To quote one social media user, GWAR are equal-opportunity beheaders. Over the years, the shock metal band has staged faux executions of every president of the last four decades (Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, Bush Jr., Obama, Trump, and Biden), as well as Hillary Clinton, Michael Jackson, Mike Tyson, and even Jesus Christ. Chances are, if you’re a famous person, they’ve killed you onstage. The band’s set at Riot Fest this weekend was no different, as they beheaded Elon Musk and stabbed Trump.
This time, though, MAGA picked up on GWAR’s antics and is crying foul. Both conservative-leaning websites Brietbart and New York Post have published articles on the band’s performance at Riot Fest, while videos of GWAR circulated widely on X/Twitter throughout the weekend. “Listen I know they do this to every leader and even did Obama but after what happened with Charlie Kirk last week it’s just retarded timing,” one user complained. Libs of TikTok called GWAR’s performance an act of “incitement,” adding that, “Democrats can’t help themselves. They love promoting violence.”
A representative for GWAR pushed against the New York Post’s article a statement: “Normalizing violence? Humans don’t need GWAR for that. There is nothing normal about the Looney Toon violence acted out on a GWAR stage. GWAR is absurdist spectacle. GWAR is to violence what the New York Post is to journalism. Ridiculous.”
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Riot Fest also joined in mocking the outrage over GWAR’s performance: “Like I know this is a rage bait engagement farming twitter account, but ‘GWAR crossed a major line’ is one of the funniest fucking things I’ve ever heard,” the festival wrote on X.
The kicker? The viral clip that set off the controversy may have been planted from inside GWAR’s own orbit. The clip was the very first post from an account called @hottakekaren, whose bio reads “GWAR’s biggest fan.” The post tagged @RiotFest, @GWAR, and @ElonMusk, while subsequent uploads from the same account tagged @realdonaldtrump, @JDVance, and even @FBI. Whether it was the band, Riot Fest, or a devoted fan, the stunt clearly worked. If the goal was to rile up MAGA and give GWAR a burst of viral attention, consider it mission accomplished.
Heads Up: GWAR’s Bud of God collection is currently BOGO at Consequence Shop.
Saw a friend’s video from Riot Fest—GWAR mock-beheaded Elon Musk on stage. That’s not edgy, it’s grotesque and reckless and normalizes violence against a real person. This is not okay. Riot Fest and GWAR crossed a major line. #RiotFest #GWAR #ElonMusk @RiotFest @gwar @elonmusk @X pic.twitter.com/ngr0GRVbP9
— karen (@hottakekaren) September 20, 2025