Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder is the latest celebrity to bash Harrison Butker's controversial, commencement speech, which some have called misogynistic.
While delivering remarks at the 2024 graduation at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, earlier this month, the 28-year-old Kansas City Chiefs kicker called on women to embrace their roles as homemakers, wives and mothers, and to take "a backseat to their man."
During a concert at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas Saturday, Vedder, 59, told the crowd at the band's sold-out show that Butker was a "p----" for his comments.
"People of quality do not fear equality," said Vedder, according to Parade Magazine.
Vedder took the stage after opener Deep Sea Diver, which has two female band members: lead singer Jessica Dobson, and keyboardist/percussionist Patti King. He joked Dobson and King "must not have believed that 'diabolical' lie that women should take pride in taking a backseat to their man," in a dig to Butker's statements, Rolling Stone reported.
"There should be pride in homemaking if you're a man or a woman... it's one of the hardest jobs and you should definitely take pride in it, but you're going to benefit by giving up your dreams?" Vedder posed the rhetorical question to the audience, NBC News reported. "I couldn't understand the logic, so I'm questioning it in public right now... It's not a graduation speech."
"The irony was that the football player – well, kicker... You see the kicker doesn't have the pads because he doesn't tackle anybody or get tackled – but he started telling men, 'Don't forget to puff up your chest and be more masculine. Don't lose your masculinity.' The irony was that when he was saying that, he looked like such a f---ing p----," the "Even Flow" singer quipped.
"There's nothing more masculine than a strong man supporting a strong woman," he added.
Harrison has been under fire since delivering the sexist comments, with even the NFL distancing itself from the football player.
"His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger," the league said in a statement.
Maria Shriver, Flavor Flav, and Hoda Kotb are just some of the latest celebrities to speak out against Harrison.
