Kid Rock is banned from performing in California

Kid Rock has been banned from performing in California.

The state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, announced on Saturday (September 20) that the American Bad Ass and Picture singer can no longer play shows there, on the grounds that the heavy metal star makes “horrific music”.

Newsom’s office posted on X (formerly Twitter) in all-caps: “Because of his horrific music, California will indefinitely suspend Kid Rock from performing in the Golden State. You’re welcome! – GCN”

Although Newsom is yet to publicly comment, his post has been received as a response to the situation surrounding late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel, whose show Jimmy Kimmel Live! was indefinitely suspended by broadcaster ABC last week.

On September 17, Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), threatened action against ABC and its parent company Disney over comments Kimmel made in an opening monologue on his September 15 episode. The host commented on the response to the murder of far-right speaker Charlie Kirk from President Trump and the “MAGA gang”, saying that they were “desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them”.

Following Kimmel’s suspension, Trump gloated via his social media platform Truth Social. He wrote in part: “Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED.” The president had previously threatened Kimmel with cancellation after The Late Show With Stephen Colbert was not renewed for future series by NBC in July. “I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next,” he posted.

Newsom has a history of taking satirical jabs at Trump and his administration. In recent months, several of his office’s social media statements have been written in all-caps, seemingly referencing Trump’s typing style, and used alliterative nicknames to mock right-wing figures, such as “Dozy Don” and “Garbage Greg Gutfeld”.

In August, Vice President J.D. Vance took to Fox News to acknowledge Newsom’s online parodying of Trump, accusing the California governor of trying to be a “cheap imitation” of the president. Newsom’s office responded via X: “Couch boy, I’m not mimicking Dozy Don. I’m mocking him. Only someone with a law degree from Chuck E. Cheese could be as dumb as you!!! – GCN”

Kid Rock got swept up in Newsom’s online Trump mockery last month, with the governor saying via X that he “hated” the musician. Newsom later asked if “anyone noticed that since I said ‘I hate Kid Rock’ he’s no longer ‘hot?’”, echoing a past statement Trump had made regarding Taylor Swift. Kid Rock responded via X, saying, “The only support Gavin Newscum [sic] will ever get out of me is from DEEZ NUTZ.”

Kid Rock is an ardent Trump supporter, having backed the president’s first run for office in 2016. Last year, he performed American Bad Ass at the Republican National Convention, tweaking the lyrics to be pro-Trump.

Kid Rock has yet to comment on the state-wide ban of his concerts.