Martina Navratilova lashes out at Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner following his racist remarks against black artists

Wenner faces severe criticism from Navratilova for controversial remarks

Martina Navratilova lashes out at Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner following his racist remarks against black artists

Marina Navratilova and Jann Wenner (Credits: People and Vulture)

Following Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner‘s controversial statements, former player Martina Navratilova issued a stinging critique, calling Wenner’s views racist and misogynistic.

The uproar arose after Wenner, who co-founded the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame made statements in an interview with The New York Times that were perceived as disparaging Black and female performers. In reaction, Wenner was quickly dismissed from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s board of directors.

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His divisive remarks occurred during the promotion of his new book, “The Masters,” in which he conducted interviews with great musicians including Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Townshend, and U2’s Bono. Interestingly, all of these artists are white and male.

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Martina Navratilova, a notable campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights and equality, quickly replied to Wenner’s comments with a harsh tweet: “Wow – a raging racist and misogynist -add a homophobe and you’ve got a trifecta…??‍♀️??‍♀️??‍♀️.” Her remark emphasized the seriousness of Wenner’s remarks as well as the broader societal ramifications of such divisive rhetoric.

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Jann Wenner removed from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Board

Wenner included Black artists in his response. He said, “Of Black artists, you know, Stevie Wonder, genius, right? I suppose when you use a word as broad as ‘masters,’ the fault is using that word. Maybe Marvin Gaye, or Curtis Mayfield? I mean, they just didn’t articulate at that level.“

Collage Maker 18 Sep 2023 12 21 AM 2189 min
Credits: The Guardian

When asked why he didn’t interview women or Black musicians for his book, Wenner answered in a way that sparked significant outrage. “It’s not that they’re inarticulate, although, go have a deep conversation with Grace Slick or Janis Joplin. Please, be my guest. You know, Joni (Mitchell) was not a philosopher of rock ‘n’ roll. She didn’t, in my mind, meet that test,” he remarked.

Jann Wenner’s status as a co-founder of Rolling Stone and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is under investigation following his contentious remarks. The incident is a sharp reminder of the significance of encouraging inclusivity and diversity in the music and entertainment industries. (Source – HuffPost)

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