Hank Williams Jr. Compares Obama to Hitler; Dropped From Monday Night Football
Country legend Hank Williams Jr. is coming under fire today after his controversial statements Monday comparing President Barack Obama to Nazi Dictator Adolf Hitler.
Appearing on the Fox News morning program “Fox and Friends,” Williams took issue with the golf summit in June between President Obama and Vice President Biden with House Majority Leader John Boehner(R).
He told the morning crew on the golf summit, "It would be like Hitler playing golf with (Israeli leader) Benjamin Netanyahu."
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Asked by the show to further clarify his comments, Hank Williams Jr. added that “they’re the enemy,” referring to Obama.
Before leaving the show, Williams continued the criticism by calling President Obama and Vice President Biden to the Three Stooges.
Immediately after the show, a firestorm of controversy began on both sides of the political aisle. The comments began trending on twitter with many users calling the comments irresponsible and greatly untrue.
ESPN took immediate action against Williams who for the past 20 years has recorded the opening song for Monday Night Football.
ESPN released a statement saying, "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."
After ESPN dropped the country crooner, Hank Williams Jr. responded to the criticism by releasing a statement of his own saying he was misunderstood.
Williams said, “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."
Since 1989, Hank Williams Jr. has opened the Monday Night Football telecast with the phrase, “Are You Ready For Some Football.”
The song is remake of his song “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Today.”
The opening number has garnered William’s four Emmy awards.
ESPN has not said whether they will add the song back to the show at a later date, or if another artist will be recording the new intro to Monday Night Football.
On Monday night, the song didn’t play on the airwaves in the first time in twenty years. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers later went on to defeat the Indianapolis Colts 24-17.
