Preeminent authority on gay culture Donald Trump has dubbed the Village People’s song “YMCA” as the “gay national anthem.”
In an interview on the Full Send podcast uploaded Wednesday, Trump describes how he likes to play the 1978 disco hit to get the crowd pumped at Mar-a-Lago events.
It was previously reported that the former president hand-picks the music for his parties.
When asked what his “go to banger” is, Trump replied: “I have a lot of them. You know a song that does get people moving?—I love Broadway stuff, Phantom of the Opera and Les Mis etc—You know what gets them rocking? ‘YMCA.'”
Related: 5 gay anthems turning 20 this year
You know it’s a party when that “I Dreamed A Dream” beat drops.
“‘YMCA’, the gay national anthem. Did you ever hear that? They call it the gay national anthem,” he continued. “But ‘YMCA’ gets people up and it gets them moving.”
Donald Trump has long been a fan of the Village People, regularly blasting “Y.M.C.A.” and “Macho Man” at rallies.
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper‘s face said it all while covering one in 2020:
Anderson Cooper is every gay man in America right now when he hears Macho Man playing at a Trump Rally. The irony of a gay anthem playing at a Trump Rally is lost on the crowd. #machoman #TrumpRallyFlorida # pic.twitter.com/A3LyiVrSNi
— Nicolette NuVogue (@NikkiNuVogue) October 13, 2020
The love is unreciprocated by at least one of the Village People (village person?). Victor Willis, vocalist and co-founder of the group, issued a demand that Trump stop playing the songs.
As to whether “YMCA” is “the gay national anthem,” here’s what Willis had to say about the song in 2020:
“There is no Gay subtext to Y.M.C.A. Did Village People record songs with a Gay subtext? YES we did! But YMCA is not one of them. In fact, the Gay songs all appeared on the first album.”
Willis also threatened to sue any media outlet that claimed the song is about “illicit gay sex.”
And just for the record, Donald Trump is the most antigay president in modern history. You can read all about his vile record here.
moretruth
Willis is a homophobe. The writers/producers of the Village People were Italian guys who died of AIDS. Willis somehow was able to steal the rights to all the music and is constantly trying to de-gay it.
MISTERJETT
Queerty, please no more close-up photos of pgrabber. he’s gruesome!!!!
SamB
“There is no gay subtext to YMCA.” That has to be the most hilarious thing I’ve heard in a while.
Joshooeerr
Gay subtext is all there is to YMCA. Without it, it would be merely a commercial.
gregg2010
Y.M.C.A is not a “gay” song. All the insinuated sex is consensual.
Kangol2
Your statements are illogical. Gay sex usually is consensual, like heterosexual sex. Consensuality has zero to do with whether Y.M.C.A. is a gay song.
You don’t have to be a literary genius to see that these lyrics have an overtly gay subtext/implication:
“Young man, when you’re short on your dough you can
Stay there and I’m sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time”
AND
“They have everything for young men to enjoy
You can hang out with all the boys”
etc.
scotty
yvan eht nioj.
THAT Steve
I thought the national gay anthem was I Will Survive.
mailliw110
I thought it was It’s Raining Men!
BigE
My first concert was Gloria Gaynor and the Village People!
UncleFloppy
When oh when are they going to finally throw the orange turd and his three little turdlets (Don, Jr, Eric and Ivanka) in jail?