Olivia Rodrigo Vs. The Department of Homeland Security

00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hey there, everybody.

00:00:03
Speaker 2: It is Monday, November tenth, and a new war is brewing online between the Department of Homeland Security and Olivia Rodrigo.

00:00:12
Speaker 3: What the actual hell you told me about this story? What are you talking about?

00:00:15
Speaker 4: Why are these two even aware of each other? What is happening?

00:00:18
Speaker 2: This is a really interesting war of words that has escalated. Rodrigo's fans are involved. And I couldn't I actually couldn't get enough of this story because it has legs. This is not the first and it won't be the last musician to be upset with the Trump administration. We'll explain. So what happened was the Department of Homeland Security put up an Instagram post and it was a promotional clip for ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and it shows agents pursuing and handcuffing people.

00:00:49
Speaker 1: With an overlaid message.

00:00:50
Speaker 2: That says, if ICE find you, okay, wow, okay. Then it shows people voluntarily boarding buses and planes alongside the caption if you self.

00:01:00
Speaker 4: Deport okay then emotional video.

00:01:03
Speaker 2: The post caption reads this leave now in all caps and self deport using the CBP home app. If you don't, you will face the consequences Okay, underneath this promotional video is Olivia Rodrigo's song All American Bitch, and the lyrics are all the time, I'm grateful all the time, I'm sexy and I'm kind, I'm pretty when I cry relate. I don't know all American Bitch. They used her song in this video.

00:01:34
Speaker 4: Did you listen playing? Does it fit?

00:01:37
Speaker 2: It doesn't really match for me. I don't really understand why they used it. But here's the amazing thing. So obviously, at some point Olivia Rodrigo realizes they're using her song to promote ice, so she goes onto the Instagram page and writes a comment in the Instagram and says, don't ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda.

00:02:04
Speaker 4: Okay, I'm all in now, please tell me more about this.

00:02:07
Speaker 2: Well, first, i'll tell you starting on Sunday, so Rodrigo's comment was no longer available under the post. They literally took her comment off. Okay, and then, but here's my favorite part. Rodrigo fans saw that and decided to flood the Department of Homeland Security Instagram post repeating her comment. So you'll if you go on there right now, you'll see it. There's a ton of Rodrigo fans. I'll give you a few examples. Since y'all deleted Olivia Rodrigo's comment, I will quote her in my comment, don't ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda. Another comment said that the fact you deleted Olivia's comment, that's weird.

00:02:47
Speaker 1: This is the land of free speech, right that as.

00:02:51
Speaker 4: Soon as you said, they deleted.

00:02:52
Speaker 3: How many times has that argument been made that you're trying to keep speech down from conservatives or whoever else, And it's got it's escalt, even to the point of violence, that you're trying to silence somebody. One comment from one pop singer.

00:03:07
Speaker 2: Too much for us, get it off, took it down now when you go onto the Instagram page. However, what she wrote worked because it says this song is no longer available, so you can't hear it anymore. They did take the song down after she wrote that.

00:03:24
Speaker 3: Can you tell if they did it or was it a violation? Then Instagram was like, you are they unclear?

00:03:30
Speaker 2: Don't know how or who took it down, but it is the song. It says this song is no longer available.

00:03:35
Speaker 4: Now.

00:03:36
Speaker 2: There's more to the story. Department of Homeland Security did not take this all in quietly. They actually released a statement scolding Olivia Rodrigo. I will quote them, America is grateful all the time for our federal law enforcement officers who keep us safe. We suggest Miss Rodrigo thank them for their service, not little their sacrifice.

00:04:01
Speaker 4: What was her statement again?

00:04:04
Speaker 2: Her statement was, don't ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda.

00:04:12
Speaker 4: H Okay, okay.

00:04:16
Speaker 2: What do you make of DHS's decision then to publicly scold Olivia Rodrigo?

00:04:22
Speaker 3: They have It's a big department that has very serious life or death work to do. Quite frankly, eh, it just it seems small. It just seems it makes the department itself seem small that you're going after this young lady in that way. I just wish somebody on some side, And I'm not saying she's responsible, but someone could have had a different tone in how they engage. These are two people who two sides at least don't agree on something. She has fans, Homeland Security has fans. I just if there was a way to have a different conversation with moments like this come up, instead of just fighting as we always do and then go back to our core.

00:05:00
Speaker 4: I hate this.

00:05:02
Speaker 1: Story exactly, and well, here's the deal.

00:05:04
Speaker 2: This is so interesting because you would think the Department of Homeland Security, or at least someone in their social media team, would recognize that, of all people's songs to choose, choosing Olivia Rodrigo song probably wasn't the best idea. She has clearly and publicly and recently spoken out about our current immigration policy. And I will quote her. She said this in her June Instagram story. I lived in La my whole life, and I am deeply upset about these violent deportations of my neighbors under the current administration. LA simply wouldn't exist without immigrants. Treating hard working community members with such little respect, empathy and due process is awful. So here is an artist who has publicly spoken out about ice and about the raids and about the administration's immigration policy, and then they use her song in their promotional post.

00:06:01
Speaker 3: You sounding like And I'm coming to this conclusion now. This was not an accident. This was intentional trolling of this young lady, and it usually comes at least when it comes to the deministration the president with a purpose he knows how to fire up the right people at the right time to get on his side, to sometimes distract he's being accused of. This is not an accident. They know who this young lady is. You even speak about the song, it doesn't really fit like there have been some better options. Why would you use an Olivia Rodrigo song at all? Not because you're fans of the young lady, So there might be.

00:06:38
Speaker 2: Gaslightness well, And the truth is, obviously more people are now going to see this video because of the controversy, because we're all talking about it. So that could be smart on their part too, if you think, nope, there's no such thing as bad press. They're getting more eyeballs on their video. And here's another wrinkle in this story. This isn't the first time the Trump administration has recently used a Rodrigo song and got a similar response from her. So to your point, let me go ahead and tell you what happened. Just a short while ago, President Trump used her deja Vu single to celebrate his return to the White House for the second time, and she did not hesitate to express her feelings about that. She went into the comment section of that social media post where he used deja vu to celebrate his victory, and that time she said, ew, don't use my sound ever again, thank you?

00:07:37
Speaker 3: Do they do the artists have They do have a say, do they not in their music being used?

00:07:42
Speaker 4: They have to get permission.

00:07:43
Speaker 2: Absolutely, So once she put that comment in that post, they did take down, they did remove the song from the video, and they deleted her comment. So this is now round two.

00:07:56
Speaker 3: Okay, why are they true, Olivia Rodrigo, This is plain as day they have this is deja vu.

00:08:06
Speaker 4: You didn't tell me this. Okay.

00:08:07
Speaker 3: Sometimes, folks, I'm sorry, Robe sets me up. Sometimes she'll present a story that's great, said, oh, this is gonna be a great talker. You're gonna love talking about this, and all you gotta do is react. I'll handle everything. So I am learning about this story. Now I feel like you set me up. This is ridiculous.

00:08:22
Speaker 1: I wanted to get your genuine reaction to this.

00:08:24
Speaker 4: Obviously trolling this girl.

00:08:26
Speaker 1: Because you're actually experiencing it the way I did.

00:08:28
Speaker 2: I started I started looking at more stories and looking at the history between these two and what's happened just in recent months and over the past year, and this now seems to me that it cannot be an accident.

00:08:39
Speaker 1: You've come to the same thing.

00:08:42
Speaker 3: We're doing this over and over again, like there's a new person working social media at the White House that didn't know about that last incident.

00:08:50
Speaker 4: Of course not, they know what they're doing. I'm upset with you for taking me on this emotional journey.

00:08:55
Speaker 3: I was feeling one way about it when it's clear from the top what they're doing.

00:08:59
Speaker 4: This is not a coincidence. They have an.

00:09:01
Speaker 3: Issue with Olivia Rodrigo and they keep going after her.

00:09:05
Speaker 2: Well, and you know what, maybe it's not just Olivia Rodrigo. There are This was an amazing morning for me researching this story. There are so many other artists who are in the same boat as Olivia Rodrigo, and they have almost all taken some sort of legal action because of use of their music to promote President Trump and or his policies.

00:09:29
Speaker 1: I had no idea.

00:09:31
Speaker 2: Look, we knew that the Trump administration tended or has tended to be litigious and doesn't mind getting sued. This has been the most mind blowing legal wrangling I've ever seen in any administration. But when you start to hear and we'll talk about this after the break the number of artists who have pursued legal action against the Trump administration for using their songs. Your mind will be blown. Welcome back as we continue our conversation about basically musicians versus President Trump, and that's what it's kind of become as this story surrounding Olivia Rodrigo.

00:10:19
Speaker 4: This is so why don't you Okay.

00:10:22
Speaker 2: And her song Okay? You remember the recent little video that was put up on social media by the Trump administration of him getting into that fighter jet and pooping on protesters.

00:10:34
Speaker 4: Yes, of course you remember that.

00:10:35
Speaker 1: Do you remember the song that was.

00:10:36
Speaker 4: Used, uh, danger zone?

00:10:38
Speaker 2: Right?

00:10:38
Speaker 1: Yes?

00:10:39
Speaker 2: Well Kenny Logins, Kenny Loggins got upset and he denounced the Trump administration's unauthorized use of his song in that danger Zone.

00:10:48
Speaker 1: AI.

00:10:49
Speaker 2: I didn't even know he got involved, but he was like, do not use my music in your promotional video?

00:10:55
Speaker 4: All right?

00:10:55
Speaker 2: So Kenny Loggins, that was just a few weeks ago. Turns out though Celine Dion very upset in twenty twenty four he was using her song My Heart Will Go On and I Love She wrote in no way is this use authorized and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use and really that song, That's what her statement said.

00:11:16
Speaker 4: Okay, I am on fate. That was my reaction. Why you're using the song?

00:11:20
Speaker 1: Okay, okay, Shnead O'Connor nothing compares.

00:11:22
Speaker 2: To youonnor her estate because obviously she has since passed. Had to get involved and say it is not an exaggeration to say that Shaneade would have been disgusted, hurt and insulted.

00:11:34
Speaker 4: What was the song?

00:11:36
Speaker 2: Nothing compares to you? So he was using that he was this was all a part of his campaign. So he is going out on rallies, He's using songs coming out where I've.

00:11:47
Speaker 3: Seen We've all seen his rallies. And what point have you ever seen President Trump in any video, any stage where you thought, you.

00:11:53
Speaker 1: Know what, my heart will go on? Nothing compares to you.

00:11:57
Speaker 2: He obviously has an emotional side that I just haven't witness on these stages.

00:12:02
Speaker 1: But apparently this has all happened. Did you know this? In the twenty twenty campaign, the prince.

00:12:06
Speaker 2: The folks who are who represent Princess of state had to get involved because.

00:12:12
Speaker 4: I'm trying to get give me a second, you know, I love prince. What possible song.

00:12:17
Speaker 3: Of princes would work at a drump rally. Damn Nope, none of that kiss is obvious. Purple rain doesn't work when the doves cry is a little emotional. Can you tell me what album it was?

00:12:32
Speaker 2: I don't know which album it is. I know the song and you just named it so that no, not kiss, no purple Rain. He used it during a campaign rally in Minneapolis as he was campaigning for a president, and he used the song a year after he already promised the Princess state to stop using prince's works, and he did it again, so they had to send a cease desist order. You want, I'm going to name for you. In the last four years, five years, how many artists have sent cease and desist orders to Trump to stop playing or using their music, either in rallies or in promotional video.

00:13:14
Speaker 4: Is it? Is it double digits?

00:13:16
Speaker 2: Oh?

00:13:16
Speaker 1: I just want? Yes? Tom Petty Creeden's Clearwater Lay with.

00:13:23
Speaker 3: Me on, Tom Petty, What's the one I've struggle with every time you hear I hear a song I never heard before from your genres as?

00:13:30
Speaker 4: Is that, Tom Petty?

00:13:32
Speaker 2: Yes, I know that you always wonder Tom Petty, Falling, free Falling? Yes, that is him, I actually can tell you what song, because I actually have all the songs that that folks were upset about. I'm trying to get to Tom Petty. I won't back down is the one that Trump used. I won't go back all right. The Smiths, Yeah, I didn't know this song, Lincoln Park in the End, Creeden's Clearwater Revival, Fortunate Son, I know you don't know that, Neil Young Rocking in the Free World, and Devil's Sidewalk, and again. All of these artists sent the president cease and desist orders. Pharrell Happy, cannot use my song Happy, he said. Aerosmith didn't like him using Living on the Edge, Rolling Stones didn't like him using you can't always get what you want.

00:14:21
Speaker 1: Phil Collins.

00:14:23
Speaker 2: Phil Collins had to send the administration a cease and desist because he played in the Air tonight. YEP. Panic at the disco did not like him using high hopes I hope so. Rihanna was very upset that he used don't stop the music. Wow Guns and Roses was not okay with him, saying sweet Child of Mine.

00:14:42
Speaker 3: Okay, but come on, Rihanna, I cannot imagine Rihanna song playing and he.

00:14:46
Speaker 2: Used a Rihanna song ra em everybody hurts and losing my religion. Michael Stipe actually spoke out and said, we are exploring all legal avenues.

00:14:56
Speaker 1: To prevent this. He did not want Elton.

00:15:00
Speaker 2: John, Rocketman and Tiny Dancer, So Elton John had to make a whole thing saying you cannot use my songs, you cannot play them at political events, you cannot play them at your rallies.

00:15:11
Speaker 1: So yes, he did not like that.

00:15:13
Speaker 2: He said, I don't want my music to be involved in anything to do with an American election campaign. He said, I'm British, I've met Donald Trump.

00:15:21
Speaker 1: He was nice to me.

00:15:21
Speaker 2: It's nothing personal, so he was actually very very generous with what he said. His political views are his own. Mine are very different. I'm not a Republican in a million years. It was a very classy way to handle it. But I was just surprised. I did not realize all of these musicians who have been upset by the use of their songs by the Trump administration.

00:15:42
Speaker 3: You know what, President's got a good taste of music, though. It's a lot of good songs in it, a lot of great artists, but the Olivia. Yet, you'll give Olivia right, Rigo, break.

00:15:51
Speaker 2: Yes, just why, But I do I do appreciate the fact that her fans. I think it was very clever that they went back and you can go look for yourself and flooded the comments section with her comment that they deleted. It was a pretty brilliant tactic.

00:16:03
Speaker 3: For whatever reason, something has softened and lessened. And I find the story funnier now knowing that they're doing it on purpose, knowing that they've done it more than one occasion to this same young lady, and also seeing how her fans responded. But it's not that mean, but they're still kind of poking. I just wished a better conversation about what that video is while we use your song and just instead of we're just pissing each other off, we're finding a way not to come together, but actually to throw punches. Sometimes there's uppercuts, sometimes they're just hooks, sometimes they're just jabs. But we're still hitting each other, and they're hitting Olivia Rodrigo.

00:16:37
Speaker 2: Why maybe we can just all take a page from the Elton John playbook and just plain nice.

00:16:43
Speaker 4: That was good. That was a good bit.

00:16:45
Speaker 3: I am all right, folks, I have to deal with this one here. I didn't like how you sent me up emotionally. With the up and down, I got so upset about something that wasn't really the story until you told me the story later. All Right, folks, we always appreciate you spend some time with us. For my dear Aaby Robot come to you. Jay Holmes will talk to the outreal sent