Choosing an opening act is one of the most critical decisions bands have to make as it sets the tone of the show the fans are about to watch. When bands pick their opening acts, they usually prefer artists that put on an energetic show, which hypes up the audience, or their friends from the industry. However, having a comedian as an opener is definitely a unique approach for a rock ‘n’ roll show.
Kurt Cobain‘s decision to have Bobcat Goldthwait open for Nirvana was a bold move. The thought of two people from different industries collaborating and even sharing the same stage could have gone either way. Unfortunately, Cobain’s decision blew up in his face, and the crowd riled up and showed their anger at the comedian and Cobain by throwing a teenager on the stage.
Why Did Fans Protest Kurt Cobain?
Bobcat and Cobain were one of the least expected duos to come together and put on a rock ‘n’ roll show. Apparently, the pair had more in common than meets the eye, such as their impact on 1990s entertainment with their rowdy and loud stage presences. They met and got close enough to support each other’s endeavors after their MTV Unplugged performance, as the rehearsals for the show allowed the frontman and the comedian to get to know each other.
All the time spent together helped them build a genuine connection which translated into their work lives when Cobain asked Bobcat to open for Nirvana for their tour. In a piece published by The Ringer titled ‘An Oral History of Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged, ‘ Bobcat was also interviewed to offer an insight into his relationship with Kurt Cobain.
Bobcat Goldthwait’s words about his relationship with Kurt Cobain:
“Kurt was a fan of my stand-up. It’s like finding out that Jimi Hendrix liked Buddy Hackett. Years later, I was opening for them while they played in arenas.”
The two artists were genuine fans of each other; however, their initial idea of touring together and having a fun time resulted in chaos. During a show in Chicago in October 1993, a local Christian group handed tiny Bibles out to the fans, which was probably not a great idea. Following that, when Bobcat’s opening act really angered the audience, the crowd was throwing the tiny Bibles at him.
The crowd’s anger didn’t subside after that because moments later, a teenager was thrown on the stage to protest Bobcat and Kurt Cobain for including him in the show. Even though many fans protested the opening act on other nights as well, Bobcat finished the tour with Nirvana because the members enjoyed his jokes, so they didn’t pull the trigger and change their opening act.
