Jelly Roll Makes First Political Comments, May No Longer Be Welcome In Florida Panhandle

Since breaking through to superstardom, the country rapper turned inspirational balladeer Jelly Roll has been notoriously apolitical. But in February, after triumphing at the Grammys, he vowed to finally speak out about politics in the next week. More than six months later, he's finally done it, sort of.

Jelly Roll has been guest-hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the second time this week, and he used the occasion to crack jokes about Donald Trump. "A lot of doctors are worried about Trump's weight," the famously slimmed-down Jelly Roll said during Monday's monologue. "After his last physical, we learned Trump gained 14 pounds, which means he's now tipping the scales at almost 240. It's crazy. Now, think about this, y'all. The last few years I've lost 300 pounds — that means I've lost an entire Donald Trump. And I gotta be honest. Based on his approval ratings, it seems like most of the country wants to do the same thing." He then played a highlight reel of Trump making fun of other people's weight.

Tuesday, Jelly Roll began his monologue with another Trump joke. After noting how hot it is in Los Angeles right now, he said, "I'm so sweaty it's like the east wing of the White House in my pants. My ball room is an absolute disaster." He then commented on some people's surprise that a Southern good ol' boy like himself took jabs at Trump: "I have to say, as a former felon, a drug dealer, who has lost 300 pounds, has tattoos all over his face, and won three Grammys, this is the weirdest thing I've ever done to stun people."

After remarking, "Who would have guessed I'd get in more trouble with the president than Rosie O'Donnell?" he continued, "Some folks online were upset that I didn't treat the president with reverence and dignity. But I want to remind y'all that I go by the name Jelly Roll. I don't even treat myself with reverence and dignity." He then kept going on Trump: "Any US president should be able to handle a few jokes, right? They should also be able to handle gas prices, healthcare, and the occasional international conflict."

And then there was this: "Some people are mad at me for goofin' on Trump. But if you wanted me to make jokes about Kamala Harris, you should have voted for her." After a pause, he continued, "So for those who threatened to stop listening to my music based on my comments last night, I just want to say with conviction, go right ahead, 'cause I'm going to keep speaking my truth or my name isn't Post Malone."

This, of course, incited more online vitriol. Wednesday afternoon, Congressman Jimmy Patronis (R-FL) tweeted, "@JellyRoll615 is 100% not welcomed to Florida’s panhandle. I don’t even want to see his bus on I-10. He’s always been the token “country” star the libs in California are allowed to enjoy. (He ain’t country, never was.) Take the TDS elsewhere, loser."

Jelly Roll was back Wednesday with even more Trump jokes, dubbing his trade war with Canada "ridiculous" and Trump himself "full of shit." He played a clip of Fox News host Jesse Watters claiming Jelly Roll has Trump Derangement Syndrome as a side effect from Ozempic. Jelly said Ozempic is the only drug he hasn't tried — "I lost weight the old-fashioned way: cocaine" — before asserting that he did it through diet and exercise.

"I can't believe out of all the jokes I've told the past few nights, the one that really seemed to make people mad about what I said about [Trump] was when I said he was overweight," the host said. "I thought fat-on-fat crime was okay. I mean, we can debate whether this president is mentally fit, but I think we can all agree he is certainly not physically fit." And then, "Wouldn't it be nice to see Trump lose something besides the war, his popularity, and most of his marbles?" And then, "And just so we're clear: I believe in you, Mr. President. With a little hard work, one day your waistline will be just as thin as your skin."

UPDATE: On Thursday (Aug. 27) evening, Jelly Roll spoke more explicitly about his promise on Grammy night to speak out politically only to stay silent for six months. "Like most folks, I'm pretty down the middle," he offered.

“I got handed my award that I’ve been dreaming about since I was a child," Jelly Roll said, "and immediately after, I was asked to make what I felt at the time was a political stands. I fumbled my words.” He continued:

I don’t necessarily regret asking for more time before I spoke. I wish more people took more time before they spoke. But I do wish I had found the words to express my heart just a little bit sooner. But I was afraid that anything I was going to say was going to be immediately taken as a political statement.

Ironically, by trying so hard not to make a political statement, I became one. I spent my entire career trying not to belong to a political party. Partly because until March of this year, I wasn’t allowed to vote. But now that I have that right, it’s one I plan to exercise this coming November.

"I had a microphone and I didn't use it the right way," Jelly Roll added. He then teared up talking about what his father told him: "It is never too late to do the right thing."

“Human dignity isn’t Republican nor Democrat," Jelly Roll concluded. "Compassion isn’t left wing and mercy isn’t right wing. Pain and healing knows no partisanship. Hurting hearts are more important than poll numbers and there are no boundaries or borders for broken families.”

He explained that he will always shake the hand of a sitting president out of respect for veterans like his father.

You can watch him deliver all these monologues below.