The Rockstar Energy Drink/Michael Savage Connection
Look, another update! I think I misinterpreted the point of the legal threats yesterday when I wrote this post. As Savage listeners point out in the comments below, Michael Savage has never hidden the fact that his son is the CEO of Rockstar Energy Drink. The legal threats seem to be against people who are claiming that Michael Savage is directly involved in the company, which he is not. And no, there's no behind-the-scenes shenanigans at work here making me post this; I just feel I need to clarify it after reading the comments.
Original Post:
"Rockstar Energy Drink Doesn't Want Consumers To Know About Connection To Shock Jock Michael Savage"
Did you know ultra-conservative talk radio guy Michael Savage has intimate family connections to Rockstar Energy Drink? If lawyers for the company have their way, you wouldn't, because over the past week they've started going after people who have publicized the connection. They managed to get one guy's "Boycott Rockstar" facebook account closed without warning, and threatened him with a business libel lawsuit if he didn't publicly apologize. A gay news website, gaywired.com, has had to publish a partial retraction. None of this changes the fact that Michael Savage's son is listed as the founder and CEO of Rockstar, or that Michael Savage's wife is listed as the director, treasurer, and secretary of both Rockstar and Savage Productions. Or that both companies share the same address.
For those who don't know who he is, Michael Savage—whose real last name is Weiner—is a shock jock who likes to make outrageous statements about, among other things, gays and immigrants. Specifically, he doesn't like either of those groups, and occasionally pops up in the media for (real examples) telling a gay caller to get AIDS and die and calling for the banning of all Muslim immigration to the U.S. He's also a bestselling writer who's written several books on herbalism and homeopathy, which is certainly in the same sphere of expertise as formulating an herb-laden energy drink. Who knows, maybe his son read his dad's books in private.
We're not calling for a boycott of Rockstar Energy Drink—personally, I think Savage is a giant colostomy bag of a man, but I don't buy energy drinks in the first place—but we think companies owe their consumers a fair amount of transparency when it comes to who's behind a product, or where the profits are going. Imagine buying your favorite ketchup and assuming it's politically meaningless, and then finding out Michael Moore rakes in cash from it. Yes, Michael Moore. How's that ketchup taste now?
Anyway, so now you know. Michael Savage officially has nothing to do with Rockstar Energy Drink. His son, his wife, and his address are all participants, however.
Update: Seriously, some of you guys see anything political as an opportunity to haul out the partisan make-up kits and clown yourselves up. This is important to consumers because of the political views involved, sure, but there's a bigger issue, which I made explicit above: transparency is necessary. It's unfair to hide political affiliations from consumers when the product is something that otherwise would appear politically inert. It doesn't matter where it falls in the spectrum of political discourse.
If knowing that Michael Savage may have something to do with Rockstar Energy Drink makes you want to buy it more, congratulations. You're now an informed consumer and making a choice in full view of the relevant details, which is far more important to me than the deliberately provocative statements of a radio personality.
"Don't Drink Hate. BOYCOTT ROCKSTAR* my apology" [Facebook] (Thanks to Kim!)
"Rockstar Demands Retraction from Gaywired" [GayWired.com]
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Comments:
Can't say this is surprising, their target markets are about the same. Well, Rockstar has slightly more meth-heads.
How is this a secret? He has said so much on his own program.
Michael Moore brand ketchup contains three times the lard of regular ketchup.
It was nice to read a couple of weeks back that he's been banned from traveling to the UK because of his hate-speech. He is a douche bag.
was the ketchup thing a refernce to Heinz?
I'm not quite sure how a corporation can sue you and shut down your facebook account for having an opinion on something. You are a allowed to protest, demonstrate, organize boycotts, everything short of lie about a corporation's product, and even sometimes I think you can do that. I would say bring it on douchebags!
Until today I neither knew who Mr. Savage was, nor was I particularily fond of Rockstar Energy Drinks. And while I still don't particularly care, it seems that some days people just want to be against something...
Why can't we all just get along? *insert crying indian ad here*
I don't care if a product I like kills kittens for fun, as long as they make a quality product I will fund their fun.
I personally choose to look at it this way: If I drink a Rockstar Energy Drink, I can stay more focused at my Gay Pride parade, pro-choice rally and/or anti-war demonstration.
Wow, you're a fucking terrible consumer. That, or you agree with killing kittens for fun. Any way you slice it, however, you're a douche.
@Mario Romero: @vega480:
Wow, you're a fucking terrible consumer. That, or you agree with killing kittens for fun. Any way you slice it, however, you're a douche.
It's not okay for government to censor people because of the first amendment but the magic of the free market makes this okay. After all, if they had the money they could buy Rockstar from Savage and make it their own hippie gerbage product.
Liberals have the right to SUCK IT
I'm sure he was heartbroken about it. Next thing you know, denmark might follow suit and then what will he do? OH THE HUMANITY! NOT DENMARK!
hehehe, Whris said weiner
I had a "friend" who ran a house party in college. They fooled Rockstar into believing they were an actual bar and scored 4 free cases of swill each month. Sure, it's gross, but a bunch of free crap that makes the ladies dance faster? At a college party? I'll take it.
Btw, one of the lawyers representing Rockstar is Shapiro, OJ's old council. Niiiiice.
The guy'd Facebook 'apology' is well written and worth the read. Unfortunately, most of the comments read "I don't drink Rockstar, so sure I'll boycott it!", so the effect so far will be minimal.
WAIT is his last name REALLY Weiner? Like as in the euphemism for penis Wiener?
Boy that explains A LOT.
@henwy: I didn't fail. The comment system did. See how I properly quoted vega480, yet it didn't place it as such. It also copied my comment as a separate comment of its' own. Also, any 4chan reference or derivative isn't quite as funny elsewhere on the internet. It's also not as witty as you might like it to be.
They sorta ripped off Rush Limbaugh's logo.
Just wait until Monster energy drink and Rockstar merge to be headed up by..... you guessed it Monster Cable.
A new level of dbaggery will ensue.
@BigFoot_Pete: Because most people cannot stand to listen to his vitriol long enough to find out that there is such a connection. So many know who he is and generally what he stands for but have no idea there is a strong connection, and that they may well be supporting someone of this ilk.
I like RockStar, I like Savage, and I agree that the people should know.
I wonder how this information will affect sales, though. I know I won't change my buying habits because of this information. I like the drink's taste and the neon green urine I produce after drinking it.
Next thing your going to break the news on is that Bill Clinton is a philanderer. Perhaps the sun will rise tomorrow? A broken clock is right twice a day?
As I mentioned before, I might just buy a case of this crap and give it away to kids in the neighborhood on principle.
@Keavy_Rain: I won't drink it anymore. I'll switch to Monster. Unless i find out that it's run by the same guy as Monster Cable. That guy's a douchebag too.
@Galactica: Our countries laws allow us to be as hateful and racist as we want to be. Luckily that's still not a crime. Slippery slope if we go down that path.
@Keavy_Rain: I don't like Savage but I love rockstar. So my mild dislike for Savage is overpowered by how great rockstar is. And my pee comes out as neon yellow, bright too.
@fatcop: The principle being...total jerks are entitled to your money?
Please mention the First Amendment in your answer, so I can laugh.
@wardawg: I want to be against any product that Michael Savage may benefit from. We should all try and use our purchase power responsibly.
@UnicornMaster: Facebook can shut down your account for whatever reason they want. They don't need any legal standing.
Would you make an issue of it if it was some left wing nut job?
@Mario Romero: Embarassing to screw up the comment system when authoring a hate-filled rant, isn't it?
Yes, sure it wasn't your fault. All the other people who have managed to do it properly were using magic. Maybe you should start wearing a helmet.
@Mario Romero: It's embarassing to screw up the comment system when authoring a hate-filled rant, isn't it?
Dear Consumerist,
I would really prefer you guys stay out of these sorts of partisan political arguments that really don't have any serious relation to consumer issues, and I can't imagine your fair and balanced CR overlords would not object on some level. How many people actually buy Rockstar? Probably a very, very small % of your readers and an even smaller portion of the total population. There's no reason to get into this, it will only anger a large portion of your readers and the comments will delve into a massive right vs. left idiot fight.
Thanks,
Me
I've attempted to listen to Savage before. I didn't find anything insightful or redeeming in what I heard.
I've never tried this drink, however, but I might now just to irrate those that are whining about him.
People should be privy to this kind of information no matter what opinion the controversial group or person is spouting. The issue is less that a polarizing figure is profiting from a product, it is that he doesn't want people to know.
I do not want my money to help people I not just disagree with but are making an effort to take away my rights. But that is my choice. Everyone should at least be able to have the information to decide for themselves.
The teenager drinks rockstar from time to time. He will never buy another one when I tell him this.
I've attempted to listen to Savage before. I didn't find anything insightful or redeeming in what I heard.
I've never tried this drink, however, but I think I will just to irritate those that are whining about him.
His house has been masterminding the whole operation.