Comedian Kathy Griffin has sharply criticized singer Ed Sheeran for not pushing back against billionaire Robert Kraft after Macklemore was removed from the remainder of Sheeran's tour. In an interview with Queerty published Wednesday, Griffin said Sheeran should have told the Gillette Stadium owner to «go f--- yourself» when Kraft barred Macklemore from performing as the opening act over his «Free Palestine» remarks and his performance of the anti-Israel song «Hind's Hall.»
Macklemore was pulled from the rest of Sheeran's tour earlier this month after repeatedly voicing support for Palestine during his sets. The decision followed Kraft's move to block the rapper from performing at Gillette Stadium, the New England Patriots' home venue. While Sheeran has said the decision ultimately came from the concert promoter and venues rather than from him personally, Griffin argued that the British singer had both the power and the responsibility to defend Macklemore at the time.
«I wish that Ed Sheeran had not taken the advice of the ones who told him to fire Macklemore,» Griffin told Queerty. «Let's not be listening to f------ Robert Kraft. When Robert Kraft says I've called all the other stadium owners and they're not gonna let you do the show with Macklemore either, Ed Sheeran should've said go f--- yourself, I can go to Brazil and perform for 250,000 people. He had more options.»
Griffin also defended Macklemore's comments as protected under the First Amendment and expressed her own support for the «Free Palestine» movement. «I don't think 'Free Palestine' is such a controversial thing to say because that's a genuine genocide that is happening there, in my opinion,» she said. «I don't want Israel to be eradicated. I love the Israeli people as I hope the rest of the world likes the American people but hates [President Donald] Trump and his cabinet and our current SCOTUS. So I can't stand [Israeli Prime Minister] Bibi Netanyahu. I think he's ruined the Knesset which is their Congress. But I certainly don't have a beef with the Jewish people or the Palestinian people. They're both trying to survive. I personally think that Palestine should be its own country.»
In response to being removed from Sheeran's tour, Macklemore announced Thursday that he would launch his own «Free Palestine Tour.» He currently has three shows scheduled: in Dublin on Oct. 26, in Paris on Oct. 29, and in London on Oct. 30. While Macklemore has drawn support from progressive figures for his political actions, he has also faced criticism from pro-Israel organizations that accuse him of supporting antisemitism.
The Israeli-American Council (IAC) released a statement supporting Kraft's actions against Macklemore. «The Israeli-American Council (IAC) applauds Robert Kraft and his fellow stadium owners for their moral leadership in expelling rapper Macklemore from the concert stage rather than allow him to promote antisemitism,» the statement read. It added, «Robert Kraft's moral leadership establishes what should be an obvious principle: a performer who traffics in antisemitism should not be given a stage. As a result, Macklemore will no longer be allowed to subject audiences to his hateful rants. The IAC salutes and thanks Mr. Kraft for setting an example for all to follow.»
Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for both Sheeran and Kraft for comment. The episode has intensified an ongoing debate over the boundaries of political expression in entertainment venues and the influence of venue owners over artistic performances. Kraft, a billionaire businessman and prominent philanthropist, has previously pledged $2 million for humanitarian aid amid the fallout over Macklemore's venue ban. The controversy continues to draw reactions from political figures and advocacy groups on both sides of the issue.