Luke Bryan and Ron DeSantis.Photo: Ron DeSantis/Twitter
It wasn’t everyone’s kind of night.
Country starLuke Bryanissued astatement on Twitteron Sunday after he warmly welcomed controversialFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantison stage at a tour stop in Jacksonville on Friday night.
“I typically don’t respond to stuff when I’m getting run down on a social platform but here’s the deal,” Bryan wrote. “I understand Governor DeSantis is a very polarizing figure. But I grew up in a country where if a governor asks you if they can come and raise awareness to help victims of a natural disaster you help.”
DeSantis, 44, is notably one of the politicians behind Florida’sParental Rights in Educationlaw (otherwise knownas the “Don’t Say Gay"law), which restricts classrooms from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade and allows parents to sue districts they feel aren’t following the law. DeSantis, whosigned the bill into lawback in March,has also been rumoredto be considering a 2024 presidential run, which he previously called “nonsense” last year.
Ron DeSantis and Luke Bryan.Ethan Helms
At the Bryan show, the politician threwmerchandise out to the Bryan fans, waved to onlookers, and gave the music star a high five on stage.
The Category 4 storm left 114 people dead in the state,according to theNew York Times, which marked the deadliest hurricane to hit the state in almost 90 years. DeSantis previously said at a press conference Florida saw a “500-year flooding event” in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
“We’ve never seen storm surge of this magnitude,” DeSantis told reporters last month. “The amount of water that’s been rising, and will likely continue to rise today even as the storm is passing, is basically a 500-year flooding event.”
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As for Bryan’s concerts, the upcoming Estero, Florida show on Nov. 2 specifically will see funds raised go to the Florida Disaster Fund, which is the state’s official private fund used to assist communities recovering from disaster. Three Florida shows are closing off Bryan’s tour, before hehosts the CMA Awardsalongside NFL legendPeyton Manningon Nov. 9.
The country star haspreviously called out fans for fightingat his gigs — specifically two concertgoers who got into a tussle at a show in Youngstown, Ohio this past July. Joking with his crowd, he said that the behavior was better suited for a rock show.
“I mean, why the hell were y’all fighting during ‘Buy Dirt’? This isn’tLimp Bizkitor nothing. Friggin' Gwar,” he said. “I know somebody got the s— knocked out of them, though, I saw it. Chill out. Find a joint or something, smoke a joint. I know y’all got that s—.”
source: people.com
