Amex pulls out of Roger Waters tour?
Fox411: Report- Pink Floyd frontman's opinions on Israel behind move
Roger Waters is planning his most spectacular and expensive tour yet — but the Pink Floyd legend is facing backlash from some big-name sponsors over his views on Israel.
Sources tell us that American Express balked at spending up to $4 million to sponsor Waters’ 2017 US + Them North American tour.
AmEx sponsored this month’s so-called “Oldchella,” the Desert Trip festival, where Waters performed along with the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan and Neil Young.
Waters, who has angered many in New York with his support for a boycott of Israel over the issue of Palestinian rights, shocked people at Oldchella by unleashing a series of brutal images targeting Donald Trump, and slogans such as “F - - k Trump and his wall” and “Arrogant, lying, racist, sexist,” then voicing solidarity with students protesting for Palestinians. He also urged people to support the controversial BDS Movement (boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel) and added, “I encourage the government in Israel to end the occupation.”
An AmEx source told us: “Roger is putting on a huge show. The company was asked to sponsor his tour for $4 million, but pulled out because it did not want to be part of his anti-Israel rhetoric.”
A spokeswoman for AmEx told us they worked with Waters at Desert Trip, but, “We never committed to sponsoring Roger Waters’ upcoming tour. When we were approached with the options, we passed on making a bid.” AmEx works with artists such as Ariana Grande, Beyoncé and Kanye West, and the rep added, “It is a balancing act to work with artists our card members love, within the budgets we have allocated.” Waters has since partnered with Citi.
A rep for Waters didn’t respond, but the rocker said this year, “I have been accused of being a Nazi and an anti-Semite for the past 10 years. My industry has been particularly recalcitrant in even raising a voice [against Israel] . . . I’ve talked to a lot of them, and they are scared s - - tless. If they say something in public, they will no longer have a career. They will be destroyed.”
This article originally appeared in the New York Post's Page Six.
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