Theo Von says Macklemore "lost his job because he spoke up" about Gaza
Theo VonComedian and podcast host, speaking on his own podcast "This Past Weekend"
On his podcast 'This Past Weekend,' Theo Von defended Macklemore after his Gaza remarks and tour removal. Read the quotation and the surrounding podcast context.
“Macklemore lost his job because he spoke up. It feels like this is probably the biggest atrocity we've witnessed in our lifetime on our phones. Seeing the killings, people getting murdered, children getting killed. The Israeli government has turned Gaza into a video game basically for killing people, more specifically the killing of children. Every time they're like Hamas is hiding, that's Hamas. It's like that's a 4-month-old.”
Original text
Original post
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 text
About this source
Transcript of a solo episode of Theo Von's podcast "This Past Weekend," #684 "Bad Haircut," published September 19, 2026. Von discusses Macklemore losing his tour slot after speaking about Gaza, then criticizes the conduct of the war, including the targeting of children. Episode description independently confirmed via iHeartRadio's listing for the same episode.
Original post
About this source
A video clip of the same Theo Von segment, excerpted and posted by a clipping account. The quoted caption matches the podscripts.co transcript of the original episode and is used here only as a corroborating clip of the primary audio, not as the primary source.
Before the quotation
The episode was a solo show; Von had been discussing an unrelated road trip and a haircut before turning to Macklemore's tour removal and the war in Gaza.
After the quotation
Von did not name Ed Sheeran or Robert Kraft directly in this segment, and did not propose any specific policy response; the remarks were made in the context of a broader monologue about the war's visibility on social media.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Von frames the removal as retaliation for legitimate advocacy ('lost his job because he spoke up') and goes on to endorse the substance of what Macklemore was speaking about, describing the war's civilian toll in strongly critical terms. This defends Macklemore's speech and, by extension, opposes the removal; it is not merely a characterization dispute, since Von affirmatively agrees with the underlying advocacy.
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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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- Theo Von says Macklemore "lost his job because he spoke up" about Gaza
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The Dispute Index. "Theo Von says Macklemore "lost his job because he spoke up" about Gaza". First published: 2026-09-21. Last updated: 2026-09-30. https://disputeindex.com/events/1356-on-his-podcast-this-past-weekend-theo-von