John Rich is criticizing Nashville’s Mayor John Cooper over the return to a modified Phase 2, which means bars that make the majority of their revenue from alcohol sales must remain closed. After moving to Phase 3, which allowed bars to reopen, the mayor returned Nashville to the modified Phase 2 plan on July 2, right as the holiday weekend was beginning, with the new plan in place at least through July 31, and potentially longer, as cases of COVID-19 continue to rise.
John Rich, who owns Redneck Riviera, is speaking out about the plan, criticizing Mayor Cooper for not allowing bar owners to make any money.
After the mayor tweeted that he visited Riddim n Spice, a Caribbean restaurant, John retweeted the tweet, questioning why one his own business couldn’t also be open.
Mayor! You should stop by my place @rnrbarnash for a beer! Oh wait, that's right, you shut us all down again…Well, at least the planes at the Nashville airport are packed and Walmart looks like a mosh pit! PS: Thanks for the 34% tax increase! You're a real gem. @JohnCooper4Nash https://t.co/fuPZ6M9ZAQ
— John Rich (@johnrich) July 15, 2020
“Mayor! You should stop by my place [Redneck Riviera] for a beer!” the Big & Rich singer tweeted. “Oh wait, that’s right, you shut us all down again…Well, at least the planes at the Nashville airport are packed and Walmart looks like a mosh pit! PS: Thanks for the 34% tax increase! You’re a real gem.”
Later, John tweeted out his summation of what businesses could be opened and which ones had to remain closed.
“Just so I’m clear,” John wrote. “1. The virus IS dangerous in a bar that serves food. 2. The virus is NOT dangerous in a restaurant that serves liquor. 3. The virus IS dangerous at a baseball game or in a church building. 4. The virus is NOT dangerous on a packed airplane. Got it.”
Just so I'm clear:
1. The virus IS dangerous in a bar that serves food.
2. The virus is NOT dangerous in a restaurant that serves liquor.
3. The virus IS dangerous at a baseball game or in a church building.
4. The virus is NOT dangerous on a packed airplane.Got it.
— John Rich (@johnrich) July 15, 2020
John isn’t the only country artist questioning why certain businesses could operate but others couldn’t. After Randy Houser posted a photo on social media of a packed airplane and an empty concert venue, posting, “I have questions,” several people were quick to respond, including Clint Black and Jason Aldean.
I have questions. pic.twitter.com/WhXqsDjBoa
— Randy Houser (@RandyHouser) July 12, 2020
“Do you think we should end all commercial flights unless or until all other businesses are treated equally?” Clint wrote. “Maybe we should see if we can sing to people packed into planes? As musicians, we know what it feels like to be non-essential to society. Do you feel it’s wrong to allow people to pack into poorly ventilated planes, but not well ventilated theaters? Asking for 1,0000,000, friends.”
“No sh– dude!” wrote Jason. “No concerts or people going to their everyday jobs but let’s pack em in airplanes like sardines breathing recirculated air. Makes complete sense to me.”
John was one of the very first to reopen Redneck Riviera when Phase 3 went into effect, vowing to do all he could to keep both his staff and guests safe.
“Of course there’s a lot of rules, regulations, stuff that you have to do, correctly to open safely and carefully but we’ve done that and I’ve honestly been really proud of our customers that they follow the rules,” John told PopCulture.com. “I was wondering, ‘Are we gonna have to separate people? Are people gonna get upset?’
“I think they’re just so happy to be able to go to a bar, get a Redneck Riviera whiskey and Coke, barbecue sandwich and just be somewhere else,” he added. “That’s the last thing they’re gonna do is cause any trouble. It’s been a good experience so far.”
