Prince the Grinch? Not quite.
Prince, who performed a private concert for the Obamas at the White House last summer, became a Jehovah’s Witness in 2001 and, according to the religion’s official website, members don’t celebrate birthdays “because we believe that such celebrations displease God.”
Jones, a longtime friend of Prince’s who advised the artist on advocacy, said that he laughed off the suggestion that the administration wouldn’t officially censor personal celebrations.
“Yeah,” said Jones at the time, “I don’t know if that would go over too well.”