Ben Shapiro: Kraft was right to bar Macklemore "on the merits"
Ben ShapiroConservative political commentator, host of The Ben Shapiro Show
Ben Shapiro said Robert Kraft made the right decision barring Macklemore from Gillette Stadium, calling Macklemore's on-stage remarks "nonsense" and suggesting Macklemore's motive was seeking notoriety, while saying the decision may have backfired publicly (comparing it to the Streisand effect).
“I think it's a good decision by Bob Kraft. I mean, obviously he owns the stadium. So if he doesn't want somebody spewing nonsense from the stage, he has every capacity to do that on a PR level... on the principle, he did the right thing.”
Interview
Original video
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
Internet Archive TV News recording of Ben Shapiro's live appearance on Fox News' America's Newsroom, September 15, 2026, 6:00-7:00am PDT. The quoted wording is our transcription of the archived broadcast audio; it matches the Internet Archive's own closed-caption text word for word.
Original video
About this source
13:08 episode of The Majority Report with Sam Seder, published to YouTube September 17, 2026, discussing the Kraft/Macklemore/Sheeran fallout and playing a clip of Ben Shapiro's September 15 Fox News appearance. checked against the recording; the show includes a second, unnamed co-host voice whose lines are not separately attributed here.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Said live on Fox News' America's Newsroom, September 15, 2026, discussing Macklemore's removal from Ed Sheeran's tour.
After the quotation
Shapiro also said Macklemore 'openly' admitted the only reason he was doing this was for the notoriety, and separately argued the removal may have generated a 'Streisand effect' that gave Macklemore more attention than if he had been left alone.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Shapiro calls Macklemore's on-stage remarks 'nonsense,' says Macklemore 'openly' admitted his only motive was notoriety, and states Kraft was correct 'on the principle' to exclude him -- an express condemnation of Macklemore's conduct, distinct from his separate (and more neutral) observation that the exclusion may have backfired tactically.
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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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The Dispute Index. "Ben Shapiro: Kraft was right to bar Macklemore "on the merits"". First published: 2026-09-18. Last updated: 2026-09-18. https://disputeindex.com/events/1007-ben-shapiro-said-robert-kraft-made-the-right