Elton John Sings Praises of 'Sweet' Rush Limbaugh

By PopEater Staff Posted Jun 15th 2010 04:59PM

Elton John has broken his silence, sort of, about taking the job as Rush Limbaugh's wedding singer, telling PEOPLE (via partner David Furnish) it was an opportunity "to go where people wouldn't expect me to go."

Furnish said John was "a little surprised" to get the invitation, but accepted the job -- which netted him a reported $1 million -- after deciding "Life is about building bridges, not walls."

John told Furnish, who was unable to attend the June 5 event, that Limbaugh and his bride, Kathryn Rogers, "were incredibly gracious and very welcoming and very sweet and very appreciative."

He joked during his performance, "I suppose you all wonder why I'm here tonight?"

In the end, the singer saw taking Limbaugh's money as "an olive branch" to the radio commentator, who strongly opposes gay marriage and has a history of negative comments about homosexuality. He calls openly gay Congressman Barney Frank a "banking Queen," and said Democrats will "bend over, grab their ankles, and say, 'Have your way with me" in order to ensure the support of gay voters.

But John isn't taking any of that rhetoric personal and the couple has accepted an offer from Limbaugh to have dinner the next time the newlyweds are in England.

"We have to bring the world together, not apart," said Furnish.

But before he brings warring nations together, John may have to mend some fences with the gay community. Immediately following the wedding, incensed readers and editors of The Advocate and Out Magazine, not to mention gay-centric blogs, began unleashing on the singer.

"I'm flabbergasted," Aaron Hicklin, Editor-in-Chief of Out, told PopEater. "It betrays either ignorance or self-interest or both, and jeopardizes his admirable record on gay rights."

Readers have been equally critical of John. "What a pathetic excuse for a human being, and I'm talking about Elton John," sniped an Advocate reader named Liam. "SHAME ON YOU ELTON."

Tags: elton john, rush limbaugh

Comments

(78)

Tuesday 15 June

By ennui

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DEAR ELTON....A WORD TO THE WISE..."BUILDING BRIDGES" IS ONE THING, BUT WHEN YOU STAND NEXT TO HORSE MANURE, YOU TEND TO SMELL JUST LIKE IT, NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU WERE PAID.

By Dave

I always suspected that there was something going on between those two. I just expected Elton to have some taste...and hold out for a smart person.

By ajschrod

Elton apparently believes Rush can be a decent human being in private and change personalities to spout his despicable brand of hatred on the air. That he was willing to perform for a gay-basher was a surprise, but money makes strange bedfellows, doesn't it?

By Gadfly

Everyone has his/her price. A million is John's. There are no principles in this world. Never has been. Just follow the money.

By Ed

At least when this marriage does the way of Limpballs other attempts to hook up with a female, El Rushmo will have Elton's number.

By rob

there is so much misinformation about Rush. He isn't the bigot the left thinks he is. Many of his words are taken out of context or twisted. The thing that makes him so endearing is that liberals hate him for speaking the truth, unlike the state run media. If you don't think our country is being harmed by the current socialist regime, think again. Bush wasn't any better but at least we knew where he stood.

By Jim

I'm hetro sexual and know I was born that way. If you were born gay im sure you know that. Why hate a gay man, who is mending the fence with someone that doesn't really understand? No one on earth has stood up for gay rights more than Elton John, so shame on you if you want to throw a stone at him now. Kuddos to both Rush and Elton!

By asvasvav

Like Rush's first wife probably said, 'he leaves a bad taste in my mouth'. Schmucks, the both of them.

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By Judith

What better way to show someone who's a homophobe that gays are not evil?
And I generally agree with Rush about 70% of the time, but not on gay rights.

By zorobabelj

rush limpbug already destroyed the republican party and now he is looking for some other victims and lives to destroy .

Wednesday 16 June

By TJJ

I have no problem with John playing at Rush's wedding. What I find ironic is that a man who's been married four times has the chutzpah to think anyone can take his views on the sanctity of traditional marriage seriously. If he grew a beard, he'd look like Henry the VIII.

By SendingHugs

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A gay couple and a straight man with opposing views are civil to each other .Now that's indeed refreshing.. We all have different views on many things . But to live in this world together we must strive to respect each other..

By jahlove2010

Does anybody remember after 9/11, Elton John defending the Islam religion? The first thing that came to my mind was, if he had been living in a Muslim country they would have shredded him to bits for his homosexuality. Before that he sang with Eminem on the Grammys even after many gay group protested Eminem's homophobia and now he is performing for some idiot hate monger. I think he's really a straight man trapped in a gay man's body

Thursday 17 June

By Jay

It's always about money, for a million dollars, there isn't much i would not do. lol. People are greedy sometimes. I still love his music.

By Jean

For a Million Buck? Are you guys NUTS? I would have went if it was Aflof Hitler, and I was Frank Sinatra! Give me a break, a million Bucks is a Million Buck, Guys! Gals! Greed is Greed! BP is Greed and they would have ewent to a Hitler Wedding too. Idiot Faces. Americanos. THE NOT GREEDY ONES? YEAH, RIGHT!

Friday 18 June

By John

They are both of a kind. They were both Druggies. Elton will do anything for money.

Monday 21 June

By Joe

The article is misleading. Elton John, Rush Limbaugh, Barack Obama and most Americans by far have the same EXACT opinions on gay mariage. All are against it, but for civil unions.

Friday 13 August

By SMK

As seems to be the case with most minority groups, "gay rights activists" are homosexuals' worst enemy. Limbaugh has no ax to grind with gays--never has. In fact, he's been very gracious toward them for as long as he's been on the air. He's expressed disgust toward weak-willed men of any sexual preferecne and is rabidly opposed to extending disproportionate rights to any group, for any reason.

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