and certainly not from ESPN. Ditto for the rest of the Bill of Rights.
Thank you for saying that. The Bill of Rights limits the power of the state. This is an elementary principle (not an elementary principal).
Getting fired for saying something stupid is not a violation of your first amendment rights, it's a consequence of your speech. The government throwing you in jail, or fining you for what you say is a violation of your first amendment rights if your speech is protected.
Thanks for that. About 90 percent of Americans don't understand that.
Yes, thanks for getting that stated. "Free speech" doesn't mean I get to say whatever I want, whenever I want, to whomever I want, with no consequences. It applies to government/citizen relationships only.
One word... Affiliates... that's all it is folks... and losing them is a bitch. It's not about free speech.
Freedom of speech does not equal freedom from consequence.
A guy who sings songs about drug addiction being his "family tradition" went off the rails talking about politics? And that was the thing that went too far for ESPN?
Hank has forgotten that corporations are people too, and *they* have first amendment rights just like he does.
Y'all get to be stupid and ugly if you want to bucko - and in public in front of God and everyone too - but that doesn't mean you get total job security as well. Say whatever you want, who's stopping you? I don't get to be on teevee either.
P.S Take your guitar, your whiskey, your methamphetamines, your surly attitude, and your shades-and-a-burning-turd fashion statement, put on your P F Flyers, and hit the road.
G-bye.
Can we expect to hear a new version, now he's free of ESPN?
"Are you ready for some book burnin? A Monday Night Nazi Rally!"
Hank Wiliams Jr. saying what he did isn't any different than constantly seeing our President being degraded with terrible cartoons in daily newpapers. magazines, television,etc. since he was elected to lead our country. But it's OK for the media to stress what they think and throw it in our faces and get away with it Do you think the future generation is going to be any different when they see their parents laughing at these cartoons along with all the stupid jokes. ?? What they should be teaching them is "YOU MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE WITH WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAS TO SAY BUT YOU MUST ALWAYS RESPECT HIM AS YOUR PRESIDENT !!!
This guy is one of the ugliest sumbitches I've ever seen. Someone run his talent-skips-a-generation ass through a flea bath.
Now you say something