Eddie Vedder is sharing just what he thinks of NFL star Harrison Butker: not much.
During a Pearl Jam show Saturday in Las Vegas, Vedder addressed Butker’s controversial commencement speech at Benedictine College earlier this month after extending praise to Jessica Dobson and Patti King, members of the band Deep Sea Diver that was the concert’s opening act.
“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,” Vedder told the MGM Grand Garden Arena crowd in footage captured and posted on YouTube by fans.
“There should be pride in homemaking, whether you’re a man or a woman,” he continued. “It’s maybe one of the hardest jobs, and you should definitely take pride in it. But you shouldn’t not follow a dream because you think you’re going to benefit by giving up your dreams.”
Butker directly addressed Benedictine College’s women graduates in his speech and urged them to prioritize motherhood over their careers. The Kansas City Chiefs kicker then claimed President Joe Biden supports “the murder of innocent babies” and called his diversity, equity and inclusion efforts “a tyranny.”
The 28-year-old also advised men to “be unapologetic” in their masculinity and to fight their supposedly ongoing “emasculation,” before going on to say that “degenerate” values are fueling “dangerous gender ideologies.”
The athlete was criticized for his speech, and the NFL has since notably distanced itself from the political views he shared. Still, Butker has found support from like-minded people.
Vedder told the crowd he “couldn’t understand the logic” behind Butker’s words — and really went in on him.
“You know, the irony was that this football player … started telling men to ‘don’t forget to puff up your chest and be more masculine,’” the Pearl Jam frontman said. “‘Don’t lose your masculinity.’ The irony was that when he was saying that, he looked like such a fucking pussy.”
He then left fans with one simple ethos before kicking off Pearl Jam’s set, saying, “There’s nothing more masculine than a strong man supporting a strong woman. People of quality do not fear equality.”
Vedder has espoused progressive political views throughout his decadeslong career. The grunge pioneer is famously pro-choice, supported Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the 2016 and 2020 primaries and is no fan of former President Donald Trump.
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