Gavin Newsom Mocks Kid Rock With California “Ban”
California Governor Gavin Newsom took aim at Kid Rock in a new round of social-media trolling this week, joking that the musician is no longer welcome in the state after a viral workout clip featuring Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The post framed the “ban” as a response to what Newsom portrayed as an uncomfortable and poorly executed stunt, keeping the spat between the Democratic governor and the conservative rocker in the public eye.
In a message posted by the governor’s official press account, The Daily Beast reported that Newsom declared he was “officially banning” Kid Rock from California while mocking the singer’s “weakest pushups” and calling the shirtless video with Kennedy “inappropriate” and “low energy.”
The clip Newsom referenced was shared by Kennedy and shows the pair running through a “rock out workout” set to Kid Rock’s 1999 hit “Bawitdaba.” The video includes scenes of the two using gym equipment, getting into ice baths while wearing jeans, and posing in a hot tub, with Kennedy riding a stationary bike in a sauna as Kid Rock does pushups behind him. The footage drew ridicule across the political spectrum, with media personalities and late-night hosts also taking shots at the unusual presentation.
Newsom’s latest jab follows earlier exchanges between the two, including moments when the governor’s press operation has used Kid Rock imagery to needle him online; in previous Alternative Nation coverage, Newsom called out an “angry” Kid Rock after another flare-up over a satirical post.
While Newsom’s “ban” is clearly framed as a joke rather than an official legal action, it underscores how quickly entertainment and politics continue to collide online—especially when high-profile figures turn viral clips into fresh ammunition for public sparring.
