Actor Rainn Wilson says if he were writing about rich men north of Richmond, he'd talk about wealthy CEOs, not 'obese people on welfare'

Oliver Anthony's song "Rich Men North of Richmond" has taken America by storm and proven to be a huge hit, but actor Rainn Wilson of "The Office" fame has announced that if he were writing a song on the topic, he would have gone in a different lyrical direction.

The lyrics in Anthony's song include a mention of "the obese milkin' welfare," as well as the comment that "if you're five foot three and you're 300 pounds, taxes ought not to pay for your bags of Fudge Rounds."

Instead of discussing overweight individuals on welfare, Wilson said he would talk about wealthy CEOs, corporations that don't pay taxes, and the tax shelters of billionaires.

"If I were writing a song about 'rich men north of richmond' I wouldnt talk about obese people on welfare, I'd sing about CEOs who make 400 times their average workers salary (up from 50 times 30 years ago) & corps that pay zero taxes & offshore tax shelters for billionaires," Wilson wrote in a post on X.

His comments sparked a torrent of replies on the social media platform.

"Sounds like @rainnwilson has an issue with the folks who make tax policy… Who makes tax policy?" actor Dean Cain wrote.

"Maybe the taxes that middle class and lower-middle class people pay going to lazy and slovenly people makes them more angry than people who work hard, also pay taxes and don't drain their income but rather add to it by buying their goods and services… Just a thought," Chris Loesch commented.

"Perhaps your $16 million net worth is clouding this, but when people like Oliver Anthony look to their left and right for neighbors to fight back against the system with & instead see are welfare-addicted gluttons who won't fight against a system that is drugging them physically, mentallty + monetarily, you write Rich Men North of Richmond," Ashley St. Clair tweeted. "Perhaps, you should stick to acting instead of songwriting. It seems, being #1 on the charts, Oliver Anthony has spoken to the people he wanted to speak to, and I can guarantee he didn't have you in mind."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!