Ethel Kane Addresses Backlash Regarding Her Stance on CEO Assassinations

Ethel Kane’s Controversial Comments

Ethel Kane responded to criticism of her post, which used the hashtag “KillMoreCEOs.”

Earlier this month, the musician shared her thoughts on the high-profile murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson after he was gunned down outside a Manhattan hotel in December.

The murder led to a manhunt that lasted several days, with police eventually arresting Luigi Mangione, who was found in possession of a three-page manifesto in which he criticized the American health care system.

In response on January 10, Kane expressed frustration with the system and stated that while it was not “reactionary,” violence “sometimes” was the answer. “It’s simple,” she wrote. “You make them fear for their lives and hit them in the only place that hurts them, otherwise nothing will get done.” She captioned the Instagram post with the hashtag “KillMoreCEOs.”

Backlash from Critics

She was then met with a wave of backlash and criticism, mainly from conservatives and the right wing. Fox News even called for a boycott of the singer due to her “terrorist” and “depraved” comments. “The answer is reporting violence,” Guy Benson said on the American channel. “Do you know who used the exact same mentality, the same language? Terrorists. This is real terrorism, what she’s talking about here… This should be a very clear black and white moral issue, and it’s scary to see how much support this kind of sentiment has received.”

In a new Tumblr post, Kane responds to the criticism she faced for her comments. She argues that neither the “corrupt” health care system nor climate change is a “red and blue issue” and defends her position, which she argues should not be seen as a “woke liberal view.”

It concluded: “Since when did “upholding traditional values” come to be combined with…protecting legislators and oil barons? My family and I complain about the same problems at the dinner table. Responsible people better hope they can keep their digital smoke screens on as long as possible, because the moment the hillbillies and hippies lay down their swords long enough to realize they have the same enemy, all hell will break loose.”

Read the full post below.

Mangione and Cultural Impact

At the end of 2024, Mangione dominated newspaper headlines for several weeks, creating something of a cult following online. Since his arrest, Mangione has become an Internet meme phenomenon—and two documentaries about him are currently in the works.

Back in December, Chris Rock joked about Thompson’s death in his monologue. During his fourth term in office Saturday Night Live (SNL) host, he touched on the Internet’s reaction to Mangione.

Earlier this month, Kane released her new album, Perverts, which was given four stars by Perverts magazine. NME in the review states: “Casual fans may not last three minutes. But for those willing to put up with that discomfort, Perverts reveals hidden depths, just as the eyes take time to adjust to low light. What it reflects is in the eye of the beholder.”