As most people are swooning over Tuesday’s news that Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar, and Beyoncé are set to headline Coachella 2017, a more disturbing narrative about the mega-festival’s owner is starting to emerge: As Esquire reports, the festival’s owner has a long history of supporting a number of conservative causes.
Philip Anschutz owns Anshutz Entertainment Group (AEG LIVE), which includes Coachella’s promoter, Goldenvoice, under its umbrella. The Washington Post reports Anschutz has repeatedly donated vast sums of money to both Alliance Defending Freedom, Family Research Council, and National Christian Foundation; a triptych of antigay hate groups.
This summer, ProgressNowColorado shed light on Anshutz’s ties to these conservative groups, with executive direct Ian Silverii saying:
“Phil Anschutz’s extensive influence in Colorado politics has been known for years, but the degree of his support for anti-LGBTQ groups that fund extremist hate groups like Gordon Klingenschmitt’s ‘Pray in Jesus Name’ is shocking. At a time in American history when discrimination and violence against LGBTQ citizens is on the rise, support for pro-discrimination groups puts Anschutz on the wrong side of Colorado, and on the wrong side of history.”
Klingenschmitt, as you may know, has a history of saying things like gay people should be drowned.
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Greenpeace also reports that Anshutz is a “financier of climate science denial groups” and is regularly in attendance at the infernal Koch brothers’ strategy meetings.
ChrisK
Ironic that most that go to Coachella consider themselves Hipsters. Hipsters that will be putting money directly into hate groups, anti climate nuts, and anything else the Koch Brothers support.
Heywood Jablowme
@ChrisK: Coachella charges $10 for a bottle of water – in the desert – and you can’t bring it in.
Millennials will work 80 hours a week with the “life/work integration” as long as they have a ping-pong table at work.
I don’t have a LOT of money but I make out like a bandit. Gay millennial guys all seem to have “daddy” inc3st fantasies because of their absent, divorced, child-support daddies. And they all have a zillion dollars in student loans. Fuck millennials… literally… yum… lol.
The heterosexual people of MY generation really screwed up these poor kids! But what can you do.
Kangol
I had no idea Anschutz founded Coachella. Yikes! He’s from a wealthy family, owns a lot of busineses and is behind lots of very conservative issues and projects.
n900mixalot
@Kangol: He did not “found Coachella.” He bought the promo company that “owned” Coachella for $7 mill.