Former teen idol and Hanson drummer Zac Hanson has issued an apology following the leak of a Pintrest account maintained by the musician which contained right-wing transphobic, homophobic and racist content.
The account came to public light in June, following fan criticism of the band Hanson (a trio, consisting of Zac and his two brothers) for not voicing support of anti-racism during the George Floyd/#BlackLivesMatter protests. The band later issued a general denouncement of racism via Instagram following fan outcry, as did the three individual members. Conspicuously, none of them mentioned Black Lives Matter by name.
Related: Isaac Hanson says COVID-19 is part of a government plot in the war on Christmas
Then the Pintrest account became public. According to Vice, the account contained “a trove of pro-gun memes, many of which were racist, transphobic, homophobic, and sexist. Among them was one supporting George Zimmerman in the killing of Trayvon Martin, and another comparing the right to use an AR-15 rifle with Rosa Parks’s right to sit on a bus.”
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Swift backlash ensued, and within days Zac Hanson confirmed that the account did belong to him. He first tried to explain it away as a joke saying “Maybe it’s in bad taste, a lot of comedy is.”
Now Hanson has issued a more pointed apology. “The leaked Pinterest page provided a distorted view of the issues surrounding race and social justice, which do not reflect my personal beliefs,” he wrote to Vice. “I apologize for the hurt my actions caused.”
Hanson rose to fame in 1997 with the hit song “MMMBop,” which went to #1 on the Bilboard Top 100. At the time, Zac Hanson was only 11 years old. Now 35, he is the father of four children and married to Kate Tucker. Last month, with “Hansongate” in full bloom, Hanson’s brother Isaac also posted a claim to Instagram that the government is using COVID-19 as an excuse to “cancel Christmas.”
JED08
Okay, didn’t know about this, but now I do, so BYE Hanson clan.
TomG
True. Apologies no longer count. You said what said and we have to believe that you meant them.
Cam
So they’re nutjob racists.
Godabed
No Zac is just gun nut Christian. His insensitivity to issues that didn’t affect him is why he posted those things, he didn’t do it to be racist according to him. He did it because it was about the 2nd amendment. I sh*t you not that’s how he explained it at first. Then he said some other BS about how people who know him knows it’s not in his heart, but not realizing that what he was re sending out hurt a lot of his fans. There is a whole reddit about it.
I knew about this months ago before it became public. Also the other brother Isaac is problematic as well.
The only one that doesn’t seems to be problematic is Taylor Hanson.
Jack Meoff
I’m not surprised by this one bit there was always something a little off about those guys. I’m thinking Deliverance ancestry kind of vibe.
JED08
Agreed. Wack jobs. Too bad, they were nice to look at.
dhmonarch89
Kathy Griffin tells a story about being on the Today Show back in 97 with them and Peter Fonda… at the end of the show they asked her and Peter to stand off to the side and listen/dance as Hansen performed their song… Kathy says Peter leaned over and said, ‘they look like the pride of Norway…’ i.e. VERY White.
JB
Um, so what’s the point? Wasn’t Peter Fonda and isn’t Kathy Griffin very white, too? There’s nothing wrong with being white. It’s when white people become racist, imperialistic, holier-than-thou morons that it becomes a problem.
dhmonarch89
JB- F off and die- it was a funny story about them- jeez I hate people!
trsxyz
Oh man… I wish this wasn’t true. Their music was such a part of my growing-up memories…
WSnyder
So…
Closet Racist/Bigot/Homophobe
Pretends NOT to be
Gets Caught on Social Media
Tries to make light of It [the stupid Double Down at this step]
Backfires and it Blows Up
PR Nightmare, Loss of Popularity
Revenue Stream threatened
Throws out Apology [likely crafted by PR Management to stem the bleeding] or use Lame *ss Excuse
Holding breath hoping it blows over [including hunkering down/keeping low profile]
Couple weeks/months later resurface and pray that everyone forgot
Try to recoup revenue stream and Celeb Status
Man this Playbook gets used to Death doesn’t it?
naobe5
You don’t say….
cuteguy
Mmmmm-bye
Andrew
Hahahahaha Best comment here
rallidriver
Guess what folks? Not everyone sees it your way. I hate to break this to everyone but the world is filled with differing opinions. A number of people aren’t comfortable of certain conversations and the exact opposite of what to do is force it down their thought. Be calm, cleverly and slowly educate them. Hanson hasn’t been a thing in forever. So, in my opinion, this story holds no value except to incite and evoke cancel culture.
CKNJ
just read kk88’s comment and then think about what you wrote again.
rickywintour
I can only tell your a fat white ugly piece of crap who father don’t love them and lives with his overbearing mom. I bet you’d love for Hanson to run a train on your pathetic ass. How about you go suck on your mothers titties while you cry for daddy you little bitch.
kk88
I am a huge lifelong Hanson fan. They have meant a huge deal and been a big part of my life. But this I cannot get over. Not just the initial comments but the fact that they have silenced fans who have calmly challenged and questioned them by deleting their comments and even blocking them on Instagram or from their website.
No apology has been made to the fans who, like me, have got stick by standing up for the band their whole lives and spent a huge amounting money on them, then had their entire existence As part of the lgbt community mocked by the band. And then as soon as it goes public they dish out fake apologies to the press, still continuing to silence and ignore their fans requests for a genuine apology. Absolute spineless a holes
Jim
So the racist is apologizing for “hurting” people. Interesting
Bromancer7
Yeah, they were all homeschooled. Which is the first giant red flag.
whateverokok
Come on. Leave Hanson alone, dudes. Go back to your crappy music and let those with real taste listen to Hanson in peace. I’d hate to see what you all would if you artists spouted stuff you don’t like. Cancel Madonna or Lady Gaggag? I don’t think so.
rickywintour
I hope you off yourself you bigoted troll. Nobody but self hating wastes of sperm care about old ass Hanson. I feel so sorry for your mother for not swallowing you when your father nutted in her. They raised a bad seed and you grew into a pile of crap.
acna64
Famous people say things then instantly think oh shit I just lost the gay group. Sorry pal once you say it its there and no I do not accept apologies for things people say or they would say anything. Homophobic behavior is inexcusable. Bye bye loser
Essie
I thought Pinterest was a place to post your latest home design or where people go to get ideas for their home design and weddings and girly stuff. I used to post there years ago but stopped. I had no clue people posted stuff like this. Am I thinking of the wrong Pinterest. This is just strange news to me. Not strange or new that the Hanson Bros are racist twats (I’ve known that for years) but posting their hate on Pinterest is strange.