Howard Stern defends transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney against Kid Rock and Travis Tritt

AP Photo/Jeff Zelevansky

Howard Stern criticized singers Kid Rock and Travis Tritt for their strong reactions to transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney's partnership with Bud Light, questioning why they care so much about the issue.

On Monday's episode of SiriusXM's The Howard Stern Show, Stern expressed his disbelief over the backlash Mulvaney has faced, wondering if he was missing part of the story, the New York Post reported.

“I thought there must be a piece of the story that I’m missing,” Stern said. “I’m not bothered by gay people or transsexual people. They don’t impact my life, they don’t hurt my life. I love when people are in love. You wanna be a woman? Be a woman. You wanna be a dude, be a dude. Be whatever you f—ing want.”

According to the New York Post, "Mulvaney, a popular TikTok influencer with over 10 million followers, shared a video featuring packs of Bud Light with the star’s likeness on the cans." This ignited outrage from conservatives who claimed the beer brand was promoting "gender propaganda."

In response, Kid Rock posted a video of himself using Bud Light cases for target practice, while Travis Tritt announced Anheuser-Busch products would no longer be on his tour hospitality rider.

Stern expressed his desire to talk to both Kid Rock and Tritt about their reactions, seeking to understand their motivations behind the strong response. He questioned how the partnership was hurtful and why Kid Rock felt compelled to express his disapproval by destroying Bud Light cans.

Stern further emphasized his confusion, stating, "Kid Rock, I know him. He's got a great life. He transitioned from some kid in Michigan to a rock superstar! I'm really dumbfounded by why someone would care so much that they would blow up a can of Bud Light and say, ‘F— Anheuser-Busch.’ I don’t get it."

Stern’s remarks were not well-received on social media, with Billboard Chris, an avid campaigner against child grooming, referring to the radio host as a “shock jock and degenerate.”

Shock jock and degenerate Howard Stern is dismayed that @KidRock and @Travistritt are protesting Bud Light’s partnership with serial mocker of women, Dylan Mulvaney.

“You wanna be a woman? Be a woman. You wanna be a dude, be a dude. Be whatever you f—ing want.”
“As long as you…

— Billboard Chris 🇨🇦🇺🇸 (@BillboardChris) April 11, 2023

“Earth to Howard. Women and children are being hurt every day. Especially kids, whose bodies are being irreparably harmed,” he wrote.

Last week, Anheuser-Busch defended its decision to collaborate with Mulvaney. A spokesperson told Fox News, "Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics and passion points."

The backlash has reportedly "spooked" Anheuser-Busch distributors in the South, leading to fewer orders last weekend, possibly in response to the controversial partnership.