In an apparent response to the neo-Nazi demonstrations in Charlottesville and elsewhere over the past weeks, singer-songwriter Billy Joel affixed a yellow star to his suit jacket for a performance at Madison Square Garden in New York on Monday.
Joel did not explain to the audience the exact significance of the symbol, which appeared on his jacket after he returned to the stage for an encore.
Billy Joel doing is encores at MSG on 8/21 wearing one Jewish Star on his breast and another on his back. He is a true hero. pic.twitter.com/M42f6P1f8J
— Eric Schultz (@EBS9291) August 22, 2017
Audience members used social media to comment on the incident, some speculating that it was a reference to the presence of Nazi flags on America’s streets, while others wondered if it might be a reaction to anti-Jewish sentiment among Muslims.
Ok, so Billy Joel has lost his mind. pic.twitter.com/hpxt2ps9r7
— Anthony Cumia (@AnthonyCumiaxyz) August 22, 2017
Joel himself is not a practising Jew but is of Jewish heritage.
The star was joined on stage by former Scandal vocalist Patty Smyth and the pair performed her 1981 hit Goodbye To You as images of ousted White House figures such as Steve Bannon, Sean Spicer and adviser Anthony Scaramucci were projected on a screen behind them.
Billy Joel and patti smythe play "goodbye to you," showing photos of trump staffers pic.twitter.com/s8DxtAuG62
— Pete Catapano (@pcatapano) August 22, 2017
When contacted by the JC for clarification on his motives, Mr Joel declined to speak directly but offered this quotation from Irish statesman Edmund Burke:
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”
