The Grammys Actually Acknowledged What’s Going on in the World

I do not turn to celebrities for trenchant political takes or honestly really expect them to know what’s actually going on in the news. However, I also think that most good art engages with the world in which it’s being created, and now that we’re in good-art-naming season (aka awards season), ignoring that world is privileged at best and evil at worst. So I was pleased to see the artists who gathered at the Grammys Sunday night actually engage with the terror campaign being waged by Donald Trump’s brownshirt army—that is to say, ICE. And compared to the Golden Globes a couple of weeks ago, the Grammys were positively radical. (This is all very relative, of course.)

“Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ICE out,” my husband Bad Bunny said at the start of his acceptance speech for the best musica urbana award. He got a long, enthusiastic standing ovation before adding, “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens, we are humans, and we are Americans.” (He later won album of the year, and seemed briefly frozen in place from shock. Cute!!!) Billie Eilish, who’s been very vocal in her opposition to ICE in recent weeks, ended her acceptance speech with “fuck ICE” (which of course got bleeped out on the broadcast). Kehlani also said “fuck ICE” while accepting an award.  

Trevor Noah, who is famously fairly political, hosted the ceremony and got huge cheers right off the bat when, as he listed celebs in attendance, said, “Nicki Minaj is not here, she is still at the White House.” (Chrissy Teigen, who was seated behind Noah, gave a thumbs up to the joke.) 

Guess who was less impressive? The white men, of course! When a Variety red carpet interviewer asked Jack Antonoff about his ICE OUT pin, he stumbled over his words for a full 20 seconds (I counted!) and lamely said, “I feel speechless even trying to talk about it.” 

After the broadcast, Jelly Roll (who???) dodged a question about ICE, but said he’d be sharing his thoughts “in the most loud and clear way I’ve ever spoke in my life” in the coming days. I know extremely little about this man but based on this Daily Mail headline, “Jelly Roll slammed for ‘religious psychosis’ by angry liberals for daring to thank Jesus in Grammy acceptance speech,” I think I get his whole deal. (As noted above, Bad Bunny also thanked god! My kingdom for people remembering that conservative white people don’t have a monopoly on religion!)

Other notable ICE OUT pin wearers: Justin and Hailey Bieber; jazz singer Samara Joy; Carole King; and Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver), who also wore a whistle, a tool ICE-watchers have been using to warn their neighbors about ICE’s presence.

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• A moment for Chappell Roan‘s nipple-ring dress. [W Magazine]
• Potential new couple alert: Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton. [Cosmopolitan]
• Tom Brady is posting Instagram stories again. [Sports Illustrated]
• Lizzo: “You think Ghislaine Maxwell woke up every day trafficking children?” Girl what?? [Twitter]
• Savannah Guthrie’s mother is missing in Arizona. [New York Times]
• It’s not as exciting as the cottage, but Connor Storrie is coming to Saturday Night Live. [Hollywood Reporter]

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