Philip DeFranco says he hopes Ed Sheeran looks back on this in shame
Philip DeFrancoDigital news creator and co-host of the podcast Crashing Out
On the September 16 episode of his podcast Crashing Out, Philip DeFranco said that entertainers in privileged positions have no excuse for staying neutral, and that Ed Sheeran should look back on the removal of Macklemore from his tour. He allowed that people should be left room to change, but said that if Sheeran does not, he hopes Sheeran looks back on it in shame and disgust.
“Ed Sheeran should look back on this. If he does not change up, right — and we, I gotta leave people room to grow and show it — but if he does not change up here, I hope he looks back on this in fucking shame and disgust of himself.”
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
Original video
About this source
Episode of the news-comedy podcast Crashing Out, published September 16, 2026 and carrying about 210,000 views by September 18. The Macklemore and Ed Sheeran discussion occupies roughly the first 18 minutes. The quotation was checked against the episode recording; Available captions garble Macklemore’s name throughout. Speaker attribution is supported by the hosts addressing each other by name later in the episode.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
DeFranco had just read out Macklemore's two stage statements and called the reaction to them insane, and was arguing that performers with financial security have less excuse for neutrality than struggling artists.
After the quotation
His co-host Alex Pearlman then read Ms. Rachel's Instagram statement criticising Sheeran, which is recorded separately at 568. DeFranco made earlier statements in this case on September 14, recorded at 566 and 697.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
DeFranco treats the removal as indefensible and the speech as unobjectionable, directing his criticism at Sheeran rather than at Macklemore, which is a defence of the conduct under scrutiny. The closest competing label is condemns, because the passage is almost entirely condemnatory in tone. That loses because what he condemns is Sheeran's acquiescence in the removal, not Macklemore's speech; on this case's conduct under scrutiny that is a defence. “Mixed or conditional” also loses: the clause leaving Sheeran room to change conditions DeFranco's judgement of Sheeran's future conduct, not his present view of the removal. This is a new dated statement, not a revision of his September 14 remarks recorded at 566 and 697.
- Recorded on
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- People and groups discussed
- Ed Sheeran
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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- Philip DeFranco says he hopes Ed Sheeran looks back on this in shame
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The Dispute Index. "Philip DeFranco says he hopes Ed Sheeran looks back on this in shame". First published: 2026-09-18. Last updated: 2026-09-25. https://disputeindex.com/events/1009-on-the-september-16-episode-of-his-podcast