When Dee Snider starred as a doll on The Masked Singer this week, the famously gender-swap Twisted Sister frontman felt right at home in his costume’s heels, sexy pencil skirt and corset. The timing of his performance, which included an impromptu a cappella rendition of his anthem “We’re Not Gonna Take It” after its unveiling, was interesting given his former friend Donald Trump and bans on drag performances are in the news. So the morning after, Yahoo Entertainment’s conversation with the politically astute rock star — who’s been an outspoken advocate for justice and free speech since his famous testimony at the 1985 PMRC hearing — naturally quickly turned to current affairs.
Snider is in the process of publishing two books: a coming-of-age “toxic masculinity” novel called Frats, and a graphic novel, He’s Not Gonna Take It, “about Washington and how I became the voice, the guy who for me the generation spoke and now other generations?” But he has other big plans, Twisted Sister, who recently performed for the first time since 2016 to celebrate their induction into the Heavy Metal Hall of Fame. Expect more performances from Twisted Sister in election year 2024 as he and his bandmates try to reclaim “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” a song that was used in ways they never expected or intended.
Dee Snider appears on Fox & Friends in 2018. (Photo: Getty Images)
“Next year you will see some Twisted Sister reunions at various political rallies that need our support,” Snider tells Yahoo Entertainment. “The band are concerned that the song will be co-opted by the far right… and we want to make sure people still know it’s a song for everyone and doesn’t represent this selfish micro-group. It’s really for the masses, the moderate people, the people who just want to live their lives, want to be themselves and don’t want to be told they can’t be themselves. So I think you’re going to see us at political rallies and stuff like that. We will be out there next year.”
The story goes on
Read on for Snider’s sweeping and uncensored thoughts on drag bans (and the LGBTQ+ community using “We’re Not Gonna Take It” with his “100 percent” endorsement), Trump’s impeachment, the Second Amendment, and “intelligent Arms Control”. and if he would ever consider running for office himself.
Yahoo Entertainment: Congratulations on being inducted into the Heavy Metal Hall of Fame and congratulations The Masked Singer. The last time I interviewed you, we talked a lot about drag. I even said I want you to be a Drag Race judges and such. So, I love the fact that you continued as a doll. You must have a say in this outfit!
Dee Snider: First, I’m expecting RuPaul’s phone to ring at any moment. I’m waiting for the call! Well, they presented the doll [costume] to me and I said, “Um, isn’t that a little bit like putting a hat on a hat?” … But I was the one who said, ‘Let’s hit the ground running. Give me the 7 inch pumps!” And the way [wearing heels] is like riding a bike. I said that on the show last night.
You pretty much wore women’s clothing in the days of Twisted Sister. You wore lingerie. So, I have to ask, because you’re so politically outspoken, especially when it comes to free speech…now what do you think of these drag bans or attempted drag bans? — particularly in relation to the impact this could have on freedom of expression and the arts in general?
Let’s talk about the towing bans. My band wasn’t allowed to play in Texas. We’d fall under that heading, the new rule, if they enacted these rules—men who wear lipstick, nail polish, and makeup. So I stand with that [LGBTQ+/drag] community? 100%. I heard the community took to using “We won’t take it” as their rallying cry, and I said, “With my blessings, brothers and sisters! Do it!” I stand by them. See… I wasn’t gay, I was straight, and I still had a lot of issues with a lot of people for wearing the things I wore in the 70’s and even the 80’s. So I was on the receiving end. I understand what they’re going through. I remember so many times people would say, “You damn shit!” And I was like, ‘Okay, I’m just dressing up. You have a problem with it?” … I’ve had many arguments with people who didn’t like my way of speaking. So I’m very much in favor of freedom of expression at all levels. And I will stand by the community when they ask me to stand by their side. I’m with them
Dee Snider in 1982. (Photo: Michael Putland/Getty Images)
Many people from both sides of the political spectrum wanted to use “We’re Not Gonna Take It”.
I will never censor someone and say, “You can’t use the song.” I will say I don’t support your use of the song, but I will not support censorship. I just want people to know that I’m not on their side. As used by QAnon “We’re not Gonna Take It” for all of their little videos, their creepy little YouTube videos, and I have to speak up and say, “No, I don’t stand by QAnon.” I don’t side with the January 6’s using the song. I am not siding with the anti-maskers using the song. I don’t stand by the anti-vaccination people who use the song. I stand by the teachers who use the song. I’m on the side of people looking for smart gun control using the song. And I stand by it [the LGBTQ+] community and will applaud. You use the song in the right spirit. It wasn’t for selfish purposes. It was for everyone. Everyone should be allowed to express themselves freely without being shot with offensive weapons, without being banned for wearing makeup.
I remember you once had a friendship with Donald Trump during the 2016 election celebrity apprentice, and at first you said it was okay for him to use “we don’t take it” as his campaign theme. But then you said no, and he actually complied with that request.
You know, before Trump, before that era, there was a standard rule for the way people were socialized: Don’t talk about religion, sports, or politics. And I’ve had wonderful times with a lot of people where I never knew what they believed or what they were doing in their bedrooms. And I was friends with Trump from the [Celebrity Apprentice] Show and with the Trump family. And when they called and asked if they could use the song, they were friends, so I said, “Yes, with my blessing!” But after three months he starts talking about what he stands for, the wall… it was like that many things. My kids freaked out, “Dad, you have to go public! You have to denounce this guy!” I said, “Look, unlike most people, he actually asked me if he could use a song.” Most people just start using it, like Paul Ryan. I said, “He asked me, and I said yes, so I should at least give him the courtesy to call him and [telling him to stop].” And he just stopped. I called him and he quit that evening.
are you still talking
The last time we spoke, I called back and said, “Are we cool?” I mean, we were friends [once]. And he said, “Dee, we’ve done so many charities together.” … But unfortunately I’ve lost a lot of friends, including family members, because of politics, the division of things. … I have a lot of extreme Trumpers in my family – I have a big family – and I can’t even talk to them anymore, you know? … It’s sad that that happened, but it’s thinned the herd out a bit, because, honestly, if you really stand for some of this stuff — some of this racism, some of this prejudice, some of this lack of regard for other human beings – if you’re really on this side of things, I don’t want to be your friend anyway.
Donald Trump and Dee Snider attend the Skating With the Stars charity gala in 2012. (Photo: Ben Gabbe/Getty Images)
Are you worried about losing fans Sometimes?
No, I don’t care. First of all, no one buys records anymore anyway. Second, I’m not touring anymore. I don’t perform. And third, Twisted Sister and Dee Snider are getting bigger in Europe, and the free world hates Donald Trump. You hate Donald Trump. They think he’s a buffoon. You hate all this stupidity. They look at America and we have fallen in stature from their point of view. So when I want to tour I just go around Sweden where they love me! I will move there. I don’t need you anymore So, you know, fuck you.
Are you following what’s going on with Trump’s indictment this week?
I watched I mean, it’s like the Al Capone situation. … A lot of the great criminals of our time have fallen, slipped, with something you would consider insignificant, like paying off to a porn star or something. But whatever it takes to finish him off, you know. We can really start a conversation, but I don’t think he stands for anything that he says he stands for. Donald Trump sells a product, but you can sell that product. He wants an audience. He wants someone to buy the product. If he finds an audience for a product, he will target that audience. And with his Donald Trump or President product, there are people he wouldn’t even let in the same room with him — the vast majority of those people — but they buy what he sells. His ultimate goal is to have a successful product. He’s not a churchman who carries around a Bible! He’s a Democrat, right? Before running for office, he was pro-women’s rights. He is not anti-abortion. His track record has proven that. But the only thing he stands for is Donald Trump. That’s the only thing.
One thing I like about talking to you about politics is that you don’t see things in black and white. You are very differentiated. You have described yourself as a “gunned feminist”. I know you’re pro-Second Amendment. You mentioned responsible gun control. Apparently, gun violence is also in the news. What are your thoughts on this?
You know, [anti-gun] People say to me, ‘Dee, what do you mean you’re not with us? You’re all about free speech…” But you know the old adage about free speech, you can’t yell “Fire!” in a crowded movie theater where what you say hurts people? Freedom of speech means not telling anyone what you want. And the Second Amendment is the right to bear arms. They talked about muskets! They didn’t talk about automatic weapons and assault weapons and these high powered weapons. That was never the intention. If the ancestors were here, they would say, “Are you kidding? We put bullet after bullet in a musket!” So it’s out of control. But see, that’s the nuance. I understand that, just like the censorship. Nobody wanted to allow any kind of censorship because it opens a crack in the bill [of Rights], To the right? They didn’t want abortion restrictions because it allowed them to expand and change that. And the same goes for gun activists. They don’t want to give an inch, they’re afraid they’ll take a mile. And the fact is that the extreme left will try to go a mile. The extreme right will try. It is human nature to always try to take more. It’s an unfortunate situation, but how much longer are we going to do this where people with assault weapons go to schools, go to clubs, go to concerts and just knock people out? There have to be some limits. We have to come up with something
Would you ever go into politics? … I mean, obviously we’ve had some celebrities that we talked about today about one who went into politics and it didn’t work out, so I’m not a fan of stunt choices. But I mean it when I say that if you wanted a second-act career in politics, you could do it and mean it.
I’m often asked that. One day I got a call from a friend who is politically active and he said, “Dee, we started a super PAC video [for you]. I said, “I’m flattered, but no, I’m not.” I saw it up close. These politicians are terrible people. They are so selfish and they are not there for the greater good. They are there for their agenda and the people funding their campaigns. Just because you want to be a politician doesn’t mean you can’t be a politician! It’s like Pope Francis: he didn’t want to be pope, so he’s the perfect pope! … All right, if you vote for me, I’ll show up, but I’m not running. It’s just awful. I was very close, up close and personal, and it’s an ugly, ugly group of people. They’re not out for our good. It’s very sad.
Dee Snider appears at the PMRC Senate hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC in September 1985. (Photo: Mark Weiss/Getty Images)
Are you preparing for next year’s election, and listening to “We’re Not Gonna Take It” might be accustoming you to contexts that you don’t find ideal?
Well, next year you’re going to see some Twisted Sister reunions at various political rallies that need our support. We were all in favor of going down to support Beto [O’Rourke], but we couldn’t plan it. You know, the band is concerned that the song will be co-opted by the far right… and we want to make sure people still know that it’s a song for everyone and doesn’t represent this selfish micro-group. It’s really for the masses, the moderate people, the people who just want to live their lives, want to be themselves and don’t want to let people tell them they can’t be themselves. So I think you’re going to see us at political rallies and stuff like that. We’ll be there next year.
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
Follow Lyndsey on Facebook, TwitterInstagram, Amazon