Dozens of protesters confronted Ted Nugent before he took the stage at Toad's Place in New Haven, Conn., Tuesday in the wake of several controversial remarks he allegedly made about Trayvon Martin.
After the show, Nugent talked about the protests and protesters in an exclusive interview with NBC Connecticut.
“I feel sorry for them. They’re living a lie. If you really study the evidence and specific case they’re protesting, you have to be either brain dead or on acid not to get the same conclusion,” Nugent said.
Nugent’s comments, allegedly saying Martin was a "dope smoking gangsta wannabe" who "got justice," gained widespread attention after a column in his name appeared on the Web site Rare.us.
Former neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman was acquitted last month of second-degree murder and manslaughter in the unarmed Florida teenager's death after claiming self-defense.
Nugent said he never "made a comment."
“I merely parroted the FBI report. I merely parroted the investigative team of prosecutorial investigators. … So I speak the truth and idiots go nuts. That’s just a bonus for my life.”
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After the comments, there were calls for Toad’s Place to cancel the show.
“So I expect devious behavior from soulless, hateful people because if you ask anyone in there tonight, I have so much love it’s disgusting. I didn’t invent love but tonight I perfected it,” Nugent said.
Protesters outside Toad’s Place called Nugent a racist. He denied that, citing his reverence for black musical artists, including Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry and Howlin’ Wolf.
“So I discovered that soulful American, black defiant music and pursued it and, dare I say, mastered it over this long runny period,” Nugent said.
