Macklemore Is Going to Australia and Everyone Is Mad as Hell

American rapper and sports enthusiast Macklemore is off to Australia this weekend to play the halftime show of Sunday's National Rugby League final in Sydney. Things are not going great. With five days to go until kick-off, Macklemore has pissed off bigots across the nation who oppose same-sex marriage and angered the North Queensland Cowboys, whose scheduled practice at the ANZ stadium has been cancelled to accommodate the rapper's pre-match rehearsal.

The same-sex marriage problem is obvious, if exhausting. Australia is currently embroiled in a heated debate over whether or not gay people should be allowed to marry. It's a conversation that, as Americans know too well, tends to bring a country's dumbest, most regressive opinions to the fore. A postal vote is already underway (although lawmakers won't be bound by the results of the referendum). Macklemore is scheduled to play his pro-marriage equality song "Same Love" at the final.

Here is the opinion of former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, a man who loves the Royal Family but isn't so sure about the science behind climate change:

With this issue bubbling away in the background, the North Queensland Cowboys, who will play the Melbourne Storm in the NRL final, are mad at Macklemore for denying them the chance to practice at the ANZ Stadium the day before the game. The Storm will practice at the stadium at 10:30 AM but Macklemore will set up as soon as they're done. The Cowboys will have to practice elsewhere. According to the Guardian, the Cowboys are real angry about the whole thing.

Melbourne are apparently the "runaway favorites" for Sunday's final, so North Queensland might just have a golden opportunity to blame a loss on Macklemore. On the bright side, Macklemore might be able to impart some wisdom about taking a loss in the final of a major sporting event.

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