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ESPN sidelines Hank Williams Jr.

Williams compared Obama to Hitler.

If you thought it sounded like something was missing from the start of Monday night's football game, you're right. ESPN pulled Hank Williams Jr.'s classic intro song from its Monday night broadcast. ESPN made the move following a controversial comment made by Williams. 

Hank Williams Jr. has been sidelined by ESPN.

Hank Williams Jr. has been sidelined by ESPN.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - ESPN made the decision after Hank Williams Jr. compared President Obama to Adolf Hitler during a televised interview. The interview aired Monday morning on Fox News' "Fox & Friends."

Williams was not prompted to comment but said that President Obama's recent golf game with Republican Speaker of the House, John Boehner, was, "Like Hitler playing golf with Netanyahu." Netanyahu is the Prime Minister of Israel.

The hosts of the show asked Williams to clarify and he said, "They are the enemy." Williams added that he meant Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were the enemy he was talking about.
News anchor Gretchen Carlson pointed out how extreme she felt the reference was. Williams defended his comments by saying, "Well, that is true. But I'm telling you like it is."

Following these comments ESPN decided to pull Hank Williams Jr.'s classic intro from their Monday night football game between the Colts and Buccaneers.

Williams later released a statement through his publicist in the statement he wrote "Some of us have strong opinions and are often misunderstood. My analogy was extreme -- but it was to make a point. I was simply trying to explain how stupid it seemed to me -- how ludicrous that pairing was. They are polar opposites and it made no sense. They don't see eye to eye and never will. I have always respected the office of the president."

Williams's statement continued "Every time the media brings up the tea party it's painted as racist and extremist -- but there is never a backlash -- no outrage to those comparisons. Working-class people are hurting -- and it doesn't seem like anybody cares. Both sides are high-fiving it on the ninth hole when everybody else is without a job -- it makes a whole lot of us angry. Something has to change. The policies have to change."

The song is "All My Rowdy Friends Are Here On Monday Night." It is a remix version of his 1984 hit "All My Rowdy and Friends Are Coming over Tonight." The song has been used since 1989 and won four Emmy awards in the early 90s as the opening theme to Monday Night Football.
It is not known whether ESPN will bring the song back for future broadcasts.

© 2011, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention:
The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Hank Williams Jr., Obama, Hitler, ESPN, Monday Night Football, Fox

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1 - 2 of 2 Comments

  1. Rob
    1 year ago

    Boycott ESPN???? At some point we have to restore some sense of order back in our political discourse. There are just things you don't say and either the guy is a moron or he knew exactly what he was saying. So he said it and now he get's to pay the price for it. Personally, I have never seen a time in my life when their was so much hatred in our country. And it's comments like this one that make me wonder why? I'm sorry, if that is what the Tea Party is selling, I want no part of it.

  2. Diane
    1 year ago

    ESPN is a "politically correct" entity that is a coward. Lets boycott ESPN for this action. Don't watch it anymore till they bring back Hank Williams song. I always thought sports fans had some backbone.

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