Randy Fine: Macklemore can spew "antisemitic garbage" but doesn't have a right to a stage
Randy FineU.S. Representative (R-FL)
Rep. Randy Fine said Macklemore's free speech rights don't obligate any venue to give him a stage, pointed to Macklemore's 2014 costume (a wig, beard, and prosthetic nose) as evidence of an antisemitic pattern he says informs his current stance, and defended Robert Kraft's decision to bar him from Gillette Stadium.
“Free speech doesn't mean stadium access for antisemitic trash.”
Interview
Where this statement fits
Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” speech and removal from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour
At two Ed Sheeran concerts at MetLife Stadium, Macklemore called for a free Palestine, accused Israel of apartheid and genocide, and said criticism of Israel was not criticism of Jewish people. After venue objections, tour promoter Messina Touring Group said he would not perform the remaining U.S. Loop Tour dates. Critics characterized the performance as hostile or inappropriate; Macklemore defended it as a call for equal treatment.
Source and context
Interview
About this source
TMZ DC on-camera interview with Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL), conducted by reporter Charlie Cotton, the day after AOC's TMZ interview on the same controversy.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Said in an on-camera TMZ DC interview with reporter Charlie Cotton, September 16, 2026, one day after TMZ interviewed AOC on the same controversy.
After the quotation
Fine said he doesn't accept Macklemore's explanation that the 2014 costume wasn't intended to invoke a Jewish stereotype, and said Kraft, as the venue owner, was within his rights to exclude him -- comparing Gillette Stadium to "Kraft's house." Unlike AOC, Fine said he is not boycotting Sheeran and is applauding Kraft instead.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Fine explicitly calls Macklemore's comments "antisemitic garbage"/"antisemitic trash" and cites the 2014 costume controversy as evidence of a pattern, an express condemnation of Macklemore's conduct.
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- People and groups discussed
- Macklemore
More from this case
Read the full caseMacklemore says the "billionaire class" should not decide "which voices are allowed on stage"
“What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage. When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention. So we're going on tour. All proceeds will benefit organizations supporting the Palestinian people and movement.”Read statement
Jewish Voice for Peace says the backlash to Macklemore's removal shows support for pro-Palestine speech
Jewish Voice for Peace
“Two years into Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestine organizing, the backlash against Sheeran shows how little patience Americans have for attacks on pro-Palestine speech. It also demonstrates the shift toward support for Palestinian rights among everyday Americans that our movements have helped propel.”Read statement
Macklemore announces "Free Palestine Tour" after removal from U.S. dates
“To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.”Read statement
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- Randy Fine: Macklemore can spew "antisemitic garbage" but doesn't have a right to a stage
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The Dispute Index. "Randy Fine: Macklemore can spew "antisemitic garbage" but doesn't have a right to a stage". First published: 2026-09-18. Last updated: 2026-09-18. https://disputeindex.com/events/1004-rep-randy-fine-said-macklemore-s-free-speech