Over the weekend, Bud Light announced a partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Transphobic conservatives reacted predictably by calling for a boycott of the popular light lager.
Kid Rock took the effort to cancel Bud Light one step further: by buying several cases of it then filming himself shooting them.
“Grandpa’s feeling a little frisky today,” the right-wing musician says in the video. “Let me say something to all you and be as clear and concise as possible.”
Turning around, Kid Rock shoots several cases of Bud Light with a automatic rifle.
The “Bawitdaba” singer then turns back to the camera and flips it the bird.
“Fuck Bud Light. And fuck Anheuser-Busch. Have a terrific day,” he says.
Kid Rock’s fans were thrilled by the performance, which he posted to his verified Instagram and Twitter accounts.
The video, which has over 2 million views as of this writing, prompted a wave of positive reactions from his followers.
“Damn I thought I wasn’t in the mood tonight but suddenly I’m singing ‘Cowboy’ and looking for my husband,” an amorous Instagram user wrote.
“Fantastic. Except its Tranheuser Busch,” @DefNotDarth tweeted.
Convicted Capitol rioter Jenna Ryan wrote, “Go Grandpa!!!”
Others thought that it was an extremely strange and over-the-top reaction to a marketing campaign.
“Inconsequential redneck shoots up things in the woods. In other news, the sun came up this morning. Film at 11,” @timwilliamsart tweeted facetiously.
Many opined that buying four cases of Bud Light to shoot them isn’t really keeping with the spirit of a boycott.
“Budweiser: ‘thanks for buying cases of our beer… we don’t care what you do with them,’” @davidfortin commented.
Kid Rock professes to be a freedom-loving patriot. Some felt that (literally) blasting a brand for choosing to hire a fellow American for an ad campaign doesn’t exemplify these values.
“We are all Americans in this country even our beloved LGBTQ community,” @nised72 replied to Kid Rock’s tweet.
While critics of Anheuser-Busch previously pointed out that the company has donated to politicians who have pushed for transphobic legislation, it’s also done Pride-based marketing campaigns and given money to LGBTQ causes for decades. In 2022, the Human Rights Campaign rated it as one of the best places for LGBTQ people to work.
“Anheuser-Busch has been doing LGBT Pride based advertising since 1998. Literally been around as long as his entire career,” wrote @destroyed4com4t.
Others wondered whether Kid Rock’s implied boycott of the brand (he never actually said he wouldn’t buy it) would extend to his businesses. According to its website, Kid Rock’s Big Honky Tonk & Steakhouse carries Bud Light, Budweiser, and Bud Light Lime.
“Now if he REALLY wants to lose some money he should stop selling @Budweiser products in his club in Nashville! That’ll cost him!” @tenntuxx tweeted.
