In a rare moment of unity between chaos and compassion, Berzerker Blothar of GWAR has stepped out of the band's usual intergalactic carnage to issue an impassioned plea: Save public media. With the Rescissions Act heading to a critical Senate vote, a proposed $1.1 billion cut in already-approved funding for public media could gut services nationwide — and Blothar is not having it.
"Humans, this is the Berzerker Blothar of GWAR and I'm here to talk to you about public media," said the man himself. "Public media is in danger.
"You know many years ago my personal friend, the great Fred Rogers, he testified in Congress about the value of public media, about how important it was in children's lives. He famously secured funding for National Public Radio because he was able to demonstrate that it makes a difference and that's important. Mr. Rogers brought love and light into the world, into a dark and hateful world.
"Well now that is on the chopping block right now, things like that. The Senate will vote on a House-passed Rescissions Act this week that will eliminate 1.1 billion dollars in already approved funding for public media. This would strip essential services. It could force rural stations to go off the air entirely. They won't be able to pay licensing fees the same way they did for music. This could very well silence the music.
"I'll tell you what else. It's going to take away art and culture or at least access to that from the lives of people who need it and benefit from it.
"Rise up, people! In the name of Fred Rogers! In the name of Big Bird! In the drunken Lady Elaine Fairchild! Changes to this bill are still possible. Now is the time to urge your senators to remove the proposal that targets public media in the package of this Big Beautiful Bill.
"I urge you to go to protectmypublicmedia.org and get some information on how you can urge Congress to save public media. Call your senators. Make a difference. Do it now because there's not a lot of time. Thank you!"
Blothar isn't alone in sounding the alarm. Protect My Public Media, a national action network, is mobilizing Americans to stop the Rescissions Act from slashing funds to public broadcasting. These aren't hypothetical threats — public media is already stretched thin. Cutting support now could result in rural stations going off the air permanently, stripping communities of lifesaving emergency communications, educational programming, local journalism, and cultural content.
Public media reaches 99% of Americans through more than 1,500 locally managed TV and radio stations. It serves as the only media source in many rural, Native American, and island communities. More than 44 million people rely on public radio weekly, while public TV reaches 160+ million annually.
Critically, federal funding only makes up .01% of the federal budget — about $1.60 per person per year. Yet, it helps generate six times that amount in local fundraising. According to the GAO, there's no viable private substitute if this funding is lost. A previous report confirmed that eliminating federal support would risk a collapse of the public media system—a system that educates, informs, and connects millions.
For artists like Berzerker Blothar, and anyone who values access to diverse voices, trustworthy news, and culture without a paywall, the time to act is now. Call your senators. Visit ProtectMyPublicMedia.org. Demand that public media funding be removed from the Rescissions Act.
In the words of Blothar himself: "Rise up, people! In the name of Fred Rogers! In the name of Big Bird!"
