The news of Kid Rock’s potential Senate candidacy has raised several questions: Would he be sworn in under his stage name? How does his jobs agenda compare with current and three-time Michigan senator Debbie Stabenow’s? And finally, is he being fucking serious?
There was one more question, but it was posed by the would-be lawmaker: “Are you scared?” It’s not entirely clear if that’s his campaign slogan, or just a general query about Michiganders’ personal levels of security. But there were many who took the news with a grain of salt, since Rock’s announcement included the addition of a “Buy Now” page on the campaign site. It looked like he was promoting something, and not just democracy.
Well Rock, whose real name is Rob Ritchie, has sort of cleared up matters—he posted a video that’s part Rock ‘n’ roll reverie, part tour announcement. Titled “Greatest Show On Earth,” the video is full of old concert footage, and ends with the words “Greatest Show on Earth Tour. Coming to a city near you. 2018. Are you scared?”
Now “tour” could mean campaign, though that would mean that “a city near you” should include a reference to Michigan (after all, why would he campaign outside of the state?). But it looks like he really is probably going on tour at some point, because Rock released an additional video, this time for his song “Po-Dunk.”
Even then, the girls, beards, and ammo of the “Po-Dunk” video could just make up Rock’s platform, but in a post on his campaign site, the musician wrote that “like politicians write books during their campaigns, I’m planning on putting out music during mine and it all starts tonight at midnight.” This is apparently his opening salvo, whether it’s in politics or a return to music. And he doesn’t appreciate all the skepticism about his civic mindedness: “It’s not a hoax, it’s a strategy and marketing 101! No plans for an album or anything else that has been the usual norm in the music business or politics.” So it seems the news here is that Kid Rock plans to leave his house at some point this year or the next, when he may campaign or just sing, which the public might find frightening. Sounds legit.