Army Cancels Ted Nugent Concert

Outside the Beltway

Army Cancels Ted Nugent Concert

The commander of Fort Knox has canceled a Ted Nugent concert after the rocker’s recent rant about President Obama.

James Joyner

April 20, 2012

Comments

The commander of Fort Knox has canceled a Ted Nugent concert after the rocker’s recent rant about President Obama.

Louisville Courier-Journal (“Ted Nugent booted from Fort Knox concert line up“):

The artist lineup for the Fort Knox annual summer concert scheduled for June 23 no longer includes right-wing rocker Ted Nugent.

Co-headliners REO Speedwagon and Styx remain scheduled to perform. However, after learning of Nugent’s recent public comments about the president of the United States, Fort Knox leadership decided to cancel his performance on the installation.

Army Entertainment and the Fort Knox Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation remain committed to carrying out the June 23 concert, and the possibility exists that a replacement will be selected.

Nugent was scheduled to be the concert’s opening act.

This strikes me as the right call. While I think Nugent’s recent remarks were mere bluster and not an actual threat to the president–the Secret Service apparently agrees–it wouldn’t do for the United States Army to host someone who’s expressed that level of vitriol against the commander-in-chief. It’s one thing to vehemently disagree with the president–I opposed, for example, recent calls to take Rush Limbaugh off Armed Forces Radio–and quite another to say the president is an enemy of America who should be killed.

56 responses to “Army Cancels Ted Nugent Concert”

Nikki

April 20, 2012 at 5:39 am

Rush should have been taken off of Armed Forces Radio a long time ago.
Jenos Idanian

April 20, 2012 at 6:39 am

I agree with this decision, but where are the voices sticking up for the rights of the artist to freely express himself? Where are the cries of “censorship!” and denunciations of punishing people for their political speech? Where are those who always take the side of the underdog who challenges The Powers That Be?

Oh, that’s right. Those rules only cover leftists. My bad.
Pug

April 20, 2012 at 6:51 am

@Jenos Idanian:

Yes, Jenos, the poor little right-wingers. Everybody is always picking on them.
Bobbo

April 20, 2012 at 7:41 am

It’s that damn liberal Army bias
aj billings

April 20, 2012 at 7:46 am

@Jenos Idanian:

Oh get off it Jenos. The guy is ON CAMERA making an implied threat.

I am no fan of Mr Obama, but you can’t make statements like shooting coyotes, or chopping heads off in reference to the President without getting a visit from the men in Black.

When people did that to Bush, the right was outraged. Nugent did it to Mr Obama, and same thing from the left. Same thing to anyone with a shred of logical thinking.
mattb

April 20, 2012 at 7:51 am

@Jenos Idanian:

Where are the cries of “censorship!” and denunciations of punishing people for their political speech? Where are those who always take the side of the underdog who challenges The Powers That Be?

One more time Jenos, Censorship is suppression of free speech.

No one is “Censoring” Nugent’s speech. He still has every right to make these sort of comments. Just as Dr Laura has every right to say “N!gger” as much as she wants. But, given our free market system, people have every right not to contract with these individuals for services.

And I’m guessing that whatever contract Nugent signed have a clause in it allowing for the termination of the contract for these sort of reasons. If it didn’t, then Nugent has legal recources.
Stormy Dragon

April 20, 2012 at 8:49 am

@mattb:

In fact, the only party that seems to be actually supressing speech is the NRA, who responded to the situation by memory-holing the Nuge’s speech on their website.
Bleev K

April 20, 2012 at 8:58 am

@Jenos Idanian: idiot.
Jenos Idanian

April 20, 2012 at 9:03 am

I’m not asking for Nugent to get any special treatment. Just let him be treated like the Dixie Chicks, or Michael Moore, or Alec “let’s murder Henry Hyde and his entire family” Baldwin, or Cameron “Bush will make rape legal” Diaz…
legion

April 20, 2012 at 9:04 am

@Jenos Idanian: There’s nobody defending Nugent because he really is mentally unbalanced – the only people who actually share his opinions are smart/sane enough to keep their mouths shut.
Davebo

April 20, 2012 at 9:15 am

I’m not asking for Nugent to get any special treatment. Just let him be treated like the Dixie Chicks

We could I suppose if there were enough of his albums in circulation to make a decent fire.
Tano

April 20, 2012 at 9:18 am

@Jenos Idanian:

Oh, that’s right. Those rules only cover leftists.

That is the conclusion. The starting point was :

I agree with this decision,

????
What is the name for the sickness wherein one must descend into idiotic ranting, even when one actually agrees with position being ranted against???
Jenos Idanian

April 20, 2012 at 9:26 am

@Tano: Here’s how it works:

Nugent has said many disrespectful things of the Commander-in-Chief. As such, it it within the Army’s discretion to decide that he might encourage such disrespect among the troops, and avoid the situation.

The “sickness” is in those who are so OUTRAGED!!!!! at Nugent’s statements who also championed (or, at least, pooh-poohed or ignored) the “rights” of the other entertainers I cited. Especially Alec Baldwin, who is one of the more contemptible people in Hollywood (a remarkable distinction).
Hey Norm

April 20, 2012 at 9:31 am

This is small potatos compared to what the extremists that make up the Republican establishment did to the Dixie Chicks, who said something way more innocuous. And the Dixie Chicks are way more talented than Nugent was on his best day.
Plus Nugent is a draft dodger….why is the Army paying a draft dodger anyway?
Hey Norm

April 20, 2012 at 9:35 am

@ Jenos…
I don’t know about the rest…But Diaz did not say that.
If you have to lie to make your point then it ain’t much of a point.
So why do you bother?
James Joyner

April 20, 2012 at 9:44 am

@Jenos Idanian: Was Alec Baldwin being invited to do a show for the troops on an Army base shortly after the Henry Hyde screed? If so, I’d say you’ve got a point. Otherwise, I don’t see the equivalency.

I’ve been pretty consistent on these things: artists have a right to say outrageous things. I put Nugent’s and Baldwin’s in the same category here and the Dixie Chicks’ in a different, less egregious one. But companies have a right not to associate themselves with these people. And government institutions, especially the military, have an extra duty to be careful in not appearing to endorse violent or even contemptuous speech toward elected officials.
J-Dub

April 20, 2012 at 9:52 am

At least REO Speedwagon and Styx had more than one hit each. Ted Nugent is a lame one-hit wonder (barely, peaked at #40). I’m sure nobody cares that he was cancelled.
Barry

April 20, 2012 at 9:54 am

James: “It’s one thing to vehemently disagree with the president–I opposed, for example, recent calls to take Rush Limbaugh off Armed Forces Radio–and quite another to say the president is an enemy of America who should be killed.”

There are some UCMJ articles covering disrespect to higher command, order and good conduct, etc. These are very good reasons while *Armed Forces* Radio should not air Rush.
anjin-san

April 20, 2012 at 10:02 am

It’s kind of interesting that Jenos is a self-appointed water carrier for two creeps like Ted Nugent and George Zimmermann. You can tell a lot about a person by the causes they embrace.

On the other hand, we are paying attention to Jenos, and I suspect that is his end game here.
mattb

April 20, 2012 at 10:14 am

@Jenos Idanian: BTW, I should note that Wegmans stopped airing Alec Baldwin commercials after one of his outbursts. And to your point, The Dixie Chicks also lost concerts based on their statements.

Neither of those were censorship. Both were completely legal and sorta run against your entire argument.
Hey Norm

April 20, 2012 at 10:23 am

@ J-Dub….
Not disagreeing with your general point…but Billboard Charts mean almost nothing.
A quick check of 14Gig of iPhone music…2 songs by Nugent, 1 by REO Speedwagon, none by Styx.
Madonna and Michael Jackson produced lots of top ten hits…who cares?
Neil, Bonnie, the Dead…not so many.
Hey Norm

April 20, 2012 at 10:24 am

Lowell George and Little Feat…no top ten hits.
Hey Norm

April 20, 2012 at 10:28 am

And while I’m at it…May Levon R.I.P.
Jenos Idanian

April 20, 2012 at 10:59 am

@anjin-san: anjin, if you’re off your latest “I’m not talking to you” kicks, ABC News has released a photo of George Zimmerman’s head from the night of the Trayvon Martin shooting. I’m no doctor, but it looks fairly consistent with “was bashed against the pavement at least twice.”

Popular speech never needs defending; it’s the unpopular speech that does. And it’s usually the “creeps” who end up needing to be defended. Remember the Nazis in Skokie?

I don’t reserve my principles for only those I approve of. You certainly can — it’s your right — but I’ll pass.
James Joyner

April 20, 2012 at 11:01 am

@J-Dub: @Hey Norm: I think it’s fair to say that REO and Styx were bigger bands but Nugent had quite a few terrific songs from around 1975 to 1979. Nugent was a hard rock guy and they tend not to chart in the same way as those who produce ballads do. I don’t think Black Sabbath or AC-DC had a ton Top 10 singles, either.

AC/DC’s “Back in Black” is one of the most significant albums ever. It produced no Top 40 songs on the US charts. Yet, “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “Hells Bells” remain staples to this day. Oddly, they didn’t have a #1 single in the US until they were a nostagia band.

For that matter, Jimmy Buffett–a classic balladeer–didn’t have a #1 single until “It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere,” a duet with Alan Jackson. And that was the country charts; it only went to #17 on the pop charts. “Margaritaville” only made it to #8.
James Joyner

April 20, 2012 at 11:04 am

@Jenos Idanian: Who is it that’s saying Nugent doesn’t have a right to free speech?

Because we’ve had an inordinate number of assassinations and assassination attempts against our presidents, the Secret Service is hyper cautious in investigating threats. They took this latest comment as a potential threat, had a cordial meeting with Nugent–who was never placed under arrest–and they’ve issued a public statement saying they’ve concluded that, indeed, Nugent’s comments were not intended as a threat. Case, quite literally, closed.

So, how has Nugent’s right to speech been abridged? By being disinvited from giving a concert for American troops?
Hey Norm

April 20, 2012 at 11:06 am

@ Jenos…
Principles? I just called you on a bald-faced lie. What principles?
anjin-san

April 20, 2012 at 11:21 am

Sorry Jenos, water seeks it’s own level. It’s also easy to see through – as are you.

If you want to go to bat for the right of people to direct violent comments at the President of the United States without any consequence, have at it. It makes about as much sense as the rest of your “arguments”.

At any rate, as many others have pointed out, Nugent’s first amendment rights are still intact. They always were.
mattb

April 20, 2012 at 11:35 am

@James Joyner:

So, how has Nugent’s right to speech been abridged? By being disinvited from giving a concert for American troops?

This is the key thing that Jenos can’t get through his head thanks to those layers of “smartness”.

This isn’t censorship.
It never was censorship.

But for Jenos, something bad happening to someone he agrees with equals censorship.

Thi is why Jenos is a rank partisan.
Hey Norm

April 20, 2012 at 11:45 am

MattB…
Small quibble:
It’s not WHY he is a rank partisan…it is BECAUSE he is a rank partisan.
Otherwise…yeah.
mattb

April 20, 2012 at 11:49 am

Good point.

I guess I mean to write “This is an example of why we think Jenos is a rank partisan.”

BTW, Jenos, before you get upset at this logic, I should note that I’m using the same logic as you did in your defense of why its accurate to say the fact’s supports Nugent’s thesis that Obama is going to take away everyone’s guns.
J-Dub

April 20, 2012 at 11:51 am

@James Joyner: The Back in Black album was notable for its blackness. it’s like, how much more black could this be? and the answer is none. None more black.
anjin-san

April 20, 2012 at 12:08 pm

Nugent was a hard rock guy and they tend not to chart in the same way as those who produce ballads do.

Nugent’s lack of commercial success has a lot to do with his firing Derek St. Holmes after his excellent debut album. After that, Nugent became more a novelty act than anything. I saw Nugent being asked about St. Holmes in an interview in the 90s and he went on a long rant about how “there can only be on alpha male in this band”.
James Joyner

April 20, 2012 at 12:35 pm

@anjin-san: I think that’s a fair point. There were some more good songs after that, including his signature “Cat Scratch Fever.” But Nuge isn’t nearly the singer that he is guitar player.
mattb

April 20, 2012 at 12:50 pm

@J-Dub: Well… there’s always “Smell the glove” black.
Stormy Dragon

April 20, 2012 at 1:10 pm

@James Joyner:

Uggh, can’t stand AC/DC. Something about their singer’s voice is just nails-on-chalkboard to me.
merl

April 20, 2012 at 1:22 pm

@Jenos Idanian: You’re full of crap. Another ignorant teabagger is all you are.
Why the hell would anyone want to watch this one hit wonder has been in the first place?
anjin-san

April 20, 2012 at 1:24 pm

@ James

I think Nugent is more remembered for his energetic performances than actually being a guitarist that stood out from the pack. I can’t really think of a Nugent solo, lick or riff that sticks in my head.

When you think of the real guitar heroes of the area rock era, the ones with staying power are the ones whos playing is memorable. Neal Schon & Peter Frampton played stuff you could not get out of your head, and they could rock as hard as anyone when they felt like it – still can for that matter. Rick Derringer could rock a crowd of 50,000 at a ballpark, and meet the stellar standards of a Steely Dan recording session. Ronnie Montrose was equally good on “Bad Motor Scooter” and “Town Without Pity”
merl

April 20, 2012 at 1:24 pm

@Tano: I believe the disease is called Teabagitis. It affects the brain of all Teabaggers. Except the fun kind.
J-Dub

April 20, 2012 at 1:47 pm

It was supposed to read Ted Nugent first and Puppet Show second.
Hey Norm

April 20, 2012 at 2:13 pm

But Angus from AC/DC is one of the great rock n’ roll guitarists. Not the greatest by any means…but way above average.
Jenos Idanian

April 20, 2012 at 2:27 pm

@mattb: Did you miss the part where I said I AGREED with disinviting Nugent? The first five words of my first comment were “I agree with this decision.”

What I’m pointing out is the astonishing double standard practiced by those with their panties in a wad over Nugent’s shooting his mouth off. Alec Baldwin called for the murder of a sitting US Congressman and his entire family.

And here’s the full quote from Cameron Diaz, to Oprah Winfrey, back in 2004:

Ms. DIAZ: We have a voice now, and we’re not using it, and women have so much to lose. I mean, we could lose the right to our bodies. We could lo–if you think that rape should be legal, then don’t vote. But if you think that you have a right to your body, and you have a right to say what happens to you and fight off that danger of losing that, then you should vote, and those are the…

WINFREY: It’s your voice.

Ms. DIAZ: It’s your voice. It’s your voice, that’s your right.

The Army made the right call, for reasons I said before. But I wager those who were most visibly upset over Nugent’s statement have no problems with Baldwin’s incitements…
David M

April 20, 2012 at 2:36 pm

@Jenos Idanian: I will say I can’t disagree with Cameron Diaz said after the recent attempts at passing the invasive ultrasound laws.

I’m also impressed with your ability to hold a grudge for 15 years over a dumb joke by Alec Baldwin, who is relevant how? If he had been selected as Nugent’s replacement then I would understand why you brought him up, but as he’s not involved, so it appears you’re changing the subject as usual.
Hey Norm

April 20, 2012 at 2:36 pm

Yes…and that quote is not even close to what you said she said. She never eevne mentions Bush. It’s about Women’s Rights…which are still being attacked today by Republicans.
You are a liar. Just admit it.
Hey Norm

April 20, 2012 at 2:39 pm

C’mon…just type it…

“Most of my arguments don’t have any basis in reality, and if I can’t lie I can’t justify my positions.”

Go ahead. Admitting you have a problem is the first step…
WR

April 20, 2012 at 3:03 pm

@anjin-san: “On the other hand, we are paying attention to Jenos, and I suspect that is his end game here. ”

As Tonto so famously put it, what you do you mean “we,” white man?

I stopped reading and responding to Jenos a week ago — with one slip when I started to respond before I realized what idiot had posted, and then was annoyed enough at the ignorance that I kept going — and my life has only been better since. I can’t recommend it enough.
mattb

April 20, 2012 at 3:04 pm

@Jenos Idanian:

Did you miss the part where I said I AGREED with disinviting Nugent? The first five words of my first comment were “I agree with this decision.”

Right… but then it was the next sentence when it all went to hell. Quoting you:

Where are the cries of “censorship!” and denunciations of punishing people for their political speech?

In your usual attempt to portray the right as constant victims you go right off the deep end. And in ding so you do exactly what you attacked the “left” for doing.

You realize this, don’t you?

And when we point out the problems with your line of thought, and demonstrate how “lefties” have suffered loss of work for their comments, then you just double down and tell us that we don’t understand.

It’s clear that you don’t want Alec Baldwin to ever work again. That’s fine. Isn’t going to happen. Guess what, Nugent will get gigs again too.

And if saying outrageous things about murdering government officials was enough to get people blacklisted, then why is Ann Coulter still working?

Like it or not, you’re guilty of the same selective outrage and hypocrisy that you see on the left. And if you don’t think that’s a fair reading, then do yourself a favor and stop posting on threads like these about “how this only happens to people on the right.”
Jenos Idanian

April 20, 2012 at 3:40 pm

@mattb: I’d worry more about Alec Baldwin doing something violent than Ted Nugent. He’s got more of a history of outbursts and anger-management issues than Nugent. The voice-mail to his daughter, the airline incident… the guy’s a loose cannon.

As far as Coulter… she’s so damned skinny, I don’t see her being a physical threat to anyone. She’s literally all talk.
anjin-san

April 20, 2012 at 3:42 pm

@ WR

Yea, I have slipped. Not giving idiots the time of day is a wise policy.
Gray

April 20, 2012 at 4:39 pm

Rush Limbaugh should be broadcasting to our troops on Armed Forces Radio?

Let’s analyse that lack of reasoning for a minute.

Rush Limbaugh has been a vocal critic of President Obama since day one. Why in hell would you want our troops listening to someone every day who slanders their commander in chief nonstop?

That makes as much sense as people who listen to the likes of Rush Limbaugh, a man who lies for a living, and counts on the trusting nature of conservatives to believe something just because Rush says it’s so.
sam

April 20, 2012 at 6:36 pm

@Jenos Idanian:

The “sickness” is in those who are so OUTRAGED!!!!! at Nugent’s statements who also championed (or, at least, pooh-poohed or ignored) the “rights” of the other entertainers I cited. Especially Alec Baldwin, who is one of the more contemptible people in Hollywood (a remarkable distinction).

Your eternal recourse to the “But you guys” gambit is what is truly remarkable.
matt

April 20, 2012 at 8:45 pm

First time I really heard of Ted Nugent was when they were handing out fistfulls of free Ted nugent tickets for the following night at ozzfest one year. At the time I thought “wow this dude must be terrible if they are handing out free tickets galore”. This was in 99 and while I had heard of cat scratch fever I had no idea it was Ted Nugent. I have been checking out the songs listed by people here and I must say Ted is just a slightly above average guitar player with no real amazing uniqueness to his riffs.
An Interested Party

April 20, 2012 at 9:01 pm

This washed-up loser must be thrilled…this is probably the most publicity he’s ever recieved…
Mr.Blottoman

April 21, 2012 at 9:57 pm

Why would the military want a guy that went to such disgusting lengths just to avoid serving his country?
Yes Ted, you pansy coward- Mr. poopy pants- you don’t deserve to play in front of real heroes.
Joe Ripp

April 28, 2012 at 6:01 pm

@Jenos Idanian: Doubt the military would have anymore disrespect for president Obama than he does for them and the military retirees! He just gave 1.5 billion to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt to implement Sharia law there in kind of like declaring war on the women, Jews< and Coptic Christians there! At the same time President Obama wants to raise military and military retirees Tricare health insurance premiums by 1.7 billion dollars for next year and much more over the next several years. At the same time Pelosi is upset because the House majority leadership voted to use money from a Obamacare slush fund to keep interest rate down on college loan. Oh and did I mention Obama is protecting government workers and union member healthcare costs from going up. And one of the reasons the Obama regime is raising Tricare fees , is to push us off Tricare onto Obamacare which will quickly become rationed,as antone with any common sense knows anything free swill be used up quickly just look at Canada. Google Canada wait times for specialist visits .
Joe Ripp

April 28, 2012 at 8:17 pm

@Hey Norm: Wish President Obama would admit that. He is nefarious. said he would have the most open administration in history. That is why he won’t let ATF employees testify before congress. Is he covering for Holder?