Garth Brooks responds to backlash over Bud Light being served at upcoming Nashville bar
Country music superstar Garth Brooks is speaking out after causing what he described as a "little bit of a stir" by saying he would serve "every brand of beer" in his new Nashville bar.
Brooks' comment, made last week in an interview with a Billboard reporter, were interpreted by many as saying that his upcoming Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky Tonk would serve Bud Light, which has faced backlash from conservatives after a product endorsement from Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender influencer.
Much of the backlash online was focused on a comment Brooks made after confirming his bar would serve all beers, with the country singer saying, "Our thing is this: If you come into this house, love one another. If you're an a--hole, there are plenty of other places on Lower Broadway to go."
In new comments made Monday on his Facebook livestream, Brooks doubled down on his stance, saying, "Diversity. Inclusive. That's me. That's always been me."
"Everybody's got their opinions. But inclusiveness is always going to be me," Brooks said. "I think diversity is the answer to the problems that are here and the answer to the problems that are coming. So, I love diversity. All inclusive, so all are welcome. I understand that might not be other people's opinions, but that's OK, man. They have their opinions. They have their beliefs. I have mine."
Brooks also said it will ultimately be up to the bars' customers to decide what type of beer is sold, saying it's his responsibility as the owner to stock Friends in Low Places with the most popular beers and let the patrons decide.
"The truth is, it's those people in those seats that make those decisions. And that's what Friends in Low Places is going to be," Brooks said. "So here's the deal: If you want to come to Friends in Low Places, come in, but come in with love. Come in with tolerance, patience. Come in with an open mind, and it's cool."
He continued, "If you're one of those people that just can't do that, I get it. If you ever are one of those people that want to try it, come. Let's go have some fun."
Brooks has not announced an opening date for Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky Tonk. The bar's website says only that it will be "opening soon."
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Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Bud Light, did not reply to ABC News' request for comment.
The company said in a statement to ABC News last month in response to declining sales, "Bud Light remains the #1 brand in the US nationally in volume and dollar sales despite regional differences."
At the time, ABC News reported sales of Bud Light had recorded declines for six consecutive weeks after the product endorsement from Mulvaney.
After the initial boycott, Anheuser-Busch posted a statement from CEO Brendan Whitworth on its website.
"We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people," Whitworth said. "We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer."
The company also placed two executives who oversaw the endorsement of Mulvaney's Instagram post on leave, the Wall Street Journal reported.
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The boycott of Bud Light grew event larger after the response from Anheuser-Busch, which drew sharp criticism from some LGBTQ advocates who considered it a capitulation to the backlash.
"Generally, boycotts get called and have very little effect," Gerald Davis, a professor of organizational behavior at the University of Michigan Graduate School of Business, told ABC News in May. "For now, everybody is mad."
Garth Brooks responds to backlash over Bud Light being served at upcoming Nashville bar originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
