John Mellencamp Grew Tired of Being a ‘F—ing Clown’ for Fans

John Mellencamp has no interest in being a “f—ing clown” for his fans.

During an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, the singer explained why he recoiled from playing arena and amphitheater-sized shows in recent years.

“I got tired of going on tour and being a cheerleader, which is what I was,” Mellencamp admitted. “’Let’s do a rounding hit of ‘Small Town!’ ‘I was born…’ You know, and everybody’d stand up and sing. I was playing to 20,000 people and everybody was drunk and I was just kind of the cheerleader.”

“I just thought, I’m here to be a musician,” he continued. “This is not being a musician. This is being a f—ing clown. I don’t want to be a clown.”

READ MORE: Top 10 John Mellencamp Songs

As a result, the rocker decided to change his venue types, hoping for a more intimate experience. “I started playing in theaters,” he explained, “which pissed everybody off.”

Mellencamp previously said that he wanted the theater shows to be regarded more like Broadway performances than rock concerts. Yet even after scaling things down, the singer encountered an atmosphere that wasn’t to his liking. In 2023 he told an audience to “shut the f—” up and threatened to end his show early. A year later, he called one heckler a “c—sucker,” before telling fans weeks later, “if you want to come and scream and yell and get drunk, don’t come to my show.”

Is John Mellencamp Touring in 2026?

Mellencamp recently announced his 2026 summer tour, which promises nightly set lists loaded with his biggest hits. Unlike the aforementioned theater runs, these shows will be in larger outdoor venues — so it’s possible the singer’s strict rules regarding audience etiquette will be relaxed.

Concerts are currently scheduled to begin July 10 in Grand Rapids, Michigan and conclude Aug. 12 in Mountain View, California. Mellencamp is also reportedly prepping a new album titled Orphan Train, due out later this year.