Daytime talk show host Whoopi Goldberg reassured Bud Light not to be concerned about conservative backlash from critics such as Megyn Kelly, following the brand's partnership with transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney and Anheuser-Busch, Bud Light's parent company, according to RadarOnline.com.
Mulvaney, a prominent TikTok influencer who shared her transgender journey, secured numerous significant brand deals recently, attracting criticism from conservatives like Kelly. Goldberg and her co-hosts debated the issue on Monday's episode of The View.
Goldberg initiated the discussion by mentioning that Bud Light was a preferred choice when she used to drink alcohol. She then questioned what was making critics "so angry."
"Beer is not a Democrat or a Republican, it doesn’t have a belief system," Goldberg said, addressing the outrage surrounding Mulvaney's sponsored content. "It’s just beer."
Following initial criticism from celebrities such as Kid Rock and Travis Tritt, who denounced Anheuser-Busch on social media, The View co-hosts examined a commercial that Anheuser-Busch seemed to release in response to detractors.
The advertisement featured the renowned Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale horses galloping past historic landmarks, with the narrator declaring, "This is a story bigger than beer. This is the story of the American spirit."
After showing a snippet of the commercial, co-host Sunny Hostin commented, "So now all of a sudden they unleash the Clydesdale horses, like ‘let’s get the horses out because the horses are so much more American than trans people."
Goldberg had a message for Anheuser-Busch and those who criticized the company for collaborating with a transgender woman.
"Listen Budweiser, we’re all Americans here," Goldberg asserted. "We appreciate your beer whether it’s light or the regular… Don’t let them scare you."
"Let us scare you," Goldberg jokingly added.
Although the co-hosts did not directly mention Kelly or others who attacked the brand, their stance was evident.
Conservative political commentators and celebrities increased their anti-transgender rhetoric after Mulvaney's Instagram post with the beer, accusing Bud Light of promoting the erasure of women.
Outspoken conservatives like Kid Rock, Kelly, and even transgender woman Caitlyn Jenner have targeted Mulvaney.
Besides facing backlash for her sponsored Bud Light content, Mulvaney also encountered criticism for collaborating with Nike to promote their women's clothing line.