News spread last week that the owner of the Coachella music festival, Phil Anschutz, donated thousands to groups that oppose LGBT equality. Phil claims that when he found out, he cut those groups off — but his non-pology rings pretty hollow. What, did he not even check to see what the recipients of his largesse were up to? How do you “accidentally” give money to the Family Research Foundation?
And then there’s the matter of the thousands he gave to climate-change-deniers. (Not like those groups need any more donors, since they’re all funded by oil companies like Exxon.) Not surprisingly, Phil owns an oil company of his own, so no wonder he’s trying to spread misinformation about how burning oil is destroying the planet.
At any rate, we still have no way of knowing where money raised from Coachella is going. The most recent year for which data is available is 2014, so who knows what other organizations are being supported by ticket sales.
So what can be done about all this? Aside from just not going, you can also sign a petition asking performers to donate their proceeds to queer causes to counteract Phil Anschutz’s agenda. It’s directed at performers like Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar and Radiohead, and recommends donations to The Trevor Project, Trans Lifeline and the Human Rights Campaign.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Brian
This just goes to show how self-serving pop performers are today. Most of them don’t give a rat’s behind anout gay rights.
Today’s music scene is a disaster. It’s also extremely homophobic in the sense that not one of the performers in the Billboard Hot 100 chart is an openly homosexual male. Not even one.
While most of you gay clowns are out there partying, taking drugs or perusing Grindr, you’re failing to take notice of the enormous amount of homophobia that has developed in the music scene.
Well, screw you.
Pudenda Non Grata
Dearest Brian:
“….Most of them don’t give a rat’s behind anout gay rights…..”
Typographical error, I hope, notwithstanding, you are wrong!! Most performers couldn’t give a bulbous red baboon’s arse anout gayer rights. We’ve left the rodents and embraced the primates in our super-ultra-mega homophobia, doncha know?
Brian
@Pudenda Non Grata:
Most pop performers couldn’t give a rat’s behind about gay rights. They are greedy whores who will sell out anybody in the name of making money.
Deepdow
The cynical sharks are out but they thought they found blood, but it was just the same old sad inflatable in their above ground pools. Brian, I feel sorry for you.
Masc Pride
Or maybe people should just cancel their Coachella plans altogether? Sorry, but this is ridiculous. These performers shouldn’t be pressured to donate. This is a perfect example of pushy entitlement that has helped to so severely divided this country. Have we not learned anything at all? Pressuring and/or shaming people into being on your side makes more enemies than allies.
Masc Pride
*This is a perfect example of pushy entitlement that has helped to so severely divide this country.
Brian
@Masc Pride:
How are they allies to begin with? If you think they are our allies, you really are misguided.
How on earth are these pop acts our allies?????
pisces-boi
These entertainers have the right to earn a living without having to deal with problems that have no effect on their lives, and I found it funny that people are so critical of blacks who don’t work or earn a living but then hate on blacks who do work. Anyway, no gay person is hurting in this country….. so get over it. @brian you hate on gay men more than anyone else, so who are you to judge these artists?
IDoNotHaveToAgreeWithYou
Beyonce’s greedy ass ain’t donating a penny to anyone. They can’t trace any of the money she supposedly gives in charity.
pisces-boi
@IDoNotHaveToAgreeWithYou: So a woman who works hard to maintain her success is greedy, so what we you consider ALL Americans to be? And if beyonce was an average woman working at burger king what we you call her then?
Masc Pride
@Brian: Where on earth did I say pop stars were allies? It helps to read before replying, Brian.
ChrisK
@pisces-boi: “These entertainers have the right to earn a living without having to deal with problems that have no effect on their lives, and I found it funny that people are so critical of blacks who don’t work or earn a living but then hate on blacks who do work. Anyway, no gay person is hurting in this country”
Dumb and dumber statement. Yes they have that right to perform knowing that a certain % will go to hate groups but I also have the right not to buy their music when they do. What you call racism I call a free market.
Captain Obvious
I’m kind of getting a good laugh at demanding the money of others for random organizations.
Have any of your given your own personal money to organizations that have nothing to do with you?
Don’t be hypocrites.
pisces-boi
@ChrisK: I didn’t say anything about racism. What I did say is that i found it funny that people are so critical of blacks who don’t work or earn a living but then hate on blacks people who do work, and everyone is capable of being a hateful person for god sake Americans just elected one as a president. Last time I check no gay person is being hurt in this country by these so-called hate group, and I never said you or anyone else had to buy their music
ChrisK
@pisces-boi: “Last time I check no gay person is being hurt in this country by these so-called hate group”.
You get the dumbest comment of the year award. The owner is giving money to anti-gay organizations like the FRC who’s done tons of damage to the gay community. Check out Tony Perkins who heads it. A vicious homophobic and racist bigot.
ChrisK
@pisces-boi: “Last time I check no gay person is being hurt in this country by these so-called hate group”.
You get the dumbest comment of the year award. The owner is giving money to anti-gay organizations like the FRC who’s done tons of damage to the gay community. Check out Tony Perkins who heads it. A vicious homophobic and ra*ist bigot.
pisces-boi
@ChrisK: At the end of the day, gay men are not being hurt or affected in any kind of way by the organizations you mention, nor are they hurt by the personal opinion of Tony Perkins. Gay men can vote, work, get married, and receive an education just like anyone else in this country.