NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Tootsies owner Steve Smith has decided not to pursue a lawsuit over the fallout involving Kid Rock and Nashville’s annual Christmas parade.
According to WKRN, Smith – who has donated $250,000 to the parade for the past two years – had planned to file a lawsuit against the organizers of the Nashville Christmas Parade, including the city of Nashville, Piedmont Gas, and the parade’s executive producer.
Now, it looks like Smith has had a change of heart. An attorney for Smith said in a statement Monday morning, “After reflection over the weekend, Mr. Smith has decided against filing suit to recoup his $250,000 donation to the Christmas parade. Mr. Smith and Tootsies were happy to serve as the headline sponsor since Piedmont Gas decided to drastically reduce its sponsorship.”
The statement continued, “Mr. Smith is happy that the money is benefiting a great cause – Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, and Mr. Smith hopes to continue supporting the hospital and parade.”
The statement went on to say Smith is “extremely disappointed” in Mayor David Briley and Councilman Freddie O’Connell. After Kid Rock appeared on Fox and Friends live from his downtown honky tonk, both Briley and O’Connell said they would not participate in the parade if Kid Rock remained grand marshal. Their stance came after the singer called longtime ABC co-host of “The View” Joy Behar a b**** and said people need to “get a little less politically correct.”
“People need to calm down, get a little less politically correct and I would say you know, love everybody. Except, screw that Joy Behar b****,” Kid Rock said.
“Kid Rock is a prominent member of the Nashville community who has donated his time and money to multiple local charities and charitable causes,” Smith’s attorney said Monday.
“For Mayor Briley to take such a hard line and decisive position against Kid Rock is puzzling, given Mayor Briley flip-flopping on major community issues, such as the Citizen Oversight Board and taking away the promised pay raise for our hard-working police officers, firemen, EMTs and other hard-working public servants. The Christmas parade was funded by private donations, such as Mr. Smith’s donation, and the city was not a stakeholder. Mr. Smith sincerely hopes Mayor Briley will not be a factor in any decisions for our city after the August 2019 election for mayor,” the statement continued.
After Friday’s fallout involving Kid Rock as grand marshal of the parade, Antioch Waffle House hero, James Shaw, was honored during the parade.
WKRN contributed to this report. See a video for this story here.