The man who once tried to assassinate a U.S. president is whining that he is a “victim of cancel culture.”
John Hinckley Jr., who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981, is now an aspiring folk singer. But his gigs keep getting canceled or postponed and the 68-year-old is not happy.
“I think that’s fair to say: I’m a victim of cancel culture,” Hinckley told The New York Post after another of his scheduled concerts was canceled.
“It keeps happening over and over again,” he lamented.
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A concert scheduled in Connecticut was called off and Hinckley posted a message on the venue’s Instagram account.
“You Guessed It: Postponed Until Further Notice (They’re killin us here),” read the caption over the notice.
“Hinckley, who releases his songs on YouTube to his 36,000 subscribers, estimated that a dozen of his scheduled performances were canned because ‘owners don’t want the controversy,'” the Post reported.
If you want tickets to my concert, contact the venue, Hotel Huxley, through Facebook or Instagram. pic.twitter.com/mWMeZhLd0J
— John Hinckley (@JohnHinckley20) March 8, 2024
Hinckley, who was 25 at the time of the attack on Reagan, was found not guilty by reason of insanity but spent almost 30 years at a mental hospital before being released under supervision in 2016. Reagan was severely wounded in the assassination attempt as were Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy, police officer Thomas Delahanty, and White House press secretary James Brady, who suffered brain damage as a result, dying from his injuries in 2014.
In a call with the New York Post from his Williamsburg, Virginia home, Hinckley complained about the canceled gigs since he launched his music career in 2020.
“They book me and then the show gets announced and then the venue starts getting backlash,” he opined.
“The owners always cave, they cancel. It’s happened so many times it’s kinda what I expect,” he added. “I don’t really get upset.”
My concert in Connecticut has been postponed.
— John Hinckley (@JohnHinckley20) March 12, 2024
“Hinckley’s sold-out debut show in Brooklyn in July 2022 — scheduled less than a month after he was fully released from court supervision — was nixed for safety concerns after the Market Hotel received backlash,” The Post reported.
In an interview with WAVY News 10, Hinckley spoke about his “tremendous remorse” over his crime, saying he “was a mixed up, confused 25-year-old” at the time and now wants to be seen as “just a good neighbor” trying to get on with his life.
But complaining about being a “victim” of cancel culture – or a victim of anything – doesn’t seem to be winning many over to his plight as a folk singer. Though the occasional social media post sympathized, many ripped Hinckley on X.
SOMEONE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD LET JOHN HINCKLEY PLAY HIS DAMN MUSIC https://t.co/n34iC5HQSh
— egg (@stjcv) March 13, 2024
I stopped reading after John Hinckley Jr. claims he is a victim…
— SANTAFAN1776 (@santafan1776) March 20, 2024
y’all know I try to keep my social media PG-13, but even PG-13 movies get an occasional F-bomb (1 per 2 hour movie), so…
Go fuck yourself, John Hinckley. You shot four people. One was permanently disabled & died later from his injuries. You don’t have a right to a music career. https://t.co/zHnoZb5RpL
— Sarah Rumpf (@rumpfshaker) March 21, 2024
No, I believe he’s a victim of his own decision to shoot a firearm at the president of the United States.
In related news, given that his judgement led to that decision, I don’t believe we need to pay attention to most of his opinions.
— Tony Miller (@tmiller2462) March 21, 2024
Victim? Are random people shooting at him while he walks to his car? ‘Victimized’ because Secret Service only tackled / didn’t kill him?
Maybe he’d be treated better in Russia? Surely there’s a ‘GoFundMe page for Murderers’ for that airfare.— Bob S. (@_Bob_S) March 21, 2024
Attempted assassination of a president is self-cancellation.
— Corbly, Jon (@Corb_The_Lesser) March 21, 2024
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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