John Oliver, Joe Rogan slam Budweiser ad amid Dylan Mulvaney, Bud Light backlash

More celebrities are reacting to the Anheuser-Busch and Dylan Mulvaney backlash.

After CEO Brendan Whitworth released a statement April 14 amid the recent backlash over Bud Light's partnership with Mulvaney, a transgender actor and TikTok star, another Anheuser-Busch-owned beer, Budweiser, shared an ad on social media.

The one-minute clip showed the company's famous Clydesdale horse running through American landmarks and patriotic symbols that represent "the story of the American spirit."

While the ad did not directly mention Mulvaney, a University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music alumna, nor the backlash to her partnership with Bud Light, many people, like John Oliver and Joe Rogan, have interpreted it as a direct response and have since criticized the commercial. Others, however, are still taking issue with the beer brand.

More: Second Anheuser-Busch exec goes on leave amid UC grad Dylan Mulvaney, Bud Light backlash

John Oliver responded to the Bud Light backlash

Oliver addressed the criticism surrounding Bud Light's partnership with Mulvaney during Sunday night's episode of his show "Last Week Tonight."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the British comedian discussed how people are taking videos of themselves destroying Bud Light and Anheuser-Busch products, saying “because there’s one thing that hurts a company, it’s destroying their product after it’s already been purchased.”

Among those videos was the viral clip posted by Kid Rock, who Oliver called "Child Rock." In the video, Rock fired a gun at cases of Bud Light beer, but didn't reveal the reasoning behind his post.

“I don’t think there’s a more dangerous way to dispose of Bud Light other than, of course, drinking it,” Oliver added.

Reactions: Budweiser posts patriotic ad amid Dylan Mulvaney backlash, celebs continue reacting

The host went on to say how the "real nastiness" surrounding the backlash is the “moral panic around trans rights" occurring at the same time that many states are passing anti-LGBTQ+ laws. Kentucky lawmakers voted to ban gender-affirming care for minors last month.

Oliver additionally criticized Whitworth's statement, saying it's “really annoying to be both sides in something when the two sides are: 'I am trans,' and (the other side is) 'That makes me so mad I’m gonna shoot $65 worth of non-refundable beer.'”

He concluded Sunday's episode by playing Budweiser's new commercial, calling it "a huge misfire."

“When bigots are loudly announcing they don’t like your beer because they are bigots, that is an opportunity to say, ‘Then our beer is not for you,'" he said.

Joe Rogan: Anheuser-Busch 'is a company in deep s---'

Rogan, host of the "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, also shared some thoughts about Budweiser's new advertisement during his April 20 episode. He said it seemed the ad was made by artificial intelligence, calling it a "ChatGPT 4.0 version of the perfect American commercial."

"It's like the f----ing dumbest, pro-America rah rah (ad)," Rogan said. "This is a company in deep s----."

Related: Dylan Mulvaney goes on Rosie O'Donnell podcast after Bud Light deal, talks UC, criticism

Rogan also criticized Bud Light's marketing vice president Alissa Heinerscheid, who recently took a leave of absence from the company, and Mulvaney, saying the UC grad is craving attention.

The UFC commentator had previously spoken about the Bud Light and Mulvaney controversy, labeling it "goofy" in an earlier episode, per Newsweek.

"What they're doing is just spreading the brand to an extra group of people. Why, if something is good, do you give a f--- who's got it?"

Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other GOP governors released 'Real Woman' beer koozies

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other female Republican governors also responded to the Bud Light controversy, releasing a series of beverage koozies branded with their faces and the slogan "Real Woman."

According to the Des Moines Register, the koozies, which portray four different Republican governors, appear to parody Bud Light cans by using the brand's signature royal blue color and white lettering. In addition to Reynolds and Sanders, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem were also included.

They are available for $15 on Sanders' campaign website.

Reynolds posted a promotional image of the merchandise on Twitter this week, writing, "Woke corporations are trying to change who WE are!"

The group also released a promotional video parodying Bud Light commercials with a voice in the background saying, "real women don't have to fake it."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: John Oliver, Joe Rogan, GOP governors chime in on Dylan Mulvaney, Bud Light