The Farr Side: What's the fuss about a beer can?
It’s kind of crazy to think that a simple can of beer can cause so much controversy. And yet, here we are once again. One more thing, in a long line of things, that trip people up.
Bud Light and its parent company, Anheuser-Busch are facing a backlash and a boycott of its brand after partnering with transgender influencer and activist Dylan Mulvaney.
Mulvaney took to Instagram, a format she’s used to document her 365 days of being a woman, to show that the beer maker sent her a personalized can with her face on it to commemorate her first year of transitioning.
Apparently, that’s all it took for the gesture to draw condemnation from social media users — some calling for a boycott while others have cut ties with the brand altogether.
It’s one can of beer, folks. I could understand an argument more if you were down to the last can of beer in the fridge and you and your buddy both wanted it.
I’m not much of a beer drinker, but I do appreciate a nice cold brew or ale once in a while. Hearing this has me scratching my head and questioning some people — again!
Kid Rock was the first celebrity I saw who made his feelings quite known by shooting up a couple of Bud Light 12-packs with his gun. Kid Rock, really? So, his word and actions have merit? Not for me, they don’t.
I happened to go to a Kid Rock some years back to review it. I liked a couple of his radio-friendly songs and felt he was a talented guy. His show was a disgrace and a huge disappointment. I’ve never encountered a show where I had a hard time coming away with any positive things to say.
Here was a man who smashed beer bottles against cages with naked women dancing in them. Repeated expletives filled the show and his filthy talk of women as meat was degrading. Several people left. I stayed for as long as I could tolerate it, but left early as well.
Sure, he was known for “Cowboy” and “Badwitdaba,” songs that depicted that nature, but he could also make incredible songs like “Only God Knows Why” and “Lonely Road of Faith.” But, this show ruined him for me. The only thing I could say was he was such a waste of talent.
Where was the outrage in his actions back in the day? Is it because the “#MeToo” movement hadn’t come to fruition yet? It shouldn’t have mattered either way. It was wrong and extremely distasteful, to say the least.
I could have taken to social media and trashed him, but what would that have accomplished? Nothing, really. People would have been split on the topic, as usual, with some supporting my statements and others saying, “If you don’t like him, don’t go to his show.”
My point is this blasphemy can be reckless. It was one can of beer. If you don’t like it, then simply don’t buy it. Trashing a company over something this trivial is immature.
Kid Rock isn’t alone in his thoughts. Other artists, mainly country ones, have shown their true colors, too. Singer Travis Tritt pulled Bud Light from sponsoring his tour this year, while John Rich pulled the beer brand from his Nashville bar.
Bud Light was the U.S.’s top-selling beer of 2022, according to multiple online reports. My bet is it will still be a best-seller. Many people thought Nike would take a major hit after partnering with Colin Kaepernick, but they seem OK. I still wear their shoes.
Sometimes it's things like this that end up being ways to divide us. Can’t we just all get along?
— David T. Farr is a Journal correspondent. Email him at farrboy@hotmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: The Farr Side: What's the fuss about a beer can?
