Comedian buys town, renames it ‘Gay Hell’ in protest of embassy Pride flag ban

Musician Elijah Daniel, known for his work on the show “Rick and Morty” and by his rap name Lil Phag, said he purchased the town of Hell, Michigan, to rename it “Gay Hell” as a protest against the Trump administration’s ban on LGBTQ flags on flagpoles at embassies around the world, Newsweek reported.

“Ahead of pride month Trump’s administration put a ban on embassy’s flying pride flag. so as of today, I am now the owner of Hell, Michigan. I bought the whole town. And my first act as owner, I have renamed my town to Gay Hell, MI. The only flags allowed to fly are pride,” the comedian shared on Twitter. 

ahead of pride month Trump’s administration put a ban on embassy’s flying pride flags.

so as of today, I am now the owner of Hell, Michigan. I bought the whole town.

And my first act as owner, I have renamed my town to Gay Hell, MI.

The only flags allowed to fly are pride. pic.twitter.com/AKOcZm2Jvm

— elijah daniel (@elijahdaniel) June 17, 2019

He also shared scenes from around the newly renamed town to add to the protest.

“Gay Hell, Mi has everything. A library, a place to lock your love in Gay Hell, and even a WEDDING CHAPEL TO GET GAY MARRIED IN HELL!”

Gay Hell, Mi has everything. A library, a place to lock your love in Gay Hell, and even a WEDDING CHAPEL TO GET GAY MARRIED IN HELL! pic.twitter.com/mt2RzgraEx

— elijah daniel (@elijahdaniel) June 17, 2019

Outrage against the ban sparked earlier this month after NBC News reported that U.S. embassies in at least four countries — Israel, Germany, Brazil and Latvia — were denied the ability to fly the rainbow flag during Pride Month.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo “has the position that, as it relates to the flagpole, that only the American flag should be flown there,” State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a press conference last week.

Daniel also served as mayor of the town for one day in 2017, during which he banned straight people. He did not tell the news outlet how much it cost to partially purchase the town, but he and the city’s “unofficial” mayor, John Colone, said they had planned the change for months.

Daniel also told Newsweek that his purchase is temporary but that he is considering making it permanent.

“Growing up, I was always told that homosexuals would go to Hell,” he wrote during his 2017 ban, according to Newsweek. “Now the heterosexuals are trying to take this from us too.”