Kinky Friedman, known for his satirical and often provocative style, has passed away at 79. A post on his social media announced, “Kinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow at his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by family & friends. Kinkster endured tremendous pain & unthinkable loss in recent years but he never lost his fighting spirit and quick wit. Kinky will live on as his books are read and his songs are sung.”
Richard Samet “Kinky” Friedman earned a cult following for his unique take on country and Western music. He released numerous albums, starting with “Sold American” in 1973, a record that laid the foundation for his career. Known as the “governor of the heart of Texas,” he even toured with Bob Dylan during the “Rolling Thunder Revue” and made history as the “first full-blooded Jew” to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.
Apart from his musical endeavors, Friedman was a prolific writer. He wrote detective novels and contributed as a columnist for Texas Monthly. He also ventured into politics, running for Governor of Texas in 2006 with the campaign slogan “My Governor is a Jewish Cowboy,” securing 12.6 percent of the votes among six candidates.
Born in Chicago and raised in Texas, Friedman studied psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. His passion for music led him to form King Arthur & the Carrots and later Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys. He described the latter as a “country band with a social conscience, a demented love child of Lenny Bruce and Bob Wills.”
Reflecting on his life, Friedman once wrote, “Somewhere in heaven, I’m sure there’s a quiet corner with a big easy chair, a bright floor lamp, a big stack of biographical books, and a few old dogs wagging their tails to the faint smell of cigar smoke.”
Tom Hanks Shocks Fans with Polarizing SNL Cameo
Tom Hanks has ignited backlash from Donald Trump supporters following his appearance in a politically charged sketch on Saturday Night Live’s 50th-anniversary special.
On February 16, a star-studded lineup, including Meryl Streep, Martin Short, Jack Nicholson, and Aubrey Plaza, gathered in New York to celebrate five decades of the iconic sketch comedy show.
Hanks, known for his legendary Hollywood career, participated in a skit that didn’t sit well with some Trump supporters. During a parody game show segment, Black Jeopardy, the Forrest Gump star played a character named Doug—sporting a red “Make America Great Again” hat.
At one point in the sketch, host Kenan Thompson extended a handshake to Doug, who hesitated before finally shaking hands, saying, “Not a fan of that, whoa, whoa, whoa. Maybe I should make a show for you and call it White Jeopardy.”
The moment quickly drew criticism online, with some viewers accusing SNL of mocking Trump voters. One social media user wrote, “Tom Hanks went on SNL looking rough, making fun of millions of Trump supporters—portraying them as ignorant, racist country bumpkins. Keep it up, leftists. You’ll never win another election.”
Link Lauren, a former adviser to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also weighed in, tweeting: “Tom Hanks just played a MAGA supporter hesitant to shake a Black man’s hand on SNL. And they wonder why their ratings keep tanking. Trump won the majority vote. This outdated narrative that MAGA is racist is ridiculous. SNL is an unfunny show for elitist liberals.”
Other Trump supporters echoed similar frustrations, with one saying, “Nobody in the audience even laughed,” while another added, “This makes me so mad. SNL just painted all MAGA supporters as racists.”
What do you think about Hanks’ SNL appearance? Share your thoughts!
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