'You couldn't clean his shoes': Jon Bon Jovi trolled for 'fat Elvis' comment as he vows to retire if voice falters following surgery

Jon Bon Jovi had throat surgery in 2022 and is putting in serious effort with vocal therapy to keep his voice in great condition
PUBLISHED APR 15, 2024
Jon Bon Jovi is under fire after referring to 'fat Elvis' (Getty Images, photobyliasion)
Jon Bon Jovi is under fire after referring to 'fat Elvis' (Getty Images, photobyliasion)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jon Bon Jovi stirred up some controversy recently by referring to Elvis Presley's 'fat' phase. In addition to his remarks about Presley, Bon Jovi also hinted at the possibility of retiring from the music scene.

Speaking at a Q&A session during the screening of his band's documentary 'Thank You Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story' recently, Bon Jovi talked about his refusal to conform to the typical rock star image over the years.

During the same event, he also provided an update on his health following his vocal surgery in 2022, expressing confidence in his ability to continue singing but mentioning that he has certain standards he wants to meet.

In this image released on September 19, Jon Bon Jovi performs onstage for the 10th Anniversary of the iHeartRadio Music Festival streaming on CWTV.com and The CW App on September 18 & 19 and broadcast on The CW Network on September 27 & 28.
Jon Bon Jovi had a throat surgery in 2022 (GettyImages)

Jon Bon Jovi disses Elvis Presley as he hints at early retirement

According to the Daily Mail, the singer behind 'You Give Love A Bad Name' hinted at the idea of calling it quits from the music scene in a recent interview with the Sunday Times. Bon Jovi had throat surgery in 2022 and is putting in serious effort with vocal therapy to keep his voice in great condition, aiming to improve it even further over time.

In the interview, he mentioned that if he felt he couldn't deliver performances up to his own standards in the future, he'd be content to retire from singing on a high note.

Bon Jovi shared with the Sunday Times, "This is the first time I'm saying this. If the singing is not great, if I can't be the guy I once was, then I'm done. And I'm good with that."

Discussing the challenges of working on a new album, he admitted, "There is a big difference between being in a studio and going out on the road. We have just recorded a new album. I sing in vocal therapy every day," emphasizing his commitment to not letting down fans during live performances.

Elvis Presley met Priscilla Presley when she was 14 (Instagram/@elvis)
Jon Bon Jovi made a reference to Elvis Presley's 'fat' phase (Instagram/@elvis)

Making a comparison to the legendary Presley, he commented, "I want to perform for two-and-a-half hours a night, four nights a week — and I know how good I can be, so if I can't be that guy… put it this way, I don't ever need to be the fat Elvis."

Bon Jovi referring to Presley as 'fat' didn't sit well with social media users.

Acknowledging the changes that come with age, he confessed, "I can tell you that 60 is different from 50 and my current concern is that I'm going to forget how to sing. I'll be crushed if I can't sing live again, but what does a quarterback do when faced with the last ball he'll ever throw?"

Despite these challenges, he expressed excitement about his band's new album 'Forever', saying, "I want to look back on 40 years of Bon Jovi, look forward to the new album, and appreciate everything. That's my hope: to find joy in it all."

Netizens convinced Jon Bon Jovi will never be a match for Elvis

A fan wrote online, "You may not be fat, but you'll never be the 'King of Rock and Roll!!!!'"

Another wrote, "I am not sure why he mentions Elvis. Fat Elvis still had a beautiful voice."

A user commented, "Weird comment. You’ll never be any kind of Elvis."

Someone else commented, "He could never sing well live, and was always changing the melodies accordingly. Elvis is way out of his league, slim or fat."

A user stated, "You won’t have to worry Jon, your voice will never be anything remotely like his…zzz."

Another said, "Don't even compare yourself to Elvis, you're not even close. You couldn't clean Elvis's shoes."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

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