For over four decades, the costumed thrash metal group GWAR has been renowned for its wildly theatrical live shows, featuring elaborate monster costumes and comically absurd depictions of violence against public figures. From Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump, the band has consistently staged mock beheadings and disembowelments, delighting fans who eagerly position themselves to be doused in various fake bodily fluids. However, a recent performance at Riot Fest in Chicago, which included a mock beheading of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, sparked an unexpected wave of alleged outrage online.

The controversy emerged from tweets that appeared to attempt to generate furor over what had previously been an uncontroversial element of GWAR’s show. This online clamor coincided with ominous messages from figures like Donald Trump and the chairman of the FCC regarding perceived limits on First Amendment rights to free speech. Michael “Blöthar the Berserker” Bishop, GWAR’s lead singer, vehemently dismissed claims of normalizing violence. Responding to a New York Post headline that sensationalized the event, Bishop stated, “The idea that GWAR is normalizing violence is patently absurd.” He emphasized that the band’s acts, which have targeted figures across the political spectrum including Hillary Clinton, Justin Bieber, Pope Francis, and Joe Biden, are cartoonish, akin to “Looney Tunes,” and intended as a parody of violence to highlight humanity’s absurdity, not to be taken as a realistic depiction.

Bishop expressed annoyance and surprise at the alleged outrage, noting GWAR’s long history and their punk rock ethos of being