Update 1/30:

Drew Garabo has posted the following on his Facebook page.

It started innocuously enough, as these ideas tend to do. During a break, Seth said, “We should start a petition against the Juggalos’ weekend in St. Pete.” Always one to poke and prod at these clown-worshipers, I eagerly agreed and we were off and running.

Predictably, the Juggalos took to social media to confront me about the petition designed to “ban” them from St. Petersburg. I thought that a good amount of them would certainly see through it for the transparent radio bit that it was, but only a scant few did. The rest took it personally. Some hurled vitriol, some asked for understanding, some even started petitions of their own to get me off the air.

It was laying out pretty much exactly as I hoped and predicted. Until…

I’m not sure which exact Tweeter made me think of a dude I heard interviewed on Howard Stern’s show at a Gathering of the Juggalos. He lost his legs in a train accident, and credited the music of ICP and the Juggalo family for keeping him alive. His “whoop whoop” became a regular sound bite on the Stern show. It is the Rallying Cry of the Juggalo, if I am correct, and its ability to bury itself in one’s head is undeniable.

Suddenly, it didn’t seem like so much fun to taunt the Juggalos. While I knew in my heart that I meant them no malice (and would certainly never try to use my “influence” to “ban” them from a city, there was no way for them to know that.

These people, many of them ostracized, abused, teased, bullied, picked on, victimized, etc…found their joy in ICP. The rest of us can look at these rapping clowns and their “family” and scoff, laugh, make them the butt of jokes…but are they any worse than, say, Parrotheads?

Hell no. Nothing’s worse than Parrotheads.

Seriously, though, I worshiped at the altar of Beastie Boys from 1985 until just recently. They had “Girls,” “Fight for Your Right to Party,” and other idiotic songs in their catalog. What makes them any better? What gives me the right to not only crap on these rapping clowns, but continue to make their fans feel pushed away, insulted, or alienated?

You may see me as a bully with a microphone. I don’t fault you for that. You might be able to peer behind the curtain just a tad and see someone who simply enjoys kicking the nests of hornets, often for a good cause, but you might not. I never want to make an individual or a group of people feel genuinely hurt for enjoying something. These Juggalos escape reality by gathering with other Juggalos and listening to artists like Twiztid, Blaze Ya Dead Homie, and others. While I don’t think that mocking them for this affects them profoundly, I do believe that getting a message that they are not welcome in a particular city wouldn’t sit well with them.

So, because of that, I’m taking down the petition. Even if we got news coverage from it, which is quite possible, it’s just not worth it to me if I make people feel awful. For me to preach tolerance of all, I have to back up my words with actions. I sincerely and thoroughly apologize for any hurt, anger, alienation, or any other negative feelings brought on by a petition that we started as a joke.

#whoopwhoop,

Original Post:

Drew Garabo, a radio host for 102.5 FM in Tampa Bay, FL has launched a Change.Org Petition. This petition is looking to keep ICP and Juggalos out of St. Petersburg for Juggalo Weekend.

This petition will be delivered to Mayor Rick Kriseman. Check out the petition by clicking the link below. Be sure to read the reasons people signed.

Keep Insane Clown Posse and the Juggalos OUT of St. Pete, FL

ICP and the Juggalos are poised to take over the city of St. Petersburg, FL, on a weekend that should be all about love. Keep these clowns, freaks, weirdos, and criminals OUT of our beautiful city during the weekend of February 17!

Here is what Drew had to say on his radio show. You can also click here to check it out.

Fat Shady has launched a Change.Org Petition to force Drew Garabo to paint up and attend all of the festivities of Juggalo Weekend.

This petition will be delivered to Cox Media and Donald Trump. Check out the petition by clicking the link below.

Get Drew Garabo live to paint faces and attend all festivities that are juggalo weekend

Maybe the DGL crew will see juggalos as normal people. Maybe they will find miracles, figure out magnets, or get some cotton candy! If not it will make for great radio on the following monday, If they survive the wicked clowns and the sanitizer bath that follows!

Contributors:

• The Michness