California Governor Gavin Newsom has been playing politics like it’s performance art, and his latest target is none other than Kid Rock.
Over the past few months, Newsom has cranked his social media presence into overdrive, tweeting in all caps, picking fights over trivial culture war issues like Cracker Barrel’s rebrand, and signing off with the sarcastic flourish: ‘Thank you for your attention to this matter.’ The approach is so Trump-coded that even Vice President J.D. Vance called him out on Fox News, saying Newsom “can’t mimic President Trump’s style.”
Newsom fired back: “Couch boy, I’m not mimicking Dozy Don. I’m mocking him. Only someone with a law degree from Chuck E. Cheese could be as dumb as you!!! – GCN.”
Kid Rock In The Firing Line
That jab set the tone for what came next. Kid Rock, whose résumé of controversies spans Confederate flags, homophobic slurs, pro Trump merch, and a high profile VMA fistfight with Tommy Lee, found himself in Newsom’s crosshairs.
In August, the governor tweeted: “I hate Kid Rock.” The next day he piled on: “Anyone noticed that since I said ‘I hate Kid Rock’ he’s no longer ‘hot?’”
Yesterday (20 September), Newsom escalated with: “Because of his horrific music, California will indefinitely suspend Kid Rock from performing in the Golden State. You’re welcome! – GCN.”
While the governor’s posts shouldn’t be read as official policy, the satire has struck a nerve, especially given the wider free speech debates around Disney, ABC and Trump.
According to Metal Injection, outlets like ThePRP believe Newsom’s comments tie into ABC suspending Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show and the FCC’s rumoured involvement, raising free speech questions. Reports suggest Disney, which owns ABC, has lost between $1.5 and $3.87 billion in stock value as angry subscribers cancel Disney+.
While Newsom has long championed free expression, even inviting the late Charlie Kirk on his podcast for a surprisingly civil debate (below), the Kid Rock ban feels more like commentary than censorship. Whether it sticks is anyone’s guess, but it’s one more surreal chapter in California’s culture war theatre.
Credit: Metal Injection
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