Oscar-nominated singer-songwriter John Ondrasik, best known for his work under the name Five for Fighting, is calling out the global arts community for its silence following the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel. In a pointed interview with Breitbart News at the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), Ondrasik criticized prominent musicians and entertainers for failing to use their platforms to demand the release of hostages taken by Hamas.
“After 9/11, every icon pretty much was on that stage at Madison Square Garden, at the Concert for New York, condemning Osama bin Laden, standing up for America,” Ondrasik said. “But since October 7, crickets.”
He compared today’s silence to the overwhelming unity shown by artists following the September 11 attacks, when stars from across the political spectrum came together to denounce terrorism and support victims. In contrast, Ondrasik says the entertainment world has turned its back on Israeli victims and ignored the plight of hostages.
“So many of these artists that have laid their claim as the human rights leaders—Live Aid, Concert for New York, Sun City, the Springsteens of the world, even Bono—their silence has been deafening,” he said.
Ondrasik believes that had the entertainment industry immediately rallied in unity, it could have pressured Hamas and its sympathizers into releasing the hostages. “If the artists of the world said, ‘Release those hostages’ and did a ‘We Are the World’-style campaign on October 8, 2023, we would not be in this position,” he stated.
He also took aim at institutions like the BBC and U.S. college campuses, accusing them of acting as apologists for terrorist groups. “The collapse of the arts is one reason why the culture has collapsed,” Ondrasik said. “It breaks my heart as an artist.”
