ED SHEERAN LOST ALL FOUR OPENING ACTS IN ONE DAY

Macklemore opened for Ed Sheeran at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 5, said "Free Palestine" and performed his protest track "Hind's Hall." Robert Kraft, who owns the Patriots and Gillette Stadium, announced he was barring him from the Sept. 25 and 26 shows there. Macklemore says Kraft also called Sheeran and threatened to cancel the dates outright if he stayed on the bill. By Tuesday, every remaining opener had walked in response. Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Beoga and Lukas Graham all quit on Instagram. Rowe and Lukas Graham were the acts hired to replace Macklemore, so one slot burned through two rosters in a week. Beoga was also playing several songs alongside Sheeran mid-set, including ones they co-wrote with him. Sheeran plays Philadelphia on Saturday with nobody opening, on a tour called the Loop Tour, which now also describes the staffing. Nobody here tells the same story. Sheeran says the decision was the promoters', not his. Kraft's statement cited Macklemore's recent remarks plus a "broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery," then Kraft didn't answer when reporters asked what he actually meant. Beoga's statement blamed "the zionist lobby." Then Macklemore pledged his full $1 million in net tour earnings to six Palestinian aid groups and invited Kraft to match. Kraft came back with $2 million, plus a note that Sheeran had phoned him asking for it before Macklemore's challenge, a timeline Kraft very much wanted on the record.

Why you should give a shit: A billionaire spent one week trying to get a rapper to stop talking about Gaza and ended up with $3 million pledged to Gaza, which is the most expensive way anyone has ever lost an argument.