Bill Maher poked fun at the many artists who have dropped out of President Donald Trump‘s forthcoming Freedom 250 concert series during his monologue on Real Time Friday night.
“We’re having a big 250th birthday party for America, a concert. They announced the lineup. Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli, Morris Day, Bret Michaels,” he said. “I think this is very admirable about the president, it shows he’s concerned for the unemployed.”
Maher continued, “And then, after they announced this all-star lineup, a lot of them said, ‘No, what are you talking about? We’re not playing.’ That’s got to hurt a lot when you can’t close the deal with Milli Vanilli.”
On Friday, Bret Michaels and The Commodores joined a group of musical talent who announced they were dropping out of the concert series. In a statement on his website, the Poison lead singer explained that “unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of.”
“Concerns have also been raised regarding the safety of my fans, band, crew, family and myself, including threats that are completely unfounded and unforgivable,” Michaels’ statement continued. “Because of that, I have made the difficult decision to step away from this performance. … This isn’t about politics. It’s about staying true to what I’ve always believed in. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. That’s one of the freedoms our veterans fought for and something I’ve always respected. But as a father, friend and bandmate, I have to take threats and safety concerns seriously.”
Young MC, Morris Day and Martina McBride have also exited the Freedom 250 concert slate. Milli Vanilli was also announced as part of the lineup, however Jodie Rocco, a member of the group, told the Associated Press on Thursday that she was “shocked” to see the Milli Vanilli name on the list.
The event will take place from June 25 to July 10 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as part of the Freedom 250 public-private partnership, which is backed by the Trump administration.
