Singers Taylor Dayne and Terri Nunn, both of whom performed at a maskless party at Donald Trump‘s Mar-a-Lago resort on New Year’s Eve, have taken to social media to address the wide backlash they suffered as a result.
Nunn, lead singer of the band Berlin, issued a personal apology via the band’s Facebook page.
“I am truly sorry I performed at Mar-a-Lago and would not have done so if I’d known what I learned while I was there,” Nunn wrote. “My goal in performing was not to support a political party. I see now that that’s not the way it appeared and I am apologetic for that as well.”
I am truly sorry I performed at Mar-a-Lago and would not have done so if I’d known what I learned while I was there. My…
Posted by Berlin – Official Band on Monday, January 4, 2021
“The contract stated it was a small Covid-safe event for the members of Mar-a-Lago,” she continued. “Unfortunately it was not Covid-safe anywhere in Florida. I had no idea masks and social distancing were not required. I thought I was current on all Covid news everywhere, but clearly I was not. I was shocked by Florida and Mar-a-Lago’s lack of regard for the pandemic and if I’d known I would never have gone.”
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Dayne, meanwhile, issued a non-apology via Twitter.
“I’m saddened by all this,” Dayne wrote. “I have a 30 yr careers s that many diverse friendships .and I try to stay non political and non judgmental and not preach . I sing from my heart purely and from Source. I wish for all to be who they need to be .. and find their way.”
Dayne appears to have since deleted the Tweet.
Both Taylor Dayne and Terri Nunn (via her band Berlin) experienced wild popular success in the 1980s. Since then, both women have become fixtures of Pride events, performing at festivals in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, St. Louis, San Diego and Seattle.
whatsaywhat
You’d expect the doucheoisie would be able to shell out for some higher caliber guest stars – but I guess they could only book someone desperate enough to feed off their table scraps – someone who “isn’t political” in the midst of an autocratic coup.
Much like Trump, these people should have been left in the 80s – where they all belong.
Tx7791
Cmon.this was a Trump function…they cant possibly be surprised by the backlash. They took the money then sent out the apologies.
Max
yup. they should have known better that the venue was a Trump-owned property.
cuteguy
Truly hope Taylor Dam never is allowed to perform at a pride event again. I will never want her at any pride event. Hope the organizers are taking notice
Harley
Been saying the same thing about Donna Summer but unfortunately the gays have short memories.
MikeM
Donna Summer is dead.
ScottOnEarth
LOL, Harley. I don’t think you have to worry about Donna Summer playing at a Pride event. But, I agree that she turned her back on the community once she was “born again.”
Dwight
I see no one is sorry enough to donate their fee to first responders, etc.
jackscott
I always like Dayne… however, any Trump support (or performer for him/his properties) I just can’t… you must be able to make $ at other gigs!
topshelf
Beyond disgusting. Her music is removed from my 80s Spotify playlist. She’s dead to me.
ScottOnEarth
Both of them are full of s..t. Nobody could possibly be so stupid as to not realize what kind of statement they’d be making by performing at a red-hat-wearing, maskless freak show like a trump event. I’m especially disgusted by Taylor Dayne, considering her fake LGBTQ advocacy. I hope she is never, ever paid another dime to perform at a Pride event.
Cam
You have to love someone claiming they aren’t political when they perform at a Trump event. Dayn’s excuse is B.S
And Terri Nunn trying to claim that she HAD to fulfill her contractual obligation is B.S. If the contract stated that it was a small Covid Safe event, and she got there and there weren’t masks, then they violated the contract and would have had to pay her out. So if she REALLY gave a crap about Covid safety she could have left and still gotten paid.
Derek Northcutt
Terri Nunn has been our friend for a long time long before it was fashionable to be queer-positive (in the same way France Joli is our friend–the first famous person to march in the NYC gay parade in the 1970s). It is perfectly credible and logical that she wouldn’t have known what the members of that private club would do — all she could rely upon is her contract. Hell, I don’t know anything about that little society in Florida — do you? And it has little to do with Trump — he wasn’t there and the members of that club do not want him there either. For a group of people like us who crave understanding and love we certainly offer little of it to our friends who have always been good to us.
lykeitiz
“That private club” is well known to every American to be what Trump considers the Southern White House. The band “Berlin” is not from Berlin, they’re from L.A. Trump was supposed to be there, and only pulled out at the last minute. Nunn’s claim of ignorance is weak, but at least she is trying. We are in the middle of an attempted coup. It’s not just another day of politics. Dayne needs to be banned from all future Pride events. Period.
Cam
What does “being our friend” mean?
I don’t really think it means performing for a man who stated he would appoint judges to overturn LGBTQ rights rulings.
wooly101
Nunn and Dayne were paid to perform at a function. It has nothing to do with politics. This is how musicians make their living. However the gay community being what it is went off the rails again..
Cam
So lets see, if they performed at a rally calling for women who vote to be excecated, there is no politics there?
Sorry, the days of people working for bigots, racists, etc. and getting away with it are over. They’ve been dead since Beyonce and others got called out for performing for Ghadaffi in Lybia.
radiooutmike
Were Nunn and Dayne actually paid in full before the event?
Listen, they’re both 80s stars on what we used to call the oldies circuit. I don’t behoove an artist trying to make a payday. They may be allies, but they aren’t family (AFAIK); so maybe they’re not always thinking through the rainbow prism when getting a gig.
We can at least try to take Nunn at face value, she (and Berlin) had the decency to produce an actual apology. Taylor Dayne? I just wish she had said sorry.
BaltoSteve
Hold up… Ted Nugent and Kid Rock weren’t available to perform? What do they have going on right now that they couldn’t be there to pay homage at their Fuhrer’s illegal residence?
Jack Meoff
Is Taylor Dayne still around? I guess she’s the best they could get since anyone else with a brain would have given the event a wide berth.