Kiss my bass! Rocker Gene Simmons among stars bashing Eurovision boycott call
Sharon Osborne and Rachel Riley also among well-known figures backing Creative Community For Peace initiative ahead of next month's Tel Aviv songfest
Gene Simmons, Stephen Fry and Sharon Osbourne are among 100 leading figures from the world of entertainment to have signed a statement opposing boycotts of Israel (BDS), ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv this May.
High-profile names also including actress Tracy Ann Oberman, Countdown presenter Rachel Riley and comedian Al Murray have backed an initiative by the Creative Community For Peace (CCFP), an entertainment industry non-profit.
While the statement is signed by musicians and actors, CEOs and producers, as well as academics and journalists, a petition has also been signed by 15,000 people echoing the call.
The declaration says that music “transcends boundaries and brings people together”, in urging opposition to boycotts of Israel.
“We believe that unifying events, such as singing competitions, are crucial to help bridge our cultural divides and bring people of all backgrounds together through their shared love of music.
“Unfortunately, this year, the spirit of togetherness is under attack by those calling to boycott Eurovision 2019 because it is being held in Israel, subverting the spirit of the contest and turning it from a tool of unity into a weapon of division.”
Calling BDS “an affront to both Palestinians and Israelis” working towards peace, it adds that “while we all may have differing opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the best path to peace, we all agree that a cultural boycott is not the answer.”
Ari Ingel, director of CCFP, said: “This year, approximately 200 million people will watch, visit and take part in the Eurovision song contest, celebrating music and the diversity of our different cultures.
“The members of the entertainment industry who have signed this statement, along with the thousands of individuals who have endorsed its message, all believe in building bridges through music and the arts as a means to achieving greater understanding and peace in the region.”
Earlier this month, it was announced pop icon Madonna will perform at the contest in Tel Aviv, defying calls from anti-Israel campaigners, including Roger Waters and Ken Loach, urging artists to snub the annual singing competition.
SIGNATORIES
- Marina Abramović: Performance Artist
- Orly Adelson: President ,Orly Adelson Productions
- Jason Adelman: Vice President, Strategy & Brand Development at Brand Innovators
- Marty Adelstein: CEO, Tomorrow Studios
- Michael Adler: Partner, Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler & Feldman
- Alberto (Miss Caffeina): Artist
- Mitch Allen: Music Producer
- Keren Ann – Artist
- Alfredo Arense: Journalist, Radio 3
- Baccara (Cristina y María): Artist
- Gary Barber: Former chairman and CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and co-founder of Spyglass Entertainment
- Craig Balsam: Co-founder, ,Razor & Tie Entertainment
- Richard Baskind: Partner & Head of Music Simons, Muirhead & Burton
- Carlos Baute: Artist
- Aton Ben-Horin: Global VP, A&R at Warner Music Group
- Daniel Benmayor: Filmmaker
- Steven Bensusan: President ,Blue Note Entertainment Group
- Maya Binkin: The Art Pilgrim
- Neil Blair: The Blair Partnership
- Evan Bogart: Hit Songwriter, President Boardwalk Ent.
- Joshua P. Binder: Partner, Rotherberg, Mohr, and Binder LLP.
- Harvey Brown: Professor
- Scooter Braun: Founder, Sb Projects
- David Byrnes: Partner, Ziffren Brittenham ,LLP
- Simon Callow: Actor
- Ellie Cannon: Doctor and Media Personality
- Caroline Civia: President of Clic Entertainment
- Isabel Coixet: Filmmaker
- Conchita (María Concepción Mendívil): Artist
- Deborah Conway: Artist
- Jim Cooperman: Senior VP Legal & Business Affairs, The Madison Square Garden Company
- Rob Cowan: Point Blank
- Rory Cowan: Actor
- Josh Deutsch: Chairman/CEO ,Downtown Records
- David Draiman: Musician and front man of Disturbed
- Craig Emanuel: Partner, Entertainment & Media, Paul Hastings
- Ron Fair: Record Producer & CEO, Faircraft Inc.
- Erica Forster: VP of Music Partnerships, DanceOn
- Gary Foster: Principal, Krasnoff Foster Productions
- Daryl Friedman: Chief Advocacy & Industry Relations Officer, The Recording Academy/ GRAMMYs
- Stephen Fry: Actor, Comedian
- Saul Galpern: President, Nude Music Group
- Andrew Genger: Red Light Management
- Gary Gersh: President, Global Talent, A.E.G. Presents
- Gary Ginsberg: Executive VP of Corporate Marketing & Communications, Time Warner Inc.
- Daniel Glass: President & Founder, Glassnote Entertainment Group
- David Glick: Founder & CEO, Edge Group
- Andrew Gould: President of A&R, Downtown Music Publishing
- Trudy Green: Trudy Green Management/HK Management
- Matt Greenberg: Ritholz Levy Fields LLP
- Steve Greenberg: President, S-Curve Records
- Sarah Halioua, Producer, Visionnaire Films
- Ronnie Harris: Harris & Trotter LLP
- Scott Hoffman: Artist (Scissor Sisters), Songwriter and Producer
- Neil Jacobson: President, Geffen Records
- Zach Katz: Former President of A&R BMG, CEO Raised In Space
- Larry Katz: Esq., Lawrence H. Katz, P.C
- Allison Kaye: President of SB Projects
- Adam Kenwright: Executive Vice President at Ambassador Theatre Group
- Ilan Kidron: Artist (Potbelleez)
- Amanda Kogan: William Morris Endeavor Entertainment (WME)
- Rick Krim: Former Co-President, Sony/ATV Music Publishing
- Rosa Lagarrigue: CEO, RLM
- Mollie Lehman: A&R at Atlantic Records
- Colin Lester: CEO, JEM Artists
- David Levy: Partner & Co-Head, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment
- Lior: Artist
- David Lonner: CEO, Oasis Media Group
- Javier López: Artist
- Iona de Macedo: Entertainment industry
- Ben Maddahi: President of Unrestricted
- Imran Majid: EVP/Co-Head of A&R, Columbia Records
- Orly Marley
- David Mazouz: Actor
- Betty Missiego: Artist
- Al Murray: Comedian
- Mónica Naranjo, Artist
- Caroline Norbury: CEO – Creative England
- Tracy Ann Oberman: Actress
- Antonio Martos Ortiz: Artist
- Sharon Osbourne: Manager, Businesswoman, Television Star
- Scott Packman, Esq.
- Jose Ramón Pardo: Journalist, RNE
- Donald S. Passman: Partner, Gang, Tyre, Ramer, & Brown, Inc.
- Lucía Pérez: Producer, Maestranza Films
- Antonio Pérez: Maestranza Films
- Stephen Pollard: Author and Journalist
- Dean Raise: C3 Presents
- David Renzer: Former Chairman/CEO, Universal Music Publishing Group
- Rachel Riley: Actress, TV Presenter
- Lindy Robbins: Multi-platinum Songwriter
- Jaimison M. Roberts: Attorney at Law
- Dan Rosen: CEO, Australian Recording Industry Association
- Hanna Rochelle: Founder & President, Lyric Culture
- Rick Rosen: Co-Founder & Head of Television, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment
- Haim Saban: Businessman, Philanthropist and Producer
- Marta Sánchez: Artist
- Rafa Sánchez: Artist
- Paul Schindler: Senior Chair of the New York Entertainment & Media Practice, Greenberg Traurig LLC
- Steve Schnur: Worldwide Executive & Music President, Electronic Arts
- Sam Schwartz: Partner, Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency
- Jonathan Shalit OBE: Chairman – InterTalent Rights Group
- Ben Silverman: Chairman & Co-CEO, Propagate Content
- Gene Simmons: Band member of KISS
- Ralph Simon: Chairman & CEO, Mobilium Global Limited
- David Simone: President – DSW Entertainment
- Soraya: Artist
- Jeff Sosnow: SVP of A&R at Warner Music Group
- Jose Ortega Soto (Manzanita): Artist
- Gary Stiffelman: Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig LLP
- Aaron Symonds: Film Composer
- Traci Szymanski: President of Co-Star Entertainment/Israelife Media Group
- Sharon Tal Yguado: Head of Event Series at Amazon
- Adam Taylor: President, APM Music
- Joyce Trabulus: Manager
- Mario Vaquerizo: Artist and TV & Radio Collaborator
- José Sainz de Vicuña: President, Impala films
- Peter Wade: Producer and President of WonderSound
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