Pat McAfee Apologizes For Calling Canada A 'Terrible Country' At WWE Elimination Chamber

Pat McAfee wants to shake hands and move on.

The beginning of WWE Elimination Chamber sparked plenty of controversy, as the crowd at the Rogers Centre in Toronto booed the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner”. WWE commentator Pat McAfee responded by saying that it “kinda sucked” that the show was being held in “the terrible country of Canada that booed our National Anthem.”

Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Pat McAfee addressed the situation.

“Now, Canada, listen, there’s been some things said to me from Canadians that I guess I respect because of the passion that you have for your country,” Pat McAfee said. “Which I hope you understand that I was showing the same for mine. You booed my country. Now, I heard from a lot of Canadians. During the National Anthem, obviously, overwhelming boo, very loud boo. First reaction, whenever our National Anthem starts ho there, was for some of these Canadians just to start booing, and I’m like, ‘What? Okay.’ My entire life, my first reaction when somebody boos the National Anthem is [mimes punching], ‘F*ck you.’ I’m very thankful that I am from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America.

“I’m very proud that I am from the United States of America. Is everything perfect? Absolutely not. But my dad went from being a truck driver to a millionaire because he taught his son a work ethic and that anything is possible on this land here in the United States.”

Pat McAfee Defends His Reaction

McAfee continued by saying that when people boo the National Anthem, his reaction has always been to fight. He went on to highlight what he liked about Canada.

“Now, I know that we’re not the only country that has that happen, but in my life, that is the case,” Pat McAfee said. “I know people that have been affected for fighting for our country that really see the National Anthem as our, ‘Hey, this is our shit.’ So any time I’ve ever heard somebody boo our National Anthem, my natural reaction is, ‘Let’s fight.’ That is literally my natural reaction. Now, lot of Canadians have told me, ‘Why don’t you do a little investigating on why we’re booing? Did you hear what your president said?’ Listen, I understand there’s political differences at the current moment between us and Canada. But I feel like any time I think of Canada, I don’t think of what Justin Trudeau does, I don’t think immediately of Justin Trudeau’s decisions.

“I don’t think immediately of what Canada is doing in the political sphere. I think of the people of Canada. I think of the magical times that I had in Niagara Falls as a teenager. The old casino, the new casino. Let’s not even talk about the adult ballets that maybe introduced me to a lot of things in life. I think about good times and Mounties allowing teenagers puking in their streets because maybe we’re a little bit overserved. That’s what I think of when I think of Canada. I don’t think of Justin Trudeau. So I understand now from the Canadians that they have a lot more passion for their country than I could have ever imagined.”

Pat McAfee: I Love Canadians

McAfee then said that he understood why bad things had been said about him. He extended a handshake and said he wanted to move on. McAfee also said that he loves Canadians, and he apologized.

“A lot of terrible things have been said about me, and I understand it,” McAfee said. “You booed my country, I called your country territory. Let’s shake hands. You said you didn’t boo every member of the United States or every citizen of the United States of America. I didn’t say that Canadians were terrible. I said your country was.

“So you booed us. I said you’re terrible. Let’s shake hands, let’s move along. That’s what I would like to say, and I still love Canadians. I love Canadians, but my first reaction whenever you boo our country is, ‘Okay, let’s fight.’ I’m sorry. Let’s shake hands, Canada.”