Shannon Sharpe is speaking out against a group of wealthy and powerful people that allegedly blackballed Macklemore for his pro-Palestine support during his time on the Ed Sheeran Loop Tour. The NFL Hall of Famer also suggests that this same influential group told athletes and celebrities not to go on his “Nightcap” podcast because of remarks he made.
Shannon is calling out a double standard in the way this group moves, saying that the group likes people to remember their atrocities, but tells Black people to forget about atrocities that happened to them.
On his YouTube podcast with Chad ‘Ocho’ Johnson, Sharpe addressed rumors that certain agents are blocking clients from appearing on his podcast due to a December 2025 episode where he and Ocho discussed Jewish influence in media and sports.
The hosts called that group the ‘the most powerful community in the world and claimed “they own everything” with Sharpe describing the colors of the flag that represents the country he was referring to.
Sharpe revisited those thoughts while highlighting Macklemore’s recent exclusion from certain NFL venues after shouting “Free Palestine” at his performances. The stadiums are linked to owners such as New England Patriots Robert Kraft.
Sharpe went as far as to say that he can relate to Macklemore because his show is suffering from the same power dynamics.
“If that’s going to be allowed,” Sharpe said on a recent episode of “Nightcap.” Then don’t take my microphone when I say something you don’t like. See, you like my freedom of speech as long as you agree with what I’m saying. The moment you don’t, all of sudden you take it away. Now I can’t come to the stadium. Now I can’t be on this platform. You won’t let your clients come on ‘Nightcap.’
“Y’all big on freedom of speech. Y’all big on somebody saying whatever he wants to say how he wants to say it. But Lord forbid Ocho or I have an opinion on something. We can’t get any guests to come on,” he continued.
“I don’t mean to go on a rant but that’s what happened,” Sharpe revealed to the surprise of his co-hosts Ocho and former NBA star Joe Johnson. “We said some things last year Ocho and I. We had a discussion. And the agents reached out and said we’re not going to allow them to come on this platform. And we saw that today [with Macklemore].”
Shannon goes on to discuss the fact that Kraft allegedly influenced other venue owners to unite in threatening to shut down Sheeran’s tour if he didn’t get rid of Macklemore. Some would see this as a direct violation of free speech in America. Others see such comments as antisemitic. Sharpe accused Kraft and others of expecting Black people to forget about their history, while other races and cultures continue to reap the benefits and remind us of their past oppression
“We’re the only race that’s ever been asked to forget about that (slavery),” Sharpe said. “No one else has ever been asked to forget about a tragedy or genocide that happened to them. That’s why we don’t get a lot of these athletes to come because their agents refuse to let them come on. It’s not for lack of trying. “
