We always thought Chris Cornell (right), lead singer of Soundgarden and Audioslave, was just a talented hottie. Now we’ll have to call him a righteous babe: On Thursday, the grunge rocker was hanging out in the Alaska Airlines lounge in Seattle’s Sea-Tac airport when he overheard a businessman call another passenger a “queer” for supporting President Obama.
According to PerezHilton.com Cornell stepped in and read the bigot for filth:
“You’re a prick. You deliberately called him a queer to make him feel uncomfortable in front of a lot of people.”
Security came and escorted the man out of the lounge, whereupon the other passenger and Alaska Airline staffers thanks Cornell for intervening.
Ironically Cornell had just come from a Obama fundraiser in San Francisco that evening, where he paid tribute to Whitney Houston with an acoustic version of “I Will Always Love You.” Everyone from Nicole Scherzinger to Amber Riley has been covering that song, but it’s nice to see a dude from the rock world comfortable enough with his image to take it on in such a unique and heartfelt way.
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If you want to give some love to Cornell, consider downloading his recent solo album, Songbook, and keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming Soundgarden reunion album (the first since 1996), set to drop later this year.
Photo: Don Van Cleave, Ivo Kendra
MikeE
I’m sorry, righteous or otherwise, his cover of “I will always love you” was terrible.
WillBFair
I think it’s great. Singing and playing guitar in a live venue. Takes guts. He never missed a note, even while dancing around the melody. The accoustic guitar, and that voice. Perfect.
Stupid
Cried.
Ron
If someone caals me queer I don’t take offense, I just lick my lips while eying them suggestively 🙂
tony
I’ve always love Chris Cornell’s voice. I was a fan of his while he was in Soundgarden and Audioslave, and I love his solo stuff..and it helps that he’s crazy sexy.
WillBFair
Plus the song is very difficult to sing. Plus, his deep man voice in a song usually done by and for women is especially powerful.
KyleW
Of course, you could take this two ways. He might have been suggesting that being queer itself was something to be embarrassed about, and he simpy took umbrage at the bullying…
perdeep
@KyleW: I’m a longtime Soundgarden and Audioslave fan and I assure you that Cornell has a past history of being very vocal about minority rights and social justice. He was definitely not suggesting that being queer was anything to be embarrassed about
Belize
OK. This just makes him twice as hot as he used to be. I’ve always been a very big admirer of his voice as a musician. Now, I think I’m also starting to like him a lot more as a person.
the other Greg
Always heard about his politics etc. & this is hot.
jeff4justice
Chris Cornell has always been hot, talented and now learning he’s LGBT friendly makes him all the more awesome.
The Aduioslave song “Be Yourself” should be on the playlist of any LGBT rock fan.
trevor bartlet
Queer was the wrong word. “Idiot” would have been more apt.
If the shoe fits
I would be so much more embarassed if Chris Cornell called me out than if some guy called me a queer. It was a good deed Chris did, though. I just wonder if he would have done the same if the Obama supporter called the Republican queer.