Hank Williams Jr. off MNF over Obama-Hitler remark

Musician Hank Williams Jr. attends the launch party for Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey at the Marathon Building on November 9, 2010, in Nashville, Tennessee.

/ Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

The voice of Hank Williams Jr. has become one with Monday Night Football, and he has opened the telecast for nearly 20 years, rhetorically asking America: "Are you ready for some football?"

Apparently, ESPN, the newish TV home of the NFL's Monday night telecast, wasn't ready for Hank Williams Jr.'s rant on the Fox News show "Fox and Friends." (Clip below.)

Williams was being interviewed via telecast when he was asked what he thought about President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner playing golf together recently.

Williams responded: "That'd be like Hitler playing golf with Netanyahu."

The befuddled hosts then listened as Williams went on to discussed the polarized electorate and Obama's role in it, saying: "They're the enemy!"

A host asked: "Who's the enemy?"

Williams then went on to say: "Are you kiddin? Obama! Biden! The three stooges!"

While there is confusion about what, exactly, Williams meant, ESPN apparently took exception to the statement.

In a press release, ESPN said: "While Hank Williams, Jr. is not an ESPN employee, we recognize that he is closely linked to our company through the open to Monday Night Football. We are extremely disappointed with his comments, and as a result we have decided to pull the open from tonight's telecast."

Even Williams' hosts were a bit taken aback by his performance. Just after the interview ended, anchor Gretchen Carlson said: "I just want to say we disavow any of those analogies he made."

It is unclear whether ESPN's decision to pull Williams' telecast intro will apply to future broadcasts as well.

[jusus178]

I am glad NFL got rid of this turd!

[PRFabrizio]

I don't care if you are a Democrat or a Republican. You do not compare the President of the United States of America, whether it be the current occupant or whoever, to Hitler: that is un-American. My father was wounded in WW2 in Europe. Ten of thousands of American soldiers died and tens of thousands were wounded, on account of that man's agenda. American presidents are elected by the American People, and those servicemen died in defense of OUR county. This singer is not a good American and he disgraces the memory of our troops.

[JV1970]

PRFabrizio I disagree with you! In the late 1770's another war was fought, called the Revolutionary War, and many men died in that war too. Even though we didn't yet have a constitution at that time, one of principles that they fought and died for was our right to free speech. That includes our right to publicly criticise the president and say whatever we want to about him. If we can't, then we are not much better than a third world dictatorship where the people aren't allowed to criticise their leader.

[negiti]

Apparently, Free Speech is not a feature of the United States of Obamica.

[zenia5]

It's a free country. He can say what he wants, his employer can hire or fire him as they please...that's their choice. If he feels he was fired without cause, he has the freedom to appeal. I have a feeling there's a lot more to this story than we know. This incident was problem just one among many and perhaps the "straw that broke the camel's back" so to speak. I doubt very seriously if Hank is a "model employee".

[zenia5]

correction: This incident was "probably" just one among many......

[prohb]

The ties between being Republicans/conservatives and football has been well-known. Their political stategy follows that of the game especially its patron saint Lombardi - 'Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing.' VICTORY is what matters to them NOT what is best for the country. Which turns into 'my way or the highway' approach to passing bills or getting anything done. And in no way allow anything that would make Obama look good....even if it is right. Unfortunately, this simple, aggressive approach resonates with many conservative voters (Williams is a perfect example)...who also like football.

[negiti]

What, are you new?!?

Liberals portrayed Dubya as performing ******** on a fellow politician in the Huffington Post, who only grudgingly removed it after a minor uproar.

If YOU had a dollar for every time a liberal called Dubya Hitler, YOU'D be a Conservative.

Is your last name. Dumas, or something?

[bodhi561]

Is anyone really surprised by Mr. Williams' comment? What'd Fox News expect? Pithy political commentary? Insightful analysis? They asked a guy who has made a career of being a professional redneck about his political views. The only real surprise here is that the commentators (to their credit) registered shock without making a joke out of the incident.

[negiti]

If being a redneck equals being ignorant, liberals would all be doing their cousins. Wait . .

[BDD_1970]

So let me get this straight. A performer makes a political opinion and one of his employers punishes him by firing him even though it was said while not working for that company. Do we get to fire Dick Durbin for the stupid bully pulpit comments he made about BOA? Oh he gets a pass. Do we get to fire Bill Maher for the many out right violent threats and "hate speech" he spews forth? Nahhh he gets a pass. But when Hank makes a remotely accurate statement of opinion he is being crucified. Obummer has not killed as many people as Hitler but he is a fascist, so whats the big deal?

[JV1970]

You have it right! I especially agree with your comment about Bill Maher. I can't stand that man! He was fired once before because of his mouth and it didn't do any good or teach him a thing. He was hired right back by a different network and now he's running his mouth as much as ever. Hopefully someday he'll be fired and he'll be a pariah and no one will hire him again!

[zenia5]

@BDD_1970....that's an odd comment, using the term "fascist" to describe President Obama. Many rightwingnuts also use the term "socialist" about him, and the two could hardly be further apart, so it's clearly a sign of desperation. I suppose you would call him a "turnip" if you thought it would in any way discredit him.

Regardless, Obama is a Democrat and the Democratic Party is generally considered to be left-of-center whereas the political construct called "fascism" is decidedly right-of-center. Fascism, briefly, is a political model designed around an alliance of pro-big-business politicians with big corporations where businesses start controlling the government.......hmmmmmmm, sounds like the GOP & Teabaggers to me.

And, by the way, it's totally up to individual companies to hire and fire whoever they choose. It is a free country. If Williams feels he has been fired without due cause, then he could fight to get his job back. I think we are possibly not hearing or knowing the full story here. This latest comment may just have been the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak. I would imagine that Williams is not a model employee anyway.

[Turbidite]

Sometimes a cigar isn't just a cigar.

[tvwatcher5345]

i don't understand why the fox crew was so shocked at what he said, fox puts stuff like that out there all the time

[Montana5]

If ESPN is going to dump from their network everyone who says something offensive, they'll soon be televising dead air during prime time.

[LoisZip]

Let's face it, Junior has spent his life drinking, partying and trying to prove he is better then his father was. He is not that bright, but he has a right to his opinion, no matter how bigoted and ignorant it is. I don't care a bit about football but I am against censorship! However, any company has the right to disavow what is said by people connected to them. There are plenty of great singers in this world and if Junior doesn't represent what the Monday Night Football organization stands for they have a right to pass on his performance.

[negiti]

Thankfully (I guess), the Constitutional notion of free speech does not include an IQ qualification. If it did, most of our current political players would be disqualified. Wait a minute . . !