Former lead singer for R.E.M, Michael Stipe made an appearance on the “Late Show” this week and he had some harsh words for Donald Trump.
Stipe first traced Trump’s rise to President: “He started as a failed midtown real estate developer, then became a successful reality TV star,” Stipe said. “Now we get this bloviating, puff-adder sack of lies. What next?”
He also took a few moments to reflect on how he first got into politics, particularly when he was still taking the stage with R.E.M. He says it all really began when they were on tour in Europe during Ronald Reagan’s presidency.
“We had to, in a way, politicize ourselves and educate ourselves about who we are to the rest of the world and who we are to ourselves.”
Stipe has also taken a stand and urged others to take the coronavirus seriously. He penned a powerful op-ed that urged his hometown of Athens, Georgia to act on COVID-19 precautions.
He especially stressed the importance of the University of Georgia and Governor Brian Kemp to lead the way and take the proper steps.
He also called for the same measures other cities have taken which includes closing down bars and restaurants except for outside service and holding sporting events without fans in attendance.
“Few understand the thrill of being in a crowd more than I do,” he wrote. “From R.E.M.’s modest start at the 40-Watt Club in Athens to the triumph of the main stage at Glastonbury, I have spent most evenings of my adult life in the company of thousands, or tens of thousands, reveling in a shared celebration of life. 2020 is the time, however, that we must find a different and more intimate source of warmth and revelry, rather than assembled masses.”
“The Georgia I was born in and know and love is full of beautiful, soulful people, from the city streets of Athens to the neighboring counties, and beyond to the piedmont and coastal towns,” he wrote.
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“Historically we have given much — from James Brown to the B-52’s, Jessye Norman to Childish Gambino, Martin Luther King Jr to Stacey Abrams, their home and legacy and my base deserve a stronger level of support than this state and its key institutions have provided thus far.”
This, of course, isn’t the first time that a music or Hollywood star has come out against Trump. It seems like almost all of tinseltown is against him.
Recently, Oscar winner Michael moore had some disparaging words to say about President Trump as well.
He said:
I can tell you for a fact that Osama Bin Laden did not fly a single one of those G-d d*** airplanes. So he’s innocent? No. Trump is a mass killer. Trump stood down and knowingly allowed 200,000 Americans to die.
Moore was speaking on Trump’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
On top of Moore, counteless more stars have come out against Trump. None more vocal than Bette Midler who has blasted Trump time and time again on Twitter.
In early August Trump seemed to jsut go off on Twitter for no reason, saying “FAKE NEWS IS THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!”
Midler apparently had seen enough and responded in kind.
Of course this was from early August and now the death toll from the pandemic is now over 200,000. When Midler tweeted this, it was only around 153,000.
Trump has made it a point to attack anyone that has an agenda that’s not his. These stars are attempting to provide voice for those that don’t have one.
