logo
Ozzy Osbourne: 5 memorable moments in politics

Ozzy Osbourne: 5 memorable moments in politics

The Hill2 days ago
English rockstar Ozzy Osbourne, who died Tuesday, was beloved by fans in the U.S., but the former Black Sabbath frontman had a hot-and-cold relationship with American politics.
Here are some memorable moments from the time that Osbourne, who died at age 76, spent dabbling in the U.S. political scene:
WHCA, WHCA, WHCA:
Osbourne was a featured guest at the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA)'s annual fête at the heigh of his publicity resurgence in 2002 and, by many accounts, ' stole the show. '
Then-President George W. Bush opened his speech welcoming, 'Washington power brokers, celebrities, Hollywood stars, Ozzy Osbourne,' while pronouncing his surname as 'Os-burn.'
Osbourne then stood on the table and raised his hands in the air in front of the cheering crowd.
'Ozzy, mom loves your stuff,' the then-president quipped, referring to former first lady Barbara Bush.
According to reports at the time, Osbourne and his wife, Sharon, made their way to the president's table during the event.
'Ozzy told [Bush] he should grow his hair long,' Sharon Osbourne told the New York Daily News.
The well-coiffed president reportedly replied, 'maybe in the second term.'
Members of Congress, politicos mourn:
Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) was among the first lawmakers to post about Osbourne's death on Tuesday.
'Ozzy was a true pioneer of heavy metal and an enduring symbol of the rebellious, freedom-loving spirit that resonates across our nation and throughout the world,' she wrote. 'He will be missed.'
The Libertarian Party of New York also posted a tribute, along with a video of Osbourne singing Black Sabbath's 1970 anti-war protest song 'War Pigs.'
'Don't forget to call out the war pigs all around us,' the group wrote.
Anti-war efforts
Osbourne was a well-known anti-war activist. When the GOP used his song 'Crazy Train' at a campaign event without permission in 2004, he spoke out against the U.S. military campaign in Iraq.
A few lines from Black Sabbath's 1970 song 'War Pigs':
'Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor…'
In an episode of 'The Osbournes' podcast last year, he warned that the U.S. should be ready for another war.
'If there's a war again, which it looks like [it] very possibly could, China's already for it,' he said. 'They've got mandatory [military service].'
'You got a choice: You gotta go to jail or military,' he added.
Going off the rails…
Many musicians have taken issue with President Trump's use of their tunes during his campaigns, and Osbourne is no exception.
When Trump used the song 'Crazy Train' to blast Democrats in a 2019 video on social media, the Osbournes asked him to stop.
'Based on this morning's unauthorized use of Ozzy Osbourne's 'Crazy Train,' we are sending notice to the Trump campaign (or any other campaigns) that they are forbidden from using any of Ozzy Osbourne's music in political ads or in any political campaigns,' Osbourne's team said in a statement at the time. 'Ozzy's music cannot be used for any means without approvals.'
'In the meantime, we have a suggestion for Mr. Trump: perhaps he should reach out to some of his musician friends. Maybe Kanye West ('Gold Digger'), Kid Rock ('I Am the Bullgod') or Ted Nugent ('Stranglehold') will allow use of their music,' the statement added.
Across the pond
Osbourne was a critic of the so-called 'Brexit' movement in his home country. He called the effort a 'f— joke' in an interview with the music magazine 'The Big Issue' in 2018.
'I don't understand Brexit — I don't think anybody does,' he told the outlet. 'You watch TV, and it's all this shouting and screaming about Brexit, but nobody's got a f—ng clue what it really means.'
'Brexit' was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union alliance in 2020, following a far-right push that's been celebrated by some in the U.S.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Hulk Hogan remembered by Trump, wrestling world: 'Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart'
Hulk Hogan remembered by Trump, wrestling world: 'Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart'

Yahoo

time15 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Hulk Hogan remembered by Trump, wrestling world: 'Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart'

Hulk Hogan was wrestling royalty. Born Terry Gene Bollea, Hogan was a WWF superstar in the 1980s and early 1990s, then experienced a career resurgence in the late '90s with his Hollywood Hogan persona in the WCW's New World Order stable. With his passing Thursday morning at 71, many of the biggest names in professional wrestling paid tribute. "I Am Absolutely Shocked To Hear About The Passing Of My Close Friend @HulkHogan!" WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "Hulk Has Been By My Side Since We Started In The Wrestling Business. An Incredible Athlete, Talent, Friend, And Father! Our Friendship Has Meant The World To Me. He Was Always There For Me Even When I Didn't Ask For Him To Be. ... Hulkster, No One Will Ever Compare To You! Rest In Peace My Friend!" Read more: Hulk Hogan, pro wrestler and pop culture icon who excelled at earning fans' love and hate, dies at 71 WWE Hall of Fame wrestler and current Chief Content Officer Triple H wrote on X that the organization "would not be where it is today without the larger-than-life characters that compete in the ring … and few, if any, loomed larger than Terry 'Hulk Hogan' Bollea." "Hulk Hogan, clad in red and yellow or [New World Order] black and white, was simply put, iconic," Triple H wrote. "As a Real American or the leader of one of the industry's biggest factions, he transcended and elevated the entire business to heights never before seen — in every country and on every continent. There was no one like The Hulkster and there very well may never be another." Fellow Hall of Fame wrestler Kane, also known as Knox County, Tenn., Mayor Glenn Jacobs, said in a statement: 'The Hulkster was integral in making professional wrestling, and specifically WWE, what it is today. While I join fans all across the world in mourning his loss, I am also grateful for the opportunities that he created for people like me and so many others in professional wrestling and entertainment.' Another politician who is in the WWE Hall of Fame paid his respects to Hogan on Truth Social. "We lost a great friend today, the 'Hulkster,'" wrote President Trump, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame's celebrity wing in 2013. "Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way — Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart. He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week. Read more: Hulk Hogan rips off his shirt during fiery RNC speech: 'Let Trumpamania run wild' "He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!" Secretary of Education and former WWE President and Chief Executive Linda McMahon wrote on X: "I had the privilege of knowing and working with [Hogan] for over 40 years. Hulk was a dear friend and member of our WWE family. His legacy in and out of the ring will always be remembered. He was one of a kind! My thoughts and prayers are with his family, his friends, and all of his fans." Here's how others from the world of professional wrestling are remembering Hogan on X: — Jake "the Snake" Roberts: "It's hard to put into words what Terry 'Hulk Hogan' Bollea meant to professional wrestling and entertainment. He may be gone, but his memory and legacy will live forever." — Sting: "HULK HOGAN - THE GREATEST OF ALL Can't thank you enough for all that you did for me and for wrestling fans all over the world. I loved you and I will miss you. My friend, Terry Bollea, RIP." Read more: Sabu, a.k.a. hardcore wrestling pioneer Terry Brunk, dies at 60 — The Miz: "When I was a kid I ate my vitamins, said my prayers because Hulk Hogan told me to. He was someone I looked up to; a larger-than-life presence I copied constantly growing up. The voice, flexing, charisma, he made you want to be bold, loud, confident. RIP, Hulk Hogan." — Charlotte Flair: "When I nearly lost my dad 8 years ago, one of the few people who was there for all of it was Hulk Hogan. My heart breaks for Nick and Brooke. Rest in peace, brother." — The Undertaker: "The wrestling world has lost a true legend. His contributions to our business are immeasurable and for that I am appreciative. Thank you, Hulk Hogan." — Sgt. Slaughter: "Saddened To Hear About The Passing of Hulk Hogan … I Guess God Needed An Incredible Angel. R.I.P. My Friend." Read more: Kevin Sullivan, pro wrestler known as 'The Taskmaster,' dies three months after accident — Kurt Angle: "R.I.P Hulkster, thank you for opening up doors for so many people in the business including myself. There would not be a Kurt Angle, without the American Made, Hulk Hogan. My heart and prayers go out to his family. We lost a real icon today." — Bubba Ray Dudley: "As a young fan, I'll never forget the day Bob Backlund brought you out to help him. As an old pro, I will never forget how much you meant to my career. I appreciate every thing you did for me. And was happy to call you a friend…and Brother." Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Hulk Hogan, icon in professional wrestling, dies at age 71
Hulk Hogan, icon in professional wrestling, dies at age 71

Yahoo

time15 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Hulk Hogan, icon in professional wrestling, dies at age 71

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Hulk Hogan, the mustachioed, headscarf-wearing, bicep-busting icon of professional wrestling who turned the sport into a massive business and stretched his influence into TV, pop culture and conservative politics during a long and scandal-plagued second act, died Thursday in Florida at age 71. Hogan was pronounced dead at a hospital less than 90 minutes after medics in Clearwater arrived at his home to answer a morning call about a cardiac arrest, police said. 'There were no signs of foul play or suspicious activity,' Maj. Nate Burnside told reporters. Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was perhaps the biggest star in WWE's long history. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even WWE co-founder Vince McMahon. But outside the the ring, Hogan also found trouble. WWE in 2015 cut ties with him for three years, even removing him from its Hall of Fame, after it was reported that he was recorded using racial slurs about Blacks. He apologized and said his words were 'unacceptable.' Hogan won at least six WWE championships and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005 and reinstated there in 2018. WWE matches are now held in professional sports stadiums, and millions of fans have watched the company's weekly live television program, 'Raw,' which debuted in January on Netflix. 'He was a trailblazer, the first performer who transitioned from being a wrestling star into a global phenomenon,' McMahon said of Hogan. Hogan's own brand of passion 'Hulkamania,' as the energy he created was called, started running wild in the mid-1980s and pushed professional wrestling into the mainstream. He was a flag-waving American hero with the horseshoe mustache, red and yellow gear and massive arms he called his '24-inch pythons.' Crowds were hysterical when he ripped off his T-shirt in the ring — a trademark move — revealing a tan, sculpted body. Hogan was also a celebrity outside the wrestling world, appearing in numerous movies and television shows, including a reality show about his life on VH1, 'Hogan Knows Best.' In recent years, Hogan added his celebrity to politics. At the 2024 Republican National Convention, he merged classic WWE maneuvers with then-candidate Donald Trump's rhetoric to passionately endorse him for president. 'Let Trumpamania run wild brother! Let Trumpamania rule again! Let Trumpamania make America great again!' Hogan shouted into the raucous crowd. He ripped off a T-shirt emblazoned with a picture of himself on a motorcycle to reveal a bright red Trump-Vance campaign shirt underneath. Trump stood to applaud the move. 'We lost a great friend today, the 'Hulkster,'" Trump said Thursday on Truth Social. 'Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way — Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart.' Hogan lately began to invest in alternatives to theatrical, professional wrestling, announcing plans in April to serve as the first commissioner for the Real American Freestyle organization, which describes itself as the "first unscripted pro wrestling' league in the world. The first event is Aug. 30 at Cleveland State University. 'The idea was so exciting that I get a chance to be involved with all these young people and help guide them in any way, especially to make them huge stars and create a future for them,' Hogan said. 'People might be surprised, but wrestling is wrestling, brother.' The league released a statement, saying it is now part of Hogan's legacy "and we intend to honor it.' Broken leg and a new attitude Hogan was born in Georgia but lived much of his life in the Tampa, Florida, area. He recalled skipping school to watch wrestlers at the Sportatorium, a professional wrestling studio in Tampa. 'I had been running my mouth, telling everybody I'm going to be a wrestler, and in a small town, the word gets out,' Hogan told the Tampa Bay Times in 2021. 'And so when I went down there, they were laying low for me. They exercised me till I was ready to faint.' The result: a broken leg and a subsequent warning from his dad. 'Don't you ever let anybody hurt you again,' Hogan recalled his father saying. 'So I went back four or five months later with a whole new attitude. The rest is history.' Hogan first became champion in what was then the World Wrestling Federation in 1984, and pro wrestling took off from there. His popularity helped lead to the creation of the annual WrestleMania event in 1985, when he teamed up with Mr. T to beat 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper and 'Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff in the main event. He slammed and beat Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III in 1987, and the WWF gained momentum. His feud with the late 'Macho Man' Randy Savage – perhaps his greatest rival — carried pro wrestling even further. Hogan was a central figure in what is known as the Monday Night Wars. The WWE and World Championship Wrestling were battling for ratings supremacy in 1996. Hogan tilted things in WCW's favor with the birth of the Hollywood Hogan character and the formation of the New World Order, a villainous stable that put WCW ahead in the ratings. He returned to the WWE in 2002 and became a champion again. His match with The Rock at WrestleMania X8, a loss during which fans cheered for his 'bad guy' character, was seen as a passing of the torch. Hogan was perhaps as well known for his larger-than-life personality as he was his in-ring exploits. He was beloved for his 'promos' — hype sessions he used to draw fans into matches. He often would play off his interviewer, 'Mean' Gene Okerlund, starting his interviews off with, 'Well, lemme tell ya something, Mean Gene!' Outside the ring He crossed over into movies and television as well. He was Thunderlips in the movie 'Rocky III' in 1982. In 2016, a Florida jury awarded Hogan $115 million in a lawsuit against Gawker Media and then added $25 million in punitive damages. Hogan sued after Gawker in 2012 obtained and posted video of him having sex with his former best friend's wife. He said the post violated his privacy. Hogan ended up settling the case for millions less after Gawker filed for bankruptcy. There was other fallout. The litigation led to the discovery that Hogan had used racial slurs on the tape. 'It was unacceptable for me to have used that offensive language; there is no excuse for it; and I apologize for having done it,' Hogan said. After Hogan was booed at the premiere of Netflix's new WWE show in January, former WWE wrestler Mark Henry, who is Black, said that the scandal was a 'dark cloud' over Hogan's career. Henry said he believes in second chances but that Hogan 'never wanted to go forward and fix it.' Outside Hogan's Hangout, his restaurant in Clearwater Beach, people talked about their admiration for Hogan as news of his death spread. Rich Null of St. Louis said the two men worked out together. 'Thirty minutes into our workout in the gym, he said, 'cut the Hulk Hogan crap, call me Terry,'' Null said. 'He was a really super nice guy, and we're gonna miss him.' —- White reported from Detroit. AP writer Safiyah Riddle contributed from Montgomery, Alabama. Curt Anderson And Ed White, The Associated Press

Republicans back Graham, Cornyn call for Obama special counsel
Republicans back Graham, Cornyn call for Obama special counsel

The Hill

time16 minutes ago

  • The Hill

Republicans back Graham, Cornyn call for Obama special counsel

A handful of Senate Republicans on Thursday offered support for a move by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) to get a special counsel appointed to investigate former President Obama and the 2016 election. The Graham-Cornyn call for a special counsel comes as Republicans and the Trump administration have been upended by the controversy surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender, and Trump has attempted to pivot away from the issue. GOP senators didn't draw any connection between the two concerns on Thursday while offering support for the idea of a special counsel. 'It's like a drip, drip, drip,' Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said. 'This kind of thing has been coming out for years now, and what's frustrating … is there's been no accountability for it.' Hawley's support for a special counsel to investigate Obama is not a huge surprise. The conservative is seen as a future potential GOP presidential candidate and calls for an investigation of Obama will likely be popular with the Republican grassroots. Special counsels in the past have caused problems for both political parties, however, and GOP Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) offered a cautious note. 'I'm not a big believer in special counsels, really, for the most part,' Paul said. The libertarian from Kentucky said the Obama administration's handling of the 2016 election, in which intelligence agencies found Russia was seeking to influence the election in Trump's favor, did deserve scrutiny. But he questioned whether the special counsel was the right approach. 'We'll send hundreds of millions of dollars, it'll take four years and, really, it deserves to be discussed, it deserves to be reported.' The call for a special counsel came after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released two sets of documents purportedly accusing Obama and his top officials of assisting a push to undermine Trump's 2016 bid and to tether him to Moscow. The document Gabbard released on Thursday specifically cast doubts on Russian President Vladimir Putin's desire to aid Trump in the race against Hillary Clinton. It did back up the argument that Russia wanted to interfere in the election, which numerous intelligence reports have stated. The document was part of a House intelligence report dating back to when Republicans controlled the chamber and was previously classified. Although it does not dispute that Moscow interfered in the election, it sheds light on the Obama administration's handling of Russia's activity at the time. A number of intelligence reviews determined that the Russians sought to influence the 2016 contest and that Putin wanted Trump to emerge victorious. Still, GOP senators say they want more information. 'For the good of the country, we urge Attorney General [Pam] Bondi to appoint a special counsel to investigate the extent to which former President Obama, his staff and administration officials manipulated the U.S. national security apparatus for a political outcome,' Graham said in a statement. 'As we have supported in the past, appointing an independent special counsel would do the country a tremendous service in this case,' Graham continued. 'With every piece of information that gets released, it becomes more evident that the entire Russia collusion hoax was created by the Obama Administration to subvert the will of the American people. Democrats and the liberal media have been out to get President Trump since 2016.' Coloring much of the push into Obama and his top officials, however, is a wider attempt by the current administration to shift as much attention as possible away from the uproar surrounding the administration's handling of the Epstein situation, which has divided the GOP. The Gabbard documents served as catnip to some members who remain angry about the ongoing dialogue surrounding the 2016 election and Russian influence. But the chatter around the Gabbard documents hasn't fully distracted Republicans from the Epstein controversy. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) on Thursday objected to a Democratic resolution to force the Justice Department to release information on Epstein — but unveiled his own resolution calling for courts at both the federal and state level to unseal all materials 'that were part of any criminal investigation or prosecution' of Epstein or Maxwell. Whether it hits the floor is a question that remains unclear. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters that is up to his conference. 'Obviously there's some interest in taking action on it,' he said on Thursday. 'And we'll see how intense that feeling is.' The renewed focus on Obama began on Tuesday when Trump told reporters that the 44th president was guilty of 'treason' without providing evidence. This prompted a rare response from the former president as a spokesperson labeled the claim 'a weak attempt at distraction.' The spokesperson also noted that the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2020 backed that the Russians attempted to sway votes but were not successful. The committee at the time also backed up the work of the intelligence community during that time. That panel was chaired by then-Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), now the secretary of State. 'Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response. But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one,' said Patrick Rodenbush, an Obama spokesperson. 'These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store