Special Olympics Calls Out Kid Rock Over R-Word Halloween Comment - See Statement

Special Olympics issued a statement calling out Kid Rock over a Halloween comment he made during an appearance on Fox News using the R-Word.

Rock appeared on the network's Jesse Watters Primetime on Oct. 24 where he said he planned to dress up as a "r-tard" for Halloween.

In a clip from the conversation posted by TMZ, Watters spoke with the musician about his family's upcoming Halloween costume plans. As he listened, Rock put a disposable face mask on — the common face coverings people wear to protect against viruses such as COVID-19 — and said, "Guess what I'm going to be?... A r-tard."

See it below.

What Did Special Olympics Say in Response to Kid Rock's Comment?

Special Olympics vice chair and Chief Inspiration Officer Loretta Clairborne wrote an open letter to Rock on the organization's website in response to the musician's remark.

"The R-Word deeply demeans and harms people with intellectual disabilities. I’m writing to you personally with an urgent request: please acknowledge the hurt caused and use this moment to stand with us in rejecting that word and the prejudice it represents," she wrote.

"You have a powerful voice and a massive platform and the world is watching. As an artist and cultural figure who influences millions, you can shape conversations and attitudes across this country. People with intellectual disabilities, one of the largest groups of people with disabilities in the world, have suffered generations of discrimination and humiliation."

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Clairborne cited Special Olympics' "Spread the Word" campaign, which aims to "end the casual use of the R-Word" and instead replace it with the word respect. She asserted that every time a public figure uses the R-Word, it sets them back in their progress to end the use of the word and the stigma surrounding it.

"You have the chance to turn this incident into a statement of strength, to acknowledge the harm, to stand with people with intellectual disabilities, and to help lead the conversation toward greater understanding and respect," she continued.

"I would be honored to speak with you and share more about the movement for inclusion and respect that has changed so many lives, including my own."

Read the letter in full here.