A model who shared a video of herself recreating Kid Rock’s violent reaction to Bud Light’s partnership with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, has spoken out in defense of Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass’ recent anti-LGBTQ+ post.
Bass became embroiled in controversy on Monday when he shared a video on his Instagram story promoting a conservative boycott of Bud Light beer and Target stores. The brands are among an increasing number of companies and products drawing the ire of right-wing figures online over their pro-LGBTQ+ marketing initiatives.
Bud Light was initially targeted in April for a small branded partnership it did with Mulvaney. The partnership drew condemnation from a number of conservative social media users who issued calls for a boycott. Musician Kid Rock shared footage of him opening fire on a stack of Bud Light cans, a move that was emulated by Bri Teresi as she took aim at a range of brands.
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Retailer Target has also been the subject of calls for boycotts and has said it received bomb threats after introducing its 2023 line of Pride month merchandise.
Despite such inclusive marketing and branding initiatives being commonplace among corporations for years, many have become engulfed in controversy in recent months, with some experts pinning the blame on a small number of influential far-right figures orchestrating a plan to make support for LGBTQ+ communities toxic for major companies.
Bass has since deleted the video from his account, and on Tuesday he briefly addressed reporters with an apology for his actions. He did not take questions from the assembled press and did not elaborate on what motivated him to share the video in the first place.
“I recognize yesterday I made a post that was hurtful to the Pride community, which includes friends of mine and close family members of mine,” Bass said. “I am truly sorry for that. I just spoke with my teammates and shared with them my actions yesterday. I apologized [to] them, and as of right now, I am using the Blue Jays’ resources to better educate myself to make better decisions moving forward.”
“The ballpark is for everybody,” he continued. “We include all fans at the ballpark. We want to welcome everybody. That’s all I have to say.”
Teresi, 28, has since spoken out on the controversy surrounding Bass, sharing in a Twitter post on Tuesday what she would say to the MLB player if she could.
“I looked Anthony Bass up on [Instagram] to message him,” she wrote in reaction to a post criticizing Bass for apologizing. “He has his comments turned off and cannot receive any messages. Here’s what I would say to him.”
“I think it’s really sad you felt the need to apologize,” she continued in her address to Bass. “You know what’s right & you should stand by that. You appear to be a man of God, you have scripture in your bio. Do what’s right. This is a spiritual war. You have little children, protect them from this. God is testing you right now.”
I looked Anthony Bass up on IG to message him. He has his comments turned off and cannot receive any messages. Here’s what I would say to him.
I think it’s really sad you felt the need to apologize. You know what’s right & you should stand by that. You appear to be a man of God,… https://t.co/QOAAPEshrJ
— Bri Teresi (@briteresi) May 31, 2023
In a related video, social media influencer Ryan Miller, who uses the username @dudewithgoodnews and has more than 150,000 followers on Instagram, spoke of the “biblical reasons why Christians should boycott Target.”
Taking aim at the retailer “and Bud Light and any other corporation that’s pushing things they’re pushing,” Miller said: “I think a lot of people make this into a political issue, where they say, ‘Oh, what’s the big deal? Is it really gonna make that big of a difference if I’m shopping or not shopping here?'”
He then read a Bible verse: “It says this: ‘Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even talk of the things that they do in secret.'”
Turning his attention to Target, Miller continued: “They make money, they sell things. And to take part in that is to take part in that God of Mammon that they’re serving and to take part in the darkness that they’re purveying, and getting out to the world and shoving into children’s faces. And to take part in that is to give them your money. I believe the Bible gives us radical precedent to say no.”
Teresi waded into the discourse back in April, when she posted footage of her taking aim at a range of products that included Bud Light cans, tampons, bras, and paint-filled balloons.
Sporting an American-flag bikini top and denim shorts, Teresi said while brandishing a semi-automatic rifle, “Go woke, go broke.” She then opened fire on the stack of products. The video has been viewed more than 7 million times.
Amid the initial furor, a number of conservative commentators mistakenly said that Mulvaney had been drafted as a spokesperson for Tampax.
Teresi has spoken out against lingerie brand Honey Birdette after nonbinary model Jake DuPree posed in a three-piece set on Instagram for the company in April. However, representatives for Honey Birdette have stated that the company never had a formal agreement or contract with Teresi.