Karla's Kolumn: Celebrity feuds go to new levels
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There seems to be a new twist on celebrity feuds that is benefiting many non-profit organizations.
If a celebrity is attacked or offended, instead of getting even, now they turn it into a marketing campaign.
There are two notable ones that I know of because well, they are topics I am interested in. One is related to NASCAR and the other country music.
Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman, who drives the 48 car, has sold many a T-shirt when blasted by another driver. Bowman won the Las Vegas race earlier this season and Kyle Busch, upset that he was close to victory, with some expletives thrown in said that Bowman always backs into wins, in essence saying he does not earn them.
Bowman had a T-shirt designed that says All Luck, No Skill on the front with a Vegas theme and the back collar features, you guessed it, the phrase “Backing Into Wins.”
As a Hendrick Motorsports fan I root for Bowman, Chase Elliott, William Byron and Kyle Larson so yes I had to spend some money on that T-shirt, with proceeds going to area animal shelters.
Most recently I have been reading about a feud between Brittany Aldean (wife of singer Jason Aldean) and several other women, most notably Maren Morris.
Fox News entertainer Tucker Carlson called Morris a “lunatic” on his show while interviewing Brittany Aldean.
And, yes, Morris has made her own T-shirt “Maren Morris, Lunatic Country Music Person.” Proceeds will be split between the GLAAD Transgender Media Program and Trans Lifeline. It includes the Trans Lifeline hotline number – 1-877-565-8860. Trans Lifeline offers direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis. People can call the hotline if they “need someone trans to talk to, even if you’re not in crisis or if you’re not sure you’re trans.”
According Billboard magazine on Sept. 3, Morris has raised more than $100,000.
Bowman’s T-shirt in response to Kyle Busch was not the first time he did this. At the end of the season in 2021, Denny Hamlin called Bowman a “hack” after he got spun out as the two were racing for the win in Martinsville.
The T-shirt, hoodie and jackets were simple with the word “HACK” on it and the ABR logo (Alex Bowman Racing). Again, proceeds went to area animal shelters.
Bowman can even make fun of himself. After a win in Richmond last season, his crew chief criticized his burn out and Bowman said, “ya, ya get over it. Nobody Likes Us Anyway.” It was a top seller until the Hack shirt.
With Bowman in 10th place in the playoff standings, I am betting there will be another T-shirt before the season ends.
I am not writing this to debate what was said in the feuds, that’s a topic for another day, but I do like what is happening. Don’t like what someone says, let’s not get offended by it, but use it to help out an organization; don’t get angry, have some fun with it.
