On Saturday night, Eddie Vedder took the stage in Las Vegas to perform in front of a sea of fans. With a massive screen behind him, fans cheered as the Pearl Jam frontman took a moment to praise the opening act, which consisted of the group Deep See Diver. Having two female members in the band, Vedder not only praised their talents but made sure to take aim at the kicker of the Kansas City Chiefs, Harrison Butker, for his remarks about masculinity and the idea of women in the workplace.
Videos by American Songwriter
On May 11, Butker celebrated the recent graduates at Benedictine College with an interesting speech that left many confused and angry. He said at the time, “I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.” Speaking to only the men, he added they should “set the tone of the culture” and “Be unapologetic in your masculinity. Fight against the cultural emasculation of men.”
[RELATED: Eddie Vedder Says Donald Trump Inspired Pearl Jam’s New Song]
Harrison Butker Lands On The Wrong Side Of Eddie Vedder
Speaking to graduates for over twenty minutes, Vedder decided to share his own thoughts on Butker’s speech, saying, “The singer, Jessica, and the keyboard player, Patti, they must not have believed that ‘diabolical lie’ that women should take pride in taking a back seat to their man.” He continued, “You’re going to benefit by giving up your dreams? I couldn’t understand the logic, so I’m questioning it in public right now.”
Only referring to Butker as “The Kicker”, Vedder didn’t mix words, insisting, “He started telling men, ‘Don’t forget to puff up your chest and be more masculine. Don’t lose your masculinity.’ The irony was that when he was saying that, he looked like such a f—ing p—y.”
Before getting back to his set, Vedder concluded, “There’s nothing more masculine than a strong man supporting a strong woman. People of quality do not fear equality.”
(Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
