A Texarkana classic hits radio station won’t be playing “Material Girl” anytime soon: HITS 105 has knocked Madonna off its playlist as “a matter of patriotism,” calling the singer’s Women’s March on Washington speech “un-American.”
In a statement posted on the station’s Facebook page, general manager Terry Thomas said “Banning all Madonna songs at HITS 105 is not a matter of politics, it’s a matter of patriotism. It just feels wrong to us to be playing Madonna songs and paying her royalties when the artist has shown un-American sentiments. If all stations playing Madonna took their lead from us, that would send a powerful economic message to Madonna.”
The radio station joins Newt Gingrich, Kellyanne Conway and Reince Priebus, among others, in condemning the singer’s speech in which she admitted to having “thought a lot about blowing up the White House, but I know that this won’t change anything.”
Madonna, who also dropped a few f-bombs that were carried live on CNN and MSNBC before the news channels cut away, used the inflammatory imagery to segue into an audience-participation chant of “We choose love!”
She later posted an Instagram message clarifying her speech, disavowing violence and charging critics for taking her words “wildly out of context.”
Apparently unconvinced by the explanation, HITS 105, which plays songs from the 1960s to ’80, banned Madonna indefinitely, an announcement that drew more than a few snipes from Facebook commenters.
“Well, I guess your publicity tricks are working,” responded one. “Now I know this radio station exists. Thank Madonna for that.” (The station thanked that reader for his “light hearted answer”). Said another Facebooker, “You have 600 likes and are just using Madonna for attention. Her remarks were on behalf of women’s rights, your ban is for a cheap ratings stunt. You are confusing patriotism with blind, partisan zeal and theatrics.”
And then there was this: “Who listens to terrestrial radio anymore?” Responded HITS 105, “We have an app in the App Store, or the Play store, if you would prefer to listen on your phone.”