Over the weekend of January 23, 2022, the son of the late Senator Bobby Kennedy organized and lead a series of anti-vaccine marches across the country through his conspicuously named "Children's Health Defense" organization. To promote the event, Robert Kennedy Jr. released a new song called, "Heart of Freedom," which not only featured a blatant ripoff of a Graham Nash song, but was also produced by a fellow son of Boston — one Dicky Barrett, whom many people will recognize for his time as the lead singer of the Mighty Mighty Boston's, or as the announcer on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
By sheer coincidence, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones announced the official end of their four-decade career of flannel ska-core entertainment just a few days after the RFK Jr video was released, in a curiously terse statement:
After decades of brotherhood, touring the world and making great records together, we have decided to no longer continue on as a band. Above all, we want to express our sincere gratitude to every single one of you who have supported us.
We could not have done any of it without you.
Love Always,The Mighty Mighty BossToneS
Meanwhile, Jimmy Kimmel Live! also announced that the show would have a new announcer.
These events also follow on the heels of last year's incredibly poorly executed Bosstones tribute to George Floyd. Are they all connected? That's difficult to confirm … but it is the impression that I get.
Have you ever been close to tragedy? Because I've been close to folks who have.