Ariel Pink is facing the consequences of his actions after attending a pro-Trump rally earlier this month in Washington DC, which turned into a riot on the Capitol.
The little-known indie musician claims he’ll be ‘destitute and on the street’ after his label dropped him for his involvement.
He shared his side of the story Thursday, as he appeared on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight, where he discussed being ‘stripped of his livelihood’ and blamed ‘cancel culture’ for losing his record deal.
Facing consequences: Ariel Pink is facing the consequences of his actions after attending a pro-Trump rally earlier this month in Washington DC, which turned into a riot on the Capitol
The 42-year-old said in response to Carlson, who called him ‘a recording artist who can’t record’: ‘I can’t tour either at this point. So it pretty much leaves me destitute and on the street. I’m sort of overwhelmed right now and I don’t know exactly what to do.’
It comes after his former label Mexican Summer cited ‘recent events’ in dropping Pink from their roster after three years, although they’d reportedly been pressured to do so for years, amid issues of homophobia and other issues with his behavior.
When asked why he was ‘taking a huge risk’ with appearing on Carlson’s show, he said: ‘I don’t have any other recourse. What am I gonna do? Am I gonna be able to get my statement out in magazines?
‘Right now the narrative is being pushed, and there’s not very many people that are gonna let a counter-narrative enter into the fold. I mean there’s no nuance… I don’t know, man. I don’t know what I’m gonna do. I had no choice. There’s nothing else for me to do. I can’t even afford my lawyer right now.’
Cancel culture: He shared his side of the story Thursday, as he appeared on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight, where he discussed being ‘stripped of his livelihood’ and blamed ‘cancel culture’ for losing his record deal
On the street: The 42-year-old said in response to Carlson, who called him ‘a recording artist who can’t record’: ‘I can’t tour either at this point. So it pretty much leaves me destitute and on the street’
Destroyed career: ‘When did you find out that your career had been destroyed?’ Carlson asked, to which Pink responded: ‘Two days later’
No apologies: The Ku Klux Glam artist explained: ‘I didn’t make any apologies. I felt like I hadn’t done anything. But these articles obviously placed me at the siege, which I was not at’
‘When did you find out that your career had been destroyed?’ Carlson asked, to which Pink responded: ‘Two days later.’
He added: ‘My label had written to inform me that they were getting a lot of heat and a lot of backlash for supporting me, and they reassured me that they were not gonna drop me.’
The Ku Klux Glam artist explained: ‘I didn’t make any apologies. I felt like I hadn’t done anything. But these articles obviously placed me at the siege, which I was not at. And of course I don’t advocate for violence at all… I was there for a peaceful rally. That’s all it was to me.
‘But there was no fact checking or anything like that (as) 130 articles went out in the course of 24 hours. And the backlash was just… they succumbed to cancel culture. 24 hours later they wrote back; they texted me telling me that they were going to go public and drop me at that point.’
Although the January 6 rally and subsequent riot were sparked in attempt to delegitimize President-Elect Joe Biden’s win, Pink played devil’s advocate.
You’re fired: It comes after his former label Mexican Summer cited ‘recent events’ in dropping Pink from their roster after three years, although they’d reportedly been pressured to do so for years, amid issues of homophobia and other issues with his behavior (pictured in February, 2019)
Devil’s advocate: Although the January 6 rally and subsequent riot were sparked in attempt to delegitimize President-Elect Joe Biden’s win, Pink played devil’s advocate: ‘He lost, and I think he lost fairly. I’m not disputing anything’ (pictured in June, 2015)
Blame China: It contradicts what he said last month on the podcast Wrong Opinion, claiming Democrats ‘did cheat. They’ve been on the path toward acquiring these Dominion systems… in some sort of collaboration with China’ (pictured in June, 2018)
He stated: ‘I think there’s been a very big effort to unseat the president, or at least not let him have four more years — which I think is fair. He lost, and I think he lost fairly. I’m not disputing anything.
‘Biden is perfectly fine with me as president. But I think that they’re still scared of something like that. It seems like they’re sore winners at this point. And people seem to want to kick me down as well, much like they have Trump. Kick us down when we’re down.’
It contradicts what he said last month on the podcast Wrong Opinion, claiming Democrats ‘did cheat. They’ve been on the path toward acquiring these Dominion systems… in some sort of collaboration with China.’
‘I’m so gay for Trump, I would let him f*** me in the butt,’ he concluded, which was not his first instance of homophobia, previously comparing gay marriage to pedophilia and necrophilia.
The end of his record deal also comes amid a legal battle with ex-girlfriend Charlotte Ercoli Coe, in which they’ve accused each other of harassment.
According to Pitchfork, Coe acknowledged in court documents that she complained about Pink to Mexican Summer last year, after learning the label ‘was adopting a zero tolerance policy toward abuse and harassment.’
Toxic relationship: The end of his record deal also comes amid a legal battle with ex-girlfriend Charlotte Ercoli Coe, in which they’ve accused each other of harassment (pictured in November, 2018)