ESPN Cuts Hank Williams Jr. Opener After Singer Compares Obama To Hitler

ESPN pulled Hank Williams, Jr.’s Monday Night Football open — a staple since 1991 — over comments Williams made on Fox News comparing President Obama to Hitler, which included Williams calling the President, “the enemy.” Hank Williams, Jr. is planning a 2012 Senate run as a Republican.

ESPN has not made clear if the removal of Hank Williams, Jr.’s opener is permanent.

ESPN reports,

Williams, whose song “All My Rowdy Friends” has been the Monday Night Football theme on both ABC and ESPN since 1991, told “Fox and Friends” that he thought Speaker of the House John Boehner playing golf with President Obama “would be like Hitler playing golf with (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu … In the shape this country is in?”

Told by anchor Brian Kilmeade that he didn’t understand the analogy, Williams said: “I’m glad you don’t, brother, because a lot of people do. They’re the enemy.” Asked who, Williams said: “Obama. And Biden. Are you kidding? The Three Stooges.”

Boehner played golf with Obama in June at the height of the national budget debate in Washington, D.C.

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ESPN, in a statement, said: “While Hank Williams, Jr. is not an ESPN employee, we recognize that he is closely linked to our company through the open to Monday Night Football. We are extremely disappointed with his comments, and as a result we have decided to pull the open from tonight’s telecast.”

Williams issued a statement through his publicist, saying: “Some of us have strong opinions and are often misunderstood. My analogy was extreme — but it was to make a point. I was simply trying to explain how stupid it seemed to me — how ludicrous that pairing was. They’re polar opposites and it made no sense. They don’t see eye-to-eye and never will. I have always respected the office of the president.”

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Williams has been critical of Obama in the past. He campaigned for Sen. John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin in 2008, even changing the words of one of his songs, “Family Tradition,” to blast Obama and the Democrats for the financial crisis the country was facing prior to that year’s election.

 

Many thanks to Dave Evans of SuchIsLifeVideos for the top clip!