On Saturday night,
Eric Clapton took the stage at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. This event is notable not just because it alerted us to the fact that there is a music venue called “Smoothie King,” but because by doing so, the musician and
public-health skeptic effectively undid the ridiculous stance he took on Covid vaccines earlier this year.
While the rest of the music industry has embraced vaccine mandates as the only way of ensuring safe concerts, Clapton has taken the opposite tack,
vowing never to perform at a venue that requires proof of vaccination.
He broke that absurd promise by playing Smoothie King, which,
according to its website, is following New Orleans regulations that require all ticketholders 12 and above, as well as staff and participants, to either prove they have received at least one dose of a
Covid-19 vaccine or provide a negative test taken within 72 hours. Moreover, they must wear a mask while not eating or drinking.