Special Olympics Condemns Kid Rock's R-Word

On Oct. 24, during an appearance on Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime, Kid Rock used the ableist slur commonly called the “R-word” while joking about his Halloween costume, drawing widespread criticism. Loretta Claiborne, the Special Olympics’ chief inspiration officer and a former athlete, published an open letter urging him to acknowledge the harm, reject the word, and meet to learn more about inclusion and respect. Claiborne stressed that the term has a long history of demeaning people with intellectual disabilities and said its casual use undermines progress made by efforts such as the Special Olympics’ 2009 campaign and legal changes like Rosa’s Law. Several outlets have noted a recent resurgence of the slur among some right-leaning public figures. News organizations report Kid Rock has not responded to requests for comment; the Special Olympics framed the incident as an opportunity for him to use his platform to lead a conversation toward greater understanding.