Musician
Ted Nugent
Notes from Evan Smith
The challenge of interviewing him is only slightly greater than the challenge of introducing him. How can anyone possibly do justice to the man in full: the rock star, the NRA poster boy, the bow-hunting naturalist, the Rick Perry pal, the unrepentant enemy of alcohol, drugs, chewing tobacco, bad driving, and, especially, politically correctness—someone who makes Don Imus look like Alan Alda? Then again, the best promotional tool for Ted Nugent is Ted Nugent—ain’t nothing like the real thing—so maybe we should just blow past the set-up and get on with it. The basic facts you need are these: Born in Detroit. Moved to the Waco area more than three years ago—yes, the Motor City Madman is now one of us. Thirty-two albums as a solo artist and and as a member of the Amboy Dukes and the Damn Yankees; thirty million sold—and counting. Four books, including two New York Times best-sellers. Three reality TV shows. But although his career as a performer isn’t nearly behind him, it’s his charcteristically aggressive stance on serious public policy issues that puts the 59-year-old front and center these days. At this year’s inaugural gala in Austin celebrating the governor’s reelection, Nugent was criticized for comments he says he didn’t make about immigration—although he freely admits that his position on the issue is, quote, “If you can’t speak English, get the bleep out of America.” On the Second Amendment, he’s even more bracingly candid, attacking this spring, in the wake of the tragedy on the Virgina Tech campus, quote, “spineless gun control advocates” who are, quote, “squawking like chickens with their tiny-brained heads chopped off.” “It is their own forced gun-free zone policy,” he wrote in the Waco newspaper, “that enabled the unchallenged methodical murder of 32 people.” If nothing else you have to give him this: He knows what he believes, and he doesn’t give a damn if you agree with him." - Evan Smith, Texas Monthly Talks, Broadcast 05.10.07
