Is there anybody left? The Great American State Fair is turning into a Great American Disaster after yet another artist has backed out of performing, the fifth (and possibly sixth?) artist to announce that they wouldn’t be participating after the lineup was announced earlier this week. The fair is part of the celebrations being planned by Freedom 250, which is a non-partisan organization responsible for putting together all the festivities to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. Freedom 250 was launched by President Donald Trump to spearhead his specific vision for the 250th anniversary events, so as with anything Trump is involved in, many are questioning whether or not the entity itself is truly “non-partisan,” which has led several artists to drop out of performing at the Great American State Fair. The event is an exposition bringing together all 50 states for a World’s Fair-style celebration featuring live entertainment, exhibits, patriotic tributes, innovation showcases, cultural programming, and other attractions from around the country, which will be hosted in Washington, D.C. from June 25 through July 10 on the National Mall. And earlier this week Freedom 250 announced the first round of headliners who would be performing at the celebration, including Martina McBride, C+C Music Factory, The Commodores, Vanilla Ice, Young MC, Morris Day and The Time, Flo Rida, Bret Michaels, and Milli Vanilli. Now, was it a great lineup to begin with? Not at all. The most recent top 10 hit from any of the artists was “My House” from Flo Rida back in 2015, so they didn’t exactly get any of today’s hottest acts. But immediately after the lineup was announced, the artists began pulling out, starting with Morris Day and The Time and Young MC. Then yesterday The Commodores announced they also wouldn’t be performing, and Milli Vanilli released a statement saying that none of their original members would be playing the event (although one of them died in 1998, and the group that’s best known for their lip-syncing scandal was actually made up of several singers who recorded the vocals while the two frontmen eventually released an album under their own names). So who will be performing as “Milli Vanilli?” Who knows. And last night, following online backlash Martina McBride released a statement last night announcing that she too was backing out of the event: “I would like to talk to you and clear the air. I will not be performing at the Great American State Fair on June 25th. I was presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading. I asked lots of questions and was assured this was a nonpartisan event that was meant to celebrate ALL 50 states and also bring people together in a way that only music can. I saw it as just a bigger version of so many state fairs I have performed at over the years, celebrating community and what makes each state special. Sounds fun, right? Wholesome even. Yesterday, things started changing and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening. I’ve spent my entire career singing songs about real people with real issues. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to be a voice for those who have felt like they didn’t have one. It greatly upsets me that any fan who has been moved by my music may now feel like I’m abandoning the meaning behind those songs. I assure you, that is not the case. I appreciate every single fan who has reached out. I hope to get back to the DC area very soon.” Not great. Just when it seemed the bleeding had stopped though, Bret Michaels announced today that he too would not be performing at the Great American State Fair. Like the others, the Poison frontman claims that he was misled about the event and cited threats to himself and his band as a result of his involvement: “When this opportunity was originally presented to my team, it was described as a celebration of our country through music and a chance to honor our veterans, active military, first responders, teachers and hardworking Americans from all walks of life. As the son of a veteran, and coming from a family that has proudly served, that is something I have always been honored to support. As many of you know, I’ve spent my entire career bringing people together through music, positivity and good vibes. My shows have never been about politics. They’re about giving people a place to come together, have a great time and forget about life’s stresses for a few hours. Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of. Concerns have also been raised regarding the safety of my fans, band, crew, family and myself, including threats that are completely unfounded and unforgivable. Because of that, I have made the difficult decision to step away from this performance.” View this post on Instagram At this point the only performers left are Vanilla Ice, C+C Music Factory, Flo Rida, and whoever may or may not be performing as Milli Vanilli. Seems like the committee needs to go back to the drawing board to try to salvage this thing.The post Poison Frontman Bret Michaels Becomes The Latest Artist To Back Out Of Performing At The Great American State Fair first appeared on Whiskey Riff.