Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy firmly backed Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s decision to ban Macklemore from Gillette Stadium, telling the rapper to take his political activism somewhere else.
asserted
Portnoy → back → activism
Kraft’s decision helped get Macklemore kicked off Ed Sheeran’s U.S. "Loop Tour" after the Patriots owner cited the rapper’s history of antisemitic controversies.
asserted
owner → help → controversies
"I back Robert Kraft banning Macklemore from performing at Gillette 1000% and thank him for having a spine when many others in his shoes don't," Portnoy said in a video posted to X.
"Macklemore, who is turning this into a political rally, you're going to come into Bob Kraft's house and spit in his face?
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you → back → face
No f------ way!" Portnoy said.
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Portnoy → say → ?
This ain't freedom of speech, homie.
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This → be → speech
He owns the stadium!
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He → own → stadium
He added: "Would you have a party and invite someone over who is going to spew what you consider hatred?
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you → add → someone
If I go to the Ed Sheeran concert, I don't want to hear a ‘Free Palestine’ rant from a guy who isn't being genuine about it all.
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who → go → it
I didn't pay to hear Macklemore give me a political speech, I paid to hear Ed Sheeran sing.
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Sheeran → pay → speech
Portnoy spotlighted Macklemore’s antisemitic past.
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Portnoy → spotlight → past
"Bob Kraft, I am sure, did what I did when I saw this, he researched Macklemore," Portnoy said.
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Portnoy → do → Macklemore
"It didn't take long to learn that Macklemore has a pretty shady past.
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Macklemore → take → past
He already, at a prior concert, dressed in wildly antisemitic tropes."
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He → dress → tropes
Portnoy was referring to a 2014 Seattle performance in which Macklemore wore a dark suit, fake beard and prosthetic nose, drawing criticism for invoking antisemitic Jewish caricatures.
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Macklemore → refer → caricatures
Macklemore later apologized.
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Macklemore → apologize → ?
During Sheeran’s Sept. 4 and Sept. 5 shows at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, Macklemore led anti-Israel chants, projected Gaza war imagery and performed "Hind’s Hall."
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Macklemore → lead → Hall
Several venues reportedly told the tour promoter they would not host shows if Macklemore remained on the lineup.
uncertain
Macklemore → tell → lineup
Kraft refused to host him at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and the promoter ultimately removed him from the remaining dates.
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promoter → refuse → dates
Macklemore later accused Kraft of coordinating a stadium boycott against him.
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Macklemore → accuse → him
He pledged his $1 million in tour earnings to Palestinian aid and challenged Kraft to match the donation.
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He → pledge → donation
In a statement released through Gillette Stadium, Kraft said Sheeran had contacted him privately before Macklemore’s public challenge.
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Sheeran → release → challenge
Sheeran asked Kraft to support a $2 million humanitarian donation, and Kraft said he agreed to support relief efforts in the region.
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he → ask → region
Kraft also cited Macklemore’s history of antisemitic tropes and his failure to acknowledge the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people.
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that → cite → people
After Macklemore was dropped, opening acts including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga pulled out of the remaining tour dates in protest.
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acts → drop → protest
Portnoy slammed the musicians who abandoned Sheeran’s tour, accusing them of hypocrisy and putting political posturing ahead of their commitment to fans.
"
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who → slam → fans
I feel bad for Ed Sheeran; his band quit, saying, ‘This is censorship, Free Palestine!’
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This → feel → Sheeran
That guy, Finneas, the brother of Billie Eilish, f------ hypocrites; they backed out," Portnoy said.
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Portnoy → back → Eilish
Portnoy closed by insisting that defending Kraft required more than a token show of support.
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defending → close → support
"I don't stand with Bob Kraft 5 percent, 10 percent," Portnoy said.
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Portnoy → stand → Kraft
"I stand with Bob Kraft 110 percent.
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I → stand → Kraft
More Jews have to speak out.
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Jews → have → ?
That's why I am making this video, because it's really easy for everyone just to pile on right now, but I have his back a hundred million percent.
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I → make → back
The Aporia
