Pat McAfee responds to John Mellencamp’s reproach: ‘Shut the f*** up!’

The New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers are now the undercard for Pat McAfee and the growing list of celebrities he’s feuding with.

During Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Indiana, McAfee was given a live microphone and asked to fire up the home crowd. McAfee accomplished the task by taking aim at the Knicks’ celebrity fans who traveled to Indiana for the game, calling out Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, and Timothée Chalamet before urging Pacers fans to send them home with their ears bleeding.

Most Pacers fans seemed to enjoy the bit, as the crowd was successfully fired up. Stiller didn’t enjoy it, but he wasn’t offended by it either. Indiana native John Mellencamp, however, hated it. Thursday afternoon, Mellencamp issued a statement saying he was “embarrassed” by McAfee bringing his WWE flair to an NBA game. And at first, McAfee seemed unfazed, saying Mellencamp “can feel however he wants.” But Friday afternoon, McAfee took a different approach.

What a moment for John Cougar Mellencamp

😂😂 #PMSLive https://t.co/sSAFHJmDL3 pic.twitter.com/unlYYcUHEH

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 30, 2025

“I respect and appreciate the fact that he said, ‘You know what? I’ve made a pretty good living over the last few years, grandstanding higher than everybody else on everything. This feels like a good time to do that now.’ And he puts out this horrendous graphic,” McAfee said. “John, can’t tell you how bad everything you did here was. The graphic, the quote, the timing…puts this thing out there, doesn’t even say my name. John, shut the f*** up! Okay? They put this out, calls me somebody, I am somebody. And I normally don’t want people to just get slaughtered, because I know we have a very active following.”

McAfee went on to claim Mellencamp should have been on his side and relished having a young celebrity in the arena who was willing to show some support for Indiana.

“Instead, you try to think you’re gonna bury me? I don’t think so, John!” McAfee continued. “Hey, Coug! SUCK IT, BUDDY! Hope I get a chance to see you real soon…I don’t want any of your bulls**t. I don’t like you, I know your name, and I don’t like you.”

McAfee vs Spike Lee. McAfee vs Ben Stiller. McAfee vs Chalamet. And now, McAfee vs John Mellencamp. Who needs Knicks-Pacers?

Mellencamp might be the only one who has any real feelings about McAfee’s bit. Because heading into Game 6, Knicks fans are not even remotely concerned with how Stiller or Chalamet are treated in Indiana. Welcome to the world of unruly sports fans, John. McAfee caught everyone by surprise with the pro wrestling-level theatrics, but sports fans have said and done much worse.