Well, that escalated quickly. Check out this batshit response to my column asking about the origins of Nickelback hate.

Yesterday (October 11), my weekly column for Global News was built around a seemingly simple question: Why does Nickelback get so much hate? I’ve always felt that they’ve taken an unfair and disproportionate about of abuse. There are dozens, hundreds, maybe thousands of bands that mine the same cock-rocking, hard-partying territory but exceedingly few (Limp Bizkit, Creed, Smash Mouth, and maybe Hoobastank) have to deal with Nickelback level amounts of hate.

Personally, they’re not really my thing. But I do appreciate that (a) millions of people like them; (b) they’re an extraordinarily competent rock band with a knack for writing catchy songs, and (c) some of the revenues they generate are used by their label to develop new artists. I outline these points and others here and here.

The dialogue generated by those two posts have generally been thoughtful and genial as we try to explore what I think is a fascinating anthropological topic.

But on Sunday afternoon, this email came in. Before you continue, you might want to go back and read what I actually wrote. I’ll wait.

***

Ready? here’s that email from someone calling himself Fanfare Common_man who was unusually triggered by my posts. Make sure you read right to the end for the kicker comment.

Hey you ignorant pathetic big-mouthed fuck, I’ll tell you why there’s so much hate against Nickelback.

It’s quite plain & simple if you & everyone else had the brains to figure it out.

Nickelback sells out stadiums worldwide, their songs play constantly on rock stations all over, they’ve collaborated with other well-known artists, their song(s) on high grossing Hollywood movie soundtracks, they signed a $70 million deal with Live Nation, their wealth is beyond belief, so they must be doing something right.

As you’re likely looking for attention in hopes of boosting your ratings with this campaign of hate, social media is the real culprit & cancer in today’s communication. However, this all started against Nickelback, you can bet some spiteful (poor me) “fat” teen is the cause, sitting at his deck in his bedroom surrounded by empty pizza boxes, the place reeking of odour.

This is how it works from the confines of a cubicle, who can I offend today on social media or better yet I’ll find something that offends me & “give them a piece of my mind, let them have it, this is great I don’t have to face to face with anyone & can say & make up anything I like.”

Then the wildfire spreads over the internet by the boring shallow lives of others joining in just to get noticed on social media & of course celebrities agreeing to the rant for the attention as well, the whores that they all are.

Everyone today so despises anyone that succeeds, instead of making the efforts to better themselves.

GOD BLESS TRUMP AMERICA 2020 !

Er, thanks for the feedback. I guess. Seems like a disproportionate amount of hate to me.