Country singer Jelly Roll speaks out after fentanyl hearing: National crisis
The country singer known as Jelly Roll spoke to Fox News' Griff Jenkins Thursday after testifying about fentanyl at a Senate Banking Committee hearing.
Jelly Roll announced on social media he had accepted a challenge to run his first 5K in May.
On Thursday, the 39-year-old country singer shared an Instagram video in which he explained he was inspired to train for the race following an appearance on Kyle Forgeard's "Full Send" podcast earlier this week.
In the clip, Jelly Roll told his fans he planned to take part in comedians Bert Kreischer and Tom Segura's 5K By May challenge.
"Yeah, baby. This message is for Bert Kreischer and Tom Segura. I was on the ‘Full Send’ podcast this week, and Kyle from the [comedy YouTube group] NELK Boys convinced me … that I could make it to the 5K by May if I dedicated myself to it. I believe him. I believe in myself," Jelly Roll said as he walked through the woods with his dog.
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Jelly Roll announced he plans to run his first 5K. (John Parra/Getty Images for Audacys Riptide Music Festiva)
"Bert, I love you. Brother Tom, I don't know you, but I love you too and can't wait to meet you. I'll be there, baby.
"I'm in the woods walking every morning. 5k by May, baby. 5K by May. I mean it, Bert. I mean it, Bert."
On the Jan. 1 episode of their podcast, Kreischer and Segura announced their New Year's resolution was to run a 5K. The two said that they were organizing a race in May and called on other comedians to join them.
During the episode, they recruited comics including Michelle Wolf, Tim Dillon, Stavros Halkias and Mark Normand for the race, while Louis C.K. and Shane Gillis appeared to have tentatively agreed.
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"I'm a long runner. I'm not a fast runner, but I can get my s--- together for a 5K," Wolf told them.
"So this is Watch Bert Die, basically, right?" C.K. joked. "I'm gonna tell you I'm gonna do it, and then I'm definitely not gonna do it,"
Kreischer and Segura told their listeners they hadn't decided on a city to host the 5K but planned to sell tickets and donate proceeds to charity. Kreischer added they would also throw a "huge party" after the race.
"Tom and I are activating our fans. So, we're all gonna get healthy this year, and we're gonna run a 5K in May," Kreischer said.
"We love you guys and we want you to be healthy."
Jelly Roll, whose full name is Jason Bradley DeFord, has been candid about his struggles to lose weight over the years. In 2018, the country star revealed on Instagram he weighed over 500 pounds in 2015 before he embarked on a weight-loss journey and lost 200 pounds.
The singer is taking part in Tom Segura and Bert Kreischer's 5K by May challenge. ( Matt Winkelmeyer/WireImage)
In a November interview with Fox News Digital, Jelly Roll explained he's prioritizing his happiness and doesn't have a specific weight-loss goal he's working toward.
"I don't even have a goal when it comes to health," he said on the 2023 CMA Awards' red carpet. "I just want to keep doing the right thing and feeling better. I'm starting to find a will to live, and I wanna lean into that, that's it. I just want to be happier.
"Weight is normally directly related to mental health, so I'm trying to get that under control, and the rest is following that."
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The "Save Me" singer has also openly discussed his battle with addiction through the years. He served time in prison on aggravated robbery and possession with intent to sell charges.
"The more that this thing grows and the more people that we help and the more that I start to deal with my past and the things that have affected me and my own mental health struggles, the more that I have a will to live," he said.
"I've been working out. I've been losing weight, slowly but surely. I'm about 45-50 (pounds) down coming off tour, walking into the CMAs.
Jelly Roll has been candid about his struggles to lose weight over the years. (Scott Legato/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
"I'm drinking less than I've ever drank, and I feel incredible. I'm drinking water like a fish. I'm getting it right out here. I want to touch people as long as I can."
On Thursday, Jelly Roll, who now advocates for heroin and fentanyl addicts, appeared before U.S. lawmakers and gave powerful testimony on the devastating impact of fentanyl on forgotten Americans.
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He began his testimony to the Senate Banking Committee by noting that in the roughly five minutes he was allotted to speak, someone in the United States will die from a drug overdose, and there is a 72% chance it will be related to fentanyl.
"It is important to establish earlier that I am a musician and that I have no political alliance. I am neither Democrat nor Republican. In fact, because of my past, my right to vote has been restricted," the "Wild Ones" singer said. "Thus far, I have never paid attention to a political race in my life. Ironically, I think that makes me the perfect person to speak about this because fentanyl transcends partisanship and ideology."
Jelly Roll told lawmakers roughly 190 people die of an overdose every day in the U.S., roughly the equivalent of a "737 plane" at full capacity.
The rapper delivered powerful testimony on the opioid crisis before Congress this week. (Fox News)
"Could you imagine the national media attention it would get if they were reporting that a plane was crashing every single day and killing 190 people? But because it's 190 drug addicts, we don't feel that way, because America has been known to bully and shame drug addicts instead of dealing and trying to understand what the actual root of the problem is," Jelly Roll said.
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The Grammy-nominated musician said he sees the victims of the national fentanyl crisis at every one of his concerts and that he has personally been impacted by "the disease known as addiction."
"I've attended more funerals than I care to share with y'all. This committee, I could sit here and cry for days about the caskets I've carried of people I loved dearly, deeply in my soul. Good people. Not just drug addicts. Uncles, friends, cousins, normal people — some people that just got in a car wreck and started taking pain pills to manage it. One thing led to the other … how fast it spirals out of control," Jelly Roll said.
As a former drug dealer, Jelly Roll told Congress he was not testifying to defend the use of illegal drugs.
"I was a part of the problem. I am here now standing as a man that wants to be a part of solution," he said.
Fox News Digital's Janelle Ash and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
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