Eminem’s tour Down Under threatened (1860)

Family groups in Australia are lobbying the government to deny rapper Eminem an entry visa, according to the BBC. The Australian Family Association is asking that the visa be denied on the basis of Eminem's past criminal activity, in addition to his controversial lyrics. The organization's national secretary said, "Some of the messages he portrays--the violence and especially the sexual violence--certainly don't help with our high suicide and drug abuse rates." Michael Gudinski, spokesman for concert promoter Frontier Touring, replied, "Let's face it, we don't live in Pleasantville, and most people in the world have never lived there in the first place. It's pretty naive and unrealistic that all artists and performers are going to paint the world with a rosy glow." The singer is currently scheduled to play two dates in July, one in Melbourne and one in Sydney, but has not yet been granted a visa. The Australian immigration minister says that Eminem's past activities will be weighed against the entertainment value and local employment opportunities provided by the tour before a decision is made.