Kid Rock’s relevance in modern-day pop culture has been subject to debate, even more so with his latest erratic display during a Rolling Stone interview, where he reportedly brandished a firearm, gambling his career. The 53-year-old has been hounded for his support for Donald Trump, his attack on successful female artists, and his unapologetic use of homophobic slurs among other controversial stances. Yet somehow, the rock star has managed to escape the wrath of cancel culture, so much that he almost seems to thrive off the scandals. Maybe he does.
Kid Rock Waved a Gun at an Interviewer During Drunk Interview
His latest career controversy had Kid Rock leave an interviewer physically threatened. Kid Rock, born Robert James Ritchie graced an interview with Rolling Stone reporter David Peisner. The two discussed an array of politically charged topics including immigration, the 2020 U.S. elections and transgender rights.
Kid did not hesitate to throw in several racial slurs and expletives as he spoke. Throughout their interview, the rockstar kept chugging alcoholic beverages, becoming increasingly flustered. Eventually, the heavy drinking took its toll as Kid Rock pulled out a firearm mid-speech and brandished it in front of the Rolling Stone interviewer, with his voice raised. David recalled,
“He’s sitting in a dark leather chair, shouting at me about something or other, when he reaches behind the seat, pulls out a black handgun, and waves it around to make some sort of point.”
David revealed that while brandishing his gun, Kid Rock hauled expletives, and even made a comment about having a gun “everywhere” for when “I need it.” But that’s not the comment that’s making everyone’s toes curl.
David Piesner recounted how before walking away post-interview, Kid Rock turned to him and made a career-defining request in hush tones, saying,
“Just write the most horrific article about me. Do it. It helps me.”
His request is as toe-curling as it gets. Not only is it deemed an act of desperation, but also a “phoney” move that could potentially crumble all Kid Rock’s worked hard to build in his decades-long career. Netizens are not taking kindly to his actions, either. For most, brandishing a firearm and hauling racist remarks in drunken anger is one thing, but subjecting someone to that as an intentional ploy to give the media something scandalous to feed off was a whole new level of phoney. One Reddit user wrote,
How is this clown still relevant enough to be interviewed by anyone?
Another opined,
“Now that his flame is burning out, he’s grabbing on to whatever will keep him relevant. I had a buddy tell me his girlfriend’s parents (definitely wa-hoo MAGA folks) went to see him in concert. What the fuck – these people are old-old and shit.”
A third added,
“This might have been the kind of article Ritchie least wanted. I get the feeling that he’s more “pathetic” than anything.”
The desperate plea to have a scandalous piece written about him makes one question whether his moves throughout the interview were but carefully calculated words and actions. That wouldn’t be beneath Kid Rock, who’s made a career in Scandalville. This time though, the internet seems to be calling him out for what he is — an attention-seeking outlaw, “too old to kid, yet, too soft to rock.”
